Should I move to a better catchment area?

[mumnosbest]

I have 3 primary aged and preschool children and it's getting to the stage where I'm thinking of secondary schools for the eldest. I love my house and garden and the area is VERY close to work for me and DH, which makes mornings much simpler. Also close to town centre for trips to the shops or going out for a coffee etc. Also to get a similar house in a nicer area would increase our mortgage (affordable but at a stretch). However the area is quite deprived and the primary school is not brilliant. As DS1 is reaching an age where he will want to play out, I don't think I'll be happy with him staying out in this area (and with some of the local kids). I absolutely do not want my DCs to go to the nearest secondary school.
If it was just DH and me there would be no question, we'd stay put. Should I sacrifice the more economic life (cheaper house, ameneties on the doorstep, being able to walk to work and school) for a better catchment area and a nicer neighbourhood? I think I know the answer as I'd give up anything for my kids but there's still a little selfish part of me and DH that says life's ok here and we might still get them in a better school out of our catchment area but it's a risk.

I moved for primary school after seeing the horrific ofsted reports in the area I lived in. From a really cheap, highly convenient [right near the tube] for work spot, to a leafy little village with highly rated primary and secondary schools just walking distance away. Yes the mortgage is painful. Yes I now have an hour and a half driving each way to work as the public transport is completely ridiculous, but would I do it differently - never.

Think this is what I needed to hear thanks :) I just wish I could take my house with me.

If it were me i would probably move, but thats just my personal opinion. I think if you can get your children into a really good school and have a higher mortgage . Thats still far more affordable than it is to send your children privately for secondary school, which is what our friends who living in Islington feel they are being forced to do. I feel it's really important for parents to feel that the area they live in is safe enough for their children to go out on their own. Because being independent is what allows you to develop and grow up.

However before you decide to do anything i would look at all the local schools, church (some might have local place/scholarships), non-church and follow the GCSE results for a few years. If you see a school improving year on year then thats a positive sign. You also have to consider the intake sometimes in more well-off areas the results are better because parents are paying for extra tuition etc, the teaching is therefore not better it's just that parents are able to pay for tuition/extra help etc. Look round the schools, look at the heads, do they command authority? Are they examples of good leaders? Often heads make/break a school so these are things to look out for.

Thanks Welove... I'm a teacher so have some insight into the local schools and whilst happy to work in this pyramid I'm not so happy for the DCs to go to school here. Both primary aged DCs are definately at the top ends of their classes and whilst teaching is ok there isn't much competition with peers, which I do feel they need (don't mean to boast but I do count us as middle class and a little more priveledged than some in this braodly working class area). I also know a bit about the other catchment areas and secondary schools and they are better in every way (intake, results and opportunities for extra-curricular activities, trips etc). If we stayed here I would definately not send them to the local secondary school, so would rely on them getting into another school. If they didn't we'd have to move anyway, which could mean DS spending at least part of his Year7 at the local school.

After hearing your comment, i think you are right to move for secondary school it seems as if you are fully aware of the school situation so you should probably do what you think is best for your family and if thats moving for a school then you should do that. Education is the key to the next stage. And with the house it will take time to make it a home, but just by living in it with your kids will make it a home. Good Luck with it all.

I think I just need to talk myself into making the move now. Deep down I know it's what we need.

It sounds like you are being very sensible, you have researched other alternatives locally and moving seems to be the best option for you.
We did the same thing 6 years ago and whilst I adored our house and we had lived there for 9 years and been very happy it was definitley the best move for us (even though I now have to take a bus and 2 trains to work, before it was just one train)
I'm sure you will find another lovely house and be happy when you send your DC to a good school, good luck :)

I would check out the usual pattern of applications to your local schools - it's perfectly possible to send DCs to schools out of catchment in many areas - depends on how many places they have and how popular they are - but not all good schools are over-subscribed.

I know the 2 schools I'm considering do take some children out of catchment but DSs year group is large and seems to have been a large birth year so it would be a gamble. Also if I move within their catchment, the DCs will grow up living near to some of their school friends. Our reasons for staying here are really only convenience for work (a bit selfish) and financial (manageable) so I guess the pros of moving do outway the cons. I have another year before we'd put our house on the market as I'm on maternity leave at the mo, so I guess I need to spend this year getting used to the idea and begin decluttering. Moving especially in this recession is such a big thing. I think we'd just about break even on the sale of the house, which is upsetting considering the work we've done but then hopefully our next house would be less expensive than a few years ago too.
Sounds like everyone who's made the move is happy about it.

We're about to move for catchment reasons so in answer to your question, I'd have to say yes! It's gutting to leave a better, more affordable house for a less good and more expensive one, but there's a reason why the good house costs less - because being in the catchment is worth a lot!

As other people suggested to me - you could always rent your current house out and rent somewhere in the school catchment instead, then you can go back to the house you love one day when all the school issues are sorted. But I couldn't hack that so decided to bite the bullet now and maybe find somewhere else further down the line, when all this catchment malarky is thankfully a distant memory. Good luck. Sounds like you're going to go for it.

Another vote for moving from me .
Hell I even wish for secondary we'd gone private.
DS is19 ,didn't reach his "potential ",has no self confidence .
Though he sent his teachers a nice email when he was"persuaded" to abandon his A levels weeks before the A2 exams thanking them for the "learning environment " .
I'm afraid that I'm living proof that a supportive ,interested home environment doesn't always compensate for a school with other problems to deal with . ( read "lets concentrate on the really disaffected /trouble makers and forget about that quiet middleclass one who should scrape through).

How easily could you get your kids to a GOOD school from where you are?
My catchment school is dire - primary and secondary. My LEA are under performing
BUT
the LEA boundary is a couple of hundred yards away and the good primary was within walking distance beyond it and the secondary is a ten minute car journey or 15 minute bus ride
SO
I have my big house and my big garden (in a manky area admittedly) but my kids at a wonderful school

Another happy mover here .

I moved 20 mins away from my work, got a bigger mortgage for a smaller house in order to move from the large town into the countryside.

Now I live somewhere my children go out to play - in fact both my children have been out calling for friends after school today, the local secondary school is OFSTED outstanding and said to be amongst the best comps in the country.

Yes it costs us more, yes my commute to work is longer (but DHs is smaller) and yes we've got a smaller house - but my DC love it here and we'd never move back. There are more important things in life than a big house .

I moved for the same reason and the kids (even the normally grumpy ds1) thanks me regularly. He loves his school, having bike paths and freedom that he wouldn't have had in London for a few more years.

Dh has a longer commute but knowing that the children have a better quality of life is priceless.

We are planning a move too for the same reasons. Life is too short. Dh's commute will be about the same (I will have to give notice for my job) but the new local schools both primary and more importantly secondary are brilliant. Quite exciting though!

Well it definately sounds like moving is the best option. Now just have to sort this house and hope it sells. Thanks for all your comments. Its good to hear so many of you have no regrets.