Relocate to afford private ed? WWYD?

[hummingbirdhostage]

We currently live in the South East with a large-ish mortgage (£230K). Our local secondary schools are dire. Really dire. Despite really liking where we live, we are considering moving back up North to go mortgage free, which then, at a stretch would allow us to put our 3 kids through private secondary school. Eldest currently struggles with schoolwork, is not particularly academic and is quite impressionable. Really would worry about this in secondary. So confused. Wwyd?

I have done a mixture of good and bad states and privates. I would absolutely not move to Stoke on trent, live in a small house then send my kids private. Move to an area with an excellent state secondary. If your children are average academically with no supreme skill at.sport or music then they will not thrive particularly at private over good state

There are some excellent private schools out there that work really well for non academic children, many do thrive and blossom in these when they haven't in state schools, not just a minor improvement in exam grades. But IME many of these less selective schools are boarding schools who can offer a much broader curriculum and a whole variety of other activities that may not be readily available out of school hours. But I suspect the OPs budget doesn't extend to boarding fees. I do agree not all private schools are good so that why OP you need to look very closely at both your private and state options before up sticks and moving somewhere like Stoke On Trent.

Agree with most of the post, I would choose move to a good area with a good stateschool. Education is not only in school, it is all around with family, the local community etc.

Move to an area with decent state comps and enjoy life. I'm up north and loads good all round state schools. £230k isn't a big mortgage round our way however... It's small

I don't think there are all that many private schools in Stoke on Trent. It's for the same reason that housing is cheap - there is little work, so not much money for housing and even less for school fees.

However, some of the towns 10 miles or so from Stoke are quite nice, much cheaper than the south-east and have decent state schools.

Just to dismiss the comment that Birmingham grammars are difficult to get to by public transport.

KE Aston ( boys) is a short walk from Aston station. The camp hill grammars are 2-3 stop on a really freq bus from bournville station ( or a brisk 15 min walk) this was my sons preferred route to school if he was running late rather than the slower bus, also the Sutton Coldfield grammars are 10 mins from the station there.

Also long commutes by bus/ train are really common to these schools. The kids had mates from Worcester and Hereford.

As to the ops dilemma. What about the Nottingham area ?

The fast trains from Stoke don't stop at Aston, so anyone would have to change at New Street. I don't think a Stoke - Birmingham commute is doable for a school child.

Never been there but am now fascinated by Stoke and why everyone is against it!

I think it's getting a bad press. I am sure there are places which are worse.
It was always industrial, but now is very run down and quite depressed, although there are some nice parts. However, it's not far from the Peak District and is on the main Manchester to London Euston Line, and also not far from the M6. Someone choosing to live there would be fine in some areas, but as I said, there isn't a lot of work available. Some of the towns and villages nearby are quite attractive.

Stoke in some areas is very run down but there is investment in the area just not quickly enough.

There's some good independent schools in the area too. Denstone College has a very good extra curricular activities and living nearby outside Stoke would possibly provide you with what you want.

Keele University is one of the top medical universities in the uk. It's not all terrible in Stoke. The Peak District is just a few minutes drive away and there's a short commute to Manchester and Birmingham for good work opportunities.

It's not my first choice of somewhere to live but it is getting there with a lot of new industries moving there.

" I'm up north and loads good all round state schools. £230k isn't a big mortgage round our way however... It's small"

Sorry, but this statement made me laugh! Given that the average mortgage debt across the whole country is around £90k, 230k is a large mortgage anywhere. Given that London skews the figure very considerably makes it more so outside of London.

However, OP, I agree with other posts that looking at state schools elsewhere may be your best first option. Education in the SE is skewed by grammars and also the fever to get in to them. The entire schooling set up is different in other areas and state schools may provide what you need. Even if private schooling is right for your eldest, it may not be necessary/right/most suitable for your younger children. (Although you probably can't know that yet, so I guess not a factor you can easily rely on). You do need to carefully assess all the options and factor in the upheaval for all of you and the effect of leaving friendships and established social and support networks. Is the education available in your current situation so unsuitable that these trade offs are worthwhile?

Would you consider a rural area? Shropshire is lovely and has a few good private schools - Shrewsbury, ellesmere are two, choice not huge but good quality. I would move there like a shot if work permitted

Education in the SE is skewed by grammars and also the fever to get in to them.
Please do not tar the whole south east with a London / Kent obsession.
Sussex, Hampshire and most of rural Surrey CBA with all the angst

In nicer areas of Stoke etc a 3 bed would cost you £300k and definately in much areas of Cheshire etc So £230k mortgage is not big for our area at all. In more popular areas a 3/4 bed family house would be more much than £300k

Have a look at houses in the catchment area of some of these schools:

www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/datablog/2016/jan/21/gcse-league-tables-top-10-non-selective-schools-by-region

Stoke is quite damp, not good for asthmatics, their LA is fantastic though.
I would choose the school first and work from there tbh.
We aren't known for our good private schools in many areas of the North. That's not to say they don't exist though.
I'd definitely say Cheshire or Yorkshire rather than Lancashire. There are some round here but many towns have no private, grammar, or good state schools.
My dd is private we are Greater Manchester but it is ss specialist school who audition for places, not the same thing.
I know there are some good private round York area.

There are some good private schools around York, but you won't find a four bedroom house within 10 miles for less than £500,000, so it would make more sense to buy in the catchment of a state school. Around half of the state secondary schools in York are rated outstanding.

Private schools, when it really comes down to the line, are about wanting social exclusivity
as many state schools do just as well by their kids exams wise
if you really want to pay out all that cash then do so
but moving to an area with good state schools have having free funds for "enrichment" seems much saner to me

OP, for what it's worth, generally speaking you get what you pay for.
There are brilliant state schools, so I'm told on here, and I believe it. All these posters aren't lying. Unfortunately, I have never experienced, seen or heard of one in our area and surrounding areas.
There are some bad private schools too, that don't meet individuals needs.

As a parent of a child who really isn't very academic and has learning difficulties, private was the answer.
She is confident, tries her best and is supported by staff, teachers, students,
In fact everyone is so lovely. I can't fault the provision for her.
It's finding the right school for the child. This is a school with excellent results and most of the children are very bright and leaps ahead of my dd.
She has never been made to feel bad, or beneath or worse than anyone else.

You could look at Loughborough. Affordable. Good private schools (girls/boys next to each other ) and also decent state and academies, I'd like to move there. You are then between Nottingham,Derby and Leicester all good cities.