Would you consider secondary schools when buying a house with a currently 3 year old DD?

[Absofrigginlootly]

DH, DD and I have been living overseas in the states for nearly 3 years. We're planning to come back to the uk this summer and after moving every 1-3 years for the past 18 years I am ready to SETTLE!!

I want a house for us to live in for the next 15 or so years to see DD and any future sibling through school.

The area we are looking at (dictated somewhat by job) is about 10 miles north of a nice city in the countryside. It has many (about 15-20) good/outstanding primary schools (as rated by OFSTED obvs so I appreciate this is highly subjective) in the area which are in catchment and because they're all small local village primaries they are all undersubscribed so I think the chances of getting a place at one are pretty good.

My issue is that the 2 or 3 nearest secondary schools within catchment are currently rated as inadequate/requiring improvement. There are several good and one outstanding secondary schools further away which appear to be in catchment but obviously these are oversubscribed.

How far in advance would you be considering school options when buying a house when your D.C. were only 3.5....??

We have flexibility about where we live at this point and could choose to buy in the city where there are good/outstanding primary and secondary schools (although obvs these are oversubscribed).... but my heart is in the countryside. I grew up in the countryside and lived in cities my adult life. I'm craving the simple, outdoorsy childhood for my D.C. that I was fortunate to experience.

Anyone who has been through both primary and secondary school application process - any advice?

Should we be thinking more about the immediate future i.e. live somewhere we like now and find a good school for next January applications (DD will be due to start September 2019) and just deal with secondary school later?

Or should we be playing the long game here? I really don't want to move again!

Although obviously I know life can't be planned to perfection I'm just so looking forward to being settled!

MN jury.... WWYD?

Ps, Posted in AIBU then found this forum (I was looking at the wrong bit of the education board before ) in case anyone wondered about the duplicate

Well we live in the states at the moment in a place that gets months of snow and -10C to -25C weather for months of end so I feel after nearly 3 years that's stamped out any southern softness I had!

*months on end

That's only for winter mind you... in the summer it's regularly +33C for months on end

I know what you mean though, I lived for 6 months on a farm in deep Somerset many years ago during one of the worst winters the UK had for decades.... cut off indeed!!!!

If we lived in the countryside we'd get a 4x4 tbh twat alert but after that experience it really made me realize how necessary they actually are if you live in the sticks!!

Totally would. We moved when our daughter was 4 and secondary schools was the deciding factor. Found out today that she got into her first choice school. Hardly seems any time since we moved.

The trouble with planning that far ahead for us is that it feels like so much could change between now and then - the government might have fully privatized schools by then (like they are doing with the NHS) and catchment areas may have changed etc.... secondary school is 7-8 years away

I feel like unless you buy 100m up the road from a very very good school there's no guarantee of getting a place anyway.....???

I have a friend who lives in and raised her children in Holme upon Spalding Moor. If I recall, they had to travel to Market Weighton for secondary school. I really can't comment on the quality of the schooling but it is a lovely area and not too far from York.

So much can change when you're looking 8 years ahead. No-one has a crystal ball and can predict what schools will be RI, good or outstanding in that time frame.
I think I know what secondary schools you are concerned about but children in the village you mentioned have in the last couple of years been offered places at other good & outstanding secondary schools outside their catchment areas. There are loads of lovely villages north of York and lots of lovely small village primaries. PM me if you want to discuss specific schools.

I would say to go with your heart about living in the countryside. Renting is a must so you can find your feet and find a place that suits you. If you're in the vale of York, you wouldn't really need a 4x4 as it's so flat, but if you are anywhere in the hills, it's essential if we have bad winter weather.