Education or property

[Mumoftwoboysxxx]

I’d like to get some advise, please and it would be interesting to see people’s opinions.

We’re currently renting in a leafy London superb with outstanding schools. We moved here solely for the purpose of schools (children are 5&3 y.o), which I now realise was a mistake, since we will never be able to buy our first property here. So we’re left with 2 options:

1. Move up north (Manchester/Birmingham) and buy a house there. It would mean an in-year transfer and we’re risking being allocated the worst school in the borough, which is what’s been holding us back. Education is very important to us.
2. Stay here until DC1 gets towards the end of primary (now in YR so a LONG way to go). Buy a house somewhere up north before secondary applications deadline, he goes to secondary of our choice, we go private for DC2 for the remaining 2 years of primary, if we’re not allocated a decent school. But it also means we will be paying off someone else’s mortgage for the next 5 years instead of our own.

What would you do? Thanks in advance.

I would choose Option 1 as your kids are so young. Move and get them into the best primary school you can. Research, research, research and then go for it!

I would do option 1. Even if your DC does get into a school you don't like you can go on the waiting list of the ones you like.

Forgot to say that at such young ages I think that with good parental involvement children will do well at most schools.

Do you both have the work flexibility to be able to make a move North or to The Midlands? There's a reason why property prices can be much lower than 'down South' and it's often to do with employment opportunity.

'Up north' covers quite a large area. If you could narrow it down, you could see how full schools are and what waiting lists are like.

Fwiw, if you're going to move, do it as early as possible. Otherwise you're just waiting to move. Ime the more settled kids are, the harder it is.

Alternatively, sit tight and see what happens to property prices over the next few months...

TheTeenageYears we could get an internal transfer, maybe not simultaneously but it’s possible.

tilder Manchester: Altrincham, Trafford, Hale. All with great (and oversubscribed) schools, which translates into long waiting lists.

What about Cheshire? Lots of great schools there.

Cheshire has lots of good schools but also most are oversubscribed. Getting you 5 year old into a school with the infant class size regulations in force is not going to be easy but does seem the long term better option for your whole family.

Just glancing through the sept 2020 primary allocations and there are lots of good schools in Cheshire East who have places. There isn’t such a huge disparity between good and bad schools so most parents are happy to go wherever.

The length of the waiting list isn't important, it's how close you move to the school- so could go straight to the top.

Another option could be to time your move for them being in Junior School, where the 30 limit doesn't apply in the same way. Moving with two in infant school years can be risky.

If you are going to move now, move before the youngests primary application date.

Do you mean you couldn’t afford anywhere in London?

Not all excellent schools in London are in ‘leafy’ areas.

Also it’s good if your kids are in good schools. They don’t have to be in the school that comes out top in some league table. There are thousands and thousands of good schools in this country.

Hmm I'm in a similar situation. We own our flat but it is too small and we are £250k short minimum to buy anything bigger where we are. But have no idea where to go or when. We have good schools here too but we know we can't stay. Sensible thing would be to just leave London... but I don't want too 😢

Have you looked at cheaper London areas? Is that an option? Seems like a long time to go on renting.

Thank you all for your input. Just the answer the questions:

Cheshire is certainly an option, we’re not fixed on anywhere in particular yet so I will keep that in mind. Thanks.

The areas we can afford in London I probably wouldn’t want to live there. I’m not a post code snob but if we were to move and had to change schools, I would rather buy the worst house in the best neighbourhood (up north) that other way around (in London). There is nothing keeping us in London so we’re not desperate to stretch ourselves and stay here.

Yeah. We've looked at cheaper areas too and tbh I don't want to live anywhere we can afford. Moving out is probably sensible.

Do bear in mind that your youngest would be applying for a school place in the normal round. If your current Reception age child didn’t get an ideal school and was in a less desirable school for a year they might jump to the top of the waitlist of your preferred school as soon as their younger sibling gets allocated a place - all depends on whether the school oversubscription criteria has siblings high up the list.

I'd maybe do as PettsWood says. Move by January and you can apply as normal for your youngest. At infant age, children will do well in most places if parents are supportive. If you really hated where your eldest was given a place, could you pay for private for a year or two now and wait for a place or appeal for a year 3 place when infant class size doesn't apply.

Also I meant to add, moving for secondary could be tricky logistically. You would need to have moved by Oct of year 6, so your eldest would have to move schools twice (new school for year 6 and then year 7). I think this would be harder at 10 than at 5/6.

Also check if where you are moving has feeder schools for secondary. It would then particularly matter what primary they went to and might be harder to secure a place for year 6.

Basically what I am saying is I think there is less 'risk' of disrupting education at 5/6 than 10/11.

Definitely move now. Ideally in time to apply for DC2's school place in the normal admissions round. this gives you time to get settled, get a proper understanding of local schools, get integrated into the local community. You can put your DC1 on school waiting lists of any school you would find acceptable if you're not happy with your allocation. Though it's rare that any school is absolutely awful at age 5/6. Much trickier to time a move around secondary school admissions, plus then your oldest would have 2 school moves in quick succession.

Look carefully at senior school provision in Birmingham as grammar school area and consider the comprehensive and Indy situation if they don't get through the 11+

Another option would be to continue renting where you are.

I would move now & start to build new life and friendships. Your assumption that a move before secondary deadline will give you the secondary of your choice is odd? Surely less likely to get a yr5 or 6 place in a well regarded primary that feeds a great secondary school?