Florence Park house purchase - advice appreciated on right area - help!

[suzydelarosa]

I've put in an offer on a house in Florence Park but many of the people I work with say schooling around there is a nightmare and that I should avoid buying 'the nicest house on a bad street'. As I'm not from Oxford originally I have no idea. Are schools there bad - or secondary schools as everyone says?

Grateful for any input before I drop £350k and live to regret it!

cheers!

How old are your dcs? From what I hear, Larkrise Primary School is working very hard to improve and is considered a good school by the people I know whose dcs go there. It's oversubscribed though, so you need to live fairly close by to be sure of getting a place (assuming you have pre-school dc). Secondary schools in East Oxford are not good, to be honest, although Oxford Spires Academy has an excellent, new-ish head and it's also a rapidly improving school. There were plans to open a Free School (Oxford New School) in 2013 the east Oxford area, but the plans were rejected at the first stage and I think will be resubmitted in a different form, delaying any possible opening. There's predicted to be a shortage of secondary places in a couple of years due to the population bulge. I don't know very much about St Gregory's, the Catholic secondary I'm afraid.

hi sinkingfeeling - thanks so much for your comments. I checked the ratings and all the primary schools in east oxford come out pretty much the same. the fact is I just can't afford the North of Oxford, don't really fancy Headington and really dislike the idea of commuting... so i'll have to 'suck it up' and see what happens!

Schools apart, it's a great area to live in - fantastic park (obviously!), local shops, bus service into town, good restaurants close by, lots going on and a genuinely friendly and down-to-earth neighbourhood. If you work in central Oxford, you could be there in 15-20 min from Florence Park, especially once the Iffley Rd roadworks have finished. Good luck with your decision - pm me if you'd like any more specific info.

St Greg's is apparently not as good as it being a Catholic school might suggest - this from a parent friend who pulled her girls out and sent them to Cherwell instead - which they were in catchment for, lucky them!

Apologies if this is too late to influence you (have only just joined-your message prompted me). I live in Florence Park and think its a fabulous place to be for lots of reasons. I have a new baby and also a teenager. Oldest went to Mary and John Primary which was brilliant. Now goes to Matthew Arnold secondary which is outside of the catchment but works very well.
I would say better to go for a house that you can afford and love in an area that you like because schools can change quite rapidly. And even if not, the brilliant local school might not be the best fit for your child's temperament. I went for Cheney, Cherwell and Matthew Arnold as options and was offered none because out of the catchment but hung on and contested it and got a place at MA.

I wouldn't dismiss Headington either, it has a lovely shopping area and bury knowle park is ace. Cheney is a pretty good secondary too...

Marston is the other area I would consider too....