How important to be in best school catchment?

[Ellsiedodah]

May seem like an odd question but I've got a million questions and considerations flying through my head so I'd be grateful for any thoughts.

We're moving to a town of just over 100K people, just south of the midlands, known for a multitude of good state and private schools. We're leaving London for a more affordable, more healthy balanced life and to live near Granny, BUT on visiting the area properly house hunting we've found that the desirable areas of town are beyond our means for the space we need - OH is a journalist and works from home, needing to be focused and creative, so needs space apart from our kid(s).

My question is: DO WE buy a very imperfect home, lacking garden or with impractical space just to get into the right school, and sell up in a couple of years OR do we head for another part of town in a blackhole for schools (nearest x3 schools are so small and religious so it would be unlikely we'd get in) for the right space to raise a young family AND enabling my OH to work and just trust something will work out re schools? Son is 2.5 and born in June.

The other bit of context is that our home has sold and we're on a major time limit AND I've got 3 rounds of IVF to do ASAP to conceive a hoped for 2nd child owing to fertility half way off a cliff. THe other thing, a first world problem but very present for us is that my husband needs to feel home is 'right' to be able to work. He is very creative, suffers mild ADHD and depression so the space is particularly important for his wellbeing. A first world problem I really do appreciate, so please be gentle... as we all know, everything is relative.

I just don't know what to do. Any thoughts would be gratefully received.

Hi Op,
I totally get your feelings, it is so hard making these big decisions! Is there a possibility to rent and get a feel for the areas before taking the plunge to buy - we did that and it was worth it as we then had first hand experience of the area before making such a big leap.
Also schools change - both the schools we have used have changed over the years due to leadership changes and budget changes. The school you pick now might not be the same in two years, so it is a big decision to buy a house based just on one school.
I think more important in some ways than a school is a community. Where do you get a happy feeling? My children have benefitted so much from growing up in a great community that extends beyond just the local schools we use (Brownies, Cubs, art groups, drama groups, playgroups, ) Where would you like them to put down roots? Schools are not everything by any means...children spend more time at home than they do at school so get he happy home life bit ri

Whoops....pressed wrong button! Get the home life bit right, the community bit right and then do your research into schools remembering that they do change.

If he is a June baby you would be applying next September so maybe rent as PP suggests, or buy house suitable for school now and move once he has a place

A couple of things to consider. The “best” school on paper with OFSTED results and local desirability, might not be the RIGHT school for your child. Our closest catchment school was like getting a golden ticket if you got a place but when we visited we hated it. The head was happily talking about results, results, results but when asked about things like the possibility of forest school or choirs or sports matches against other schools then she fell short. The classrooms were pokey and uninspiring and the playground so tiny that all break times were staggered.

So just be mindful about what makes a great school. It’s the one that matches your family values and where you feel at home. Gut reaction is so important. If you can work with that mindset then you will instantly open up new areas you might not have considered.

I also think renting might be a good idea. Firstly it takes the pressure off trying to find and buy the perfect house in a small timeframe whilst dealing with IVF too. Secondly you could do exceptionally well out of it as all the predictions are that the housing market is going to slow down significantly after March. You will be in an amazing position to negotiate on price and your offer will be more readily accepted than someone in a chain.

We ended up moving into rented. Ours was a cash buyer, full asking price and he just wanted to set a completion date and stick to it. So we agreed on three months later, in the meantime the house we wanted to buy fell through higher up the chain, but it was just one last thing to worry about. When the dream house came up a few months later we got it and moved in 6 weeks later. We also had a bit of fun with the rental and rented something we would never have considered buying (church conversion with massive stained glass windows, very contemporary with great entertaining space). It was a great six months.

Fundamental. But "best school" means different things to different people. I would never move to a "black hole" area - you need some certainty of knowing which school you'd get (I know it's sometimes difficult to predict but have at least one school you'd almost definitely get into that you're happy with, as well as other options).

Also be wary of renting in a catchment with a plan to move out of catchment once your DS has got a place. Lots of schools are removing a sibling priority to stop this practice, meaning you have to buy in catchment or at least rent in catchment until both children are in. If you move away, you risk having 2 children at 2 different schools. Schools can change their policies too so whilst your preferred school may have a sibling policy now, it might change.

My view is to get the school right so compromise on the house. It's 7 years of children's lives - with the age gap of our children, we had kids at primary school for 11 years. Thats a massive chunk of time to have something in your lives that you're not entirely happy with or is logistically difficult. You can do lots to a "compromise house" to put your stamp on it over time - extend, reconfigure etc. Moving schools / starting again in terms of making friends & the upheaval is much more detrimental to children.

I wouldnt buy in a black hole area. Check secondaries too.
Is there a compromise between the 2? Somewhere with good rather than outstanding school, and a garden.

You will obviously want to get your children into a school that is the best in the area. However I think you need to be realistic. If you cannot afford to move into a home near the preferred schools which offers you the necessary accommodation then compromise is necessary.
To me that compromise has to be the school. As a family you need to move to a home that is acceptable for your needs, your child's needs and your husbands for work. When you have found the home which is an acceptable compromise then you need to start looking at the schools in the area. You eldest child is 2+ and therefore it is September 2021 before they start at school and given they are June born they could possibly not start till Easter 2022 if you decide to defer. In that time period the schools in the area can change massively but your home will not, so that needs to be right as far as I am concerned.

Rent in the black hole and see how you feel. As someone said, you need to get the community right.

It sounds like you are under a huge amount of pressure right now with the IVF and the move and quite honestly yours and DHs stress levels are the most important thing to manage. I’d rent initially and take your time. Personally I think catchment areas are more important at Secondary age - as long as you’re in the catchment initially for an OFSTED good Primary you’ll be ok, it doesn’t need to be Outstanding. I wouldn’t move to a black hole area where all the Primary schools were either in need of improvement or in special measures but surely not all could be?

Also remember that the fortunes of schools go up and down. If you buy a wreck of a house in a really good Secondary school catchment, by the time DC go to school it might have gone of the rails. If your DH needs a peaceful working space as you say, a renovation project is going to be a nightmare for him not to mention a probable money pit for you both - these things always cost a lot more than initially budgetted!

If you want a really dull evening, do check the stats for the schools you'd like to get in to. We live in the catchment for an 'interesting' school which we knew wouldn't be the right fit for DD. But there are 8 primaries within a mile of us (nuts but true), and ploughing through the stats for the previous few years revealed that one of them was so popular that not all the children in catchment got in so we didn't even put that on our form. However the one we put first we would get into about half the time. DD got a place, and would have been even more likely to get into our second choice. So it really is worth doing your homework on this one....

I think your title is misleading -- you're not talking about trying a good or adequate school but moving to a black hole area, which frankly is crazy.

I'm a writer and academic. Obviously I would love my own office so I can be focused and creative but instead I've been working in a corner of my bedroom for 15 years. Lots of people are in this situation right now! And there really are lots of options for dealing with this situation, from extensions to garden sheds to noise cancelling headphones, lots of things to try. There's not much you can do if you're in a black hole area.

If your DH really won't compromise then you'll have to keep looking and hoping for prices to drop. I agree renting is a good idea.

Why not rent for a bit?

My question is: DO WE buy a very imperfect home, lacking garden or with impractical space just to get into the right school, and sell up in a couple of years OR do we head for another part of town in a blackhole for schools (nearest x3 schools are so small and religious so it would be unlikely we'd get in) for the right space to raise a young family AND enabling my OH to work and just trust something will work out re schools? Son is 2.5 and born in June.

School will be the biggest part of your life for a while. If you’re making a permanent move, you’d be mad to put yourself in a ‘black hole’ for schools.

If your DH can’t see that and thinks his needs are most important in this family scenario, I’d be worried. He has many options - a home office in the garden, a co-working space away from home, etc.

I’d bloody love the perfect creative working environment- I am sympathetic. But not that sympathetic. His needs are no longer the deciding factor. As an adult he must realise this and work on his perceptions of ‘need’ vs ‘preference’.

Lastly - don’t put yourself last. There’s nothing in that post about your needs or preferences. A new town (near MIL?) with a DH who “needs to feel home is 'right' to be able to work”, school decisions, IVF rollercoaster- your needs are going to be a supportive community for yourself particularly if you’re primary childcare/SAHP. The whole thing crumbles if you are unhappy as you won’t be able to support DH and DC.

Renting is a good idea. Thinking laterally about space needed and where is a good idea. Don’t put yourself last - and remember schools and commuting to and from then is going to be a massive part of your life and it can be a real pain so don’t tie yourself to a commute if you can avoid it...

Have to agree with everyone else.
You are moving to a completely new area. It makes sense to rent where you think you prefer, and work from there.

I also 100% agree with what everyone is saying about schools.

It also seems unlikely that such a small town has "a multitude of good school" and also an area that is such a "black hole". If you rent for a while, you might get a much better picture of what all the areas are actually like.

What does 'black hole' mean in terms of getting into schools? Does it mean you end up in a rubbish school far away or do local children end up in a decent school, albeit further from home? Would that mean a daily drive to school? Would you be doing all the school runs? What about secondary schools?

You don't necessarily need to answer all that but worth thinking about. Arguably a good secondary is a bigger concern, but I wouldn't want an awful primary, especially as it's not that long until your child starts in terms of schools changing. If I had to weigh up a cramped house v long school commute I would be considering how I would commute. For me, it would be hugely stressful if I had to drive and try to park every day, unless there was loads of parking (there rarely is!). If it was a longish walk I would cope with that.

Are there any compromises to be had or is it very much one or the other?

I would consider secondary school catchment first as although things can change, the chances are they won't and secondary more important. If secondary ok in the area you can afford then rent somewhere for primary (keeping an eye on house prices and sibling policies) then buy once he has a place.

Flourandeggs thanks so much for being kind and for sharing your wisdom. Putting down roots is everything to me but I think possibly where we're going the schools we'd like are where the community we'd like to be a part of is. And actually you make a great point with all the extra clubs... its not a massive place and I guess you can find 'your' people anywhere really. Thank you:)

Thank you all so much. There is so much wisdom here... I really appreciate it - it has all really helped me. Owing to concerns about income ongoing and ability to get a mortgage in a year's time we have ended up choosing to buy, though I think in any other scenario we would have rented as the most sensible thing.