How much better should a house be to consider moving?

[fellysmanny]

Just wondering what other people think of this one:
We will probably be moving in the next 18 months mostly to do with schools really. The middle school dd would be due to go to catchment wise is not great. There is a chance she could get into a better one but is no means guaranteed and impossible to predict as we would be applying from quite a far distance. The area we live in is not bad but we do have very small house, a kitchen and sitting room/diner (which is sitting room sized), and a cloakroom downstairs, 2 proper bedrooms, a bathroom and a tiny 6' x 6' half room upstairs and it is on the main thoroughfare in a newbuild estate.
If we moved to the part of town where we would pretty much definitely get a place at one of the better schools, we would be able to afford a house only a little bigger - with possibly gaining a garage, 3 proper bedrooms and maybe a more defined eating area - either kitchen diner or a larger through sitting/dining room.
It may also be on a quieter road, but not necessarily much of a better area.
Would anyone else consider moving for this type of gain?

I'd move just for the garage and the quieter road, tbh. In fact, we did just that, to a house that needs lots done to it from a lovely place only 2 minutes walk away. If it also means you get the school place, it sounds a sensible move, unless you're increasing your mortgage unreasonably in the move.

If I thought it was a better school, I'd move even if I didn't gain anything in terms of the actual house.

Agree with Mandy - I believe giving your kids a good education is one of the best things you can ever do for them

Thanks people great to get a wider perspective.
I keep going round in circles especially as I can't speak to local friends about it as a lot live around me and don't seem as concerned about schools as me.
I guess in a lot of areas the school would not be considered bad, it's just the worst of the ones in our town. Key Stage 2 SAT results it gets 62% level 4 English and maths, 9% level 5.
The other good one's get around 80% level 4, and 20% level 5, so the other schools we would be looking to move nearer get quite considerably better results with nicer school environments and facilities.
If it were just primary I would not be so concerned but is middle school so she would be there till just before starting GCSE courses so would be vital years.

Are the SATs grades the middle school's fault though? If they take children in Y6 they have them for only two terms before SATs and it might be the local feeder schools that have them for the first three years of KS2 that are failing to deliver.

They start middle school at the start of year 5 and are there until end of Year 8.
There is probably some truth in that about the feeder schools as the side of town with the better middle schools is also the one with the outstanding feeder schools. I guess that is all inter connected.

I would move for one more bedroom, a downstairs loo, side access and a good co-ed secondary school.