Living opposite a primary school

[Emslifechoices]

Would this be a big no, no for people?

We've seen a house we like but it's directly opposite (other side of the road) a primary school and nursery. When we looked round it was summer so no school run mums there. Perhaps I should go back next week when the kids go back to school and see what it's like at 3pm?

Any thoughts?

Do you have any children?

I live about 2 minutes walk away from the local primary school which I like as it's nice and quick to get to school . I like hearing the sound of children playing at play times and where I am there's no issue with parking.

I would go back and see what the parking is like at drop off and pick up times. Our school has a tannoy (not in the uk) that you can hear for at least three or four houses down from the school. And the 'bell' is really loud too.

I live near a train station and I like the noise and I like the hustle and bustle too.

I live directly opposite a school. When I work, I leave for work at 8 am and am back at 6.30pm. Obviously no problems with this during these times.

However, about 6-8 times a year there are some parents evenings or school events after school in the evenings and parking is awful, i have to park about a 10 minute walk away and work out how to get nursery bags, food shopping, work bag and a toddler/baby to my house with no pushchair as had no idea there would be an event on. Not fun.

When Im not working and have to take Dc to preschool nursery, I need to plan to get my car off driveway to park on the road much earlier than I need to as sometimes, very rarely, I might get blocked in on my own drive or the parents give me no room to reverse and turn my car off drive as they park so close to each side of my drive.

Our local council parking officers frequently loiter around handing out tickets for stupid parking.

All in all: I've mellowed a lot over the years. Used to get very irate and anoyed but its not as awful anymore, just more used to it.

I also think the school advise parents to arrive no earlier than 15 mins before dropping off and picking up time to limit congestion times on the road. Really, it affects me for 30/40 mins max per day.

No kids yet but moving out of London with the intention of starting a family. I thought it would be handy for school drop off!

We live directly opposite a primary (in a Cul de sac) and it's horrendous for half an hour at pick up and drop off time. Other than that it's fine.

We live opposite a primary school on a quiet street.

Cons - school start/finish is busy down the street. Residents parking is largely ignored by parents. It can be busy some evenings too with meetings and after school activities.

Pros - we're not overlooked. Overlooking playground and fields is nice, especially in the city. We work m-f, 9-5 so mostly miss school run traffic shenanigans. During school hols it's lovely and quiet. Nice to hear kids playing at break time. Fewer people and cars on the street generally because there's only houses on one side.

Personally for us the pros outweigh the cons but I guess school size, whether the majority of parents drive or walk their children to school and if you're likely to be around (and trying to leave or park) during the school run might have an impact.

I've known people living near schools having their drives used as parking spaces for lazy parents before.

There was a great thread a while back where someone blocked in a car and then went away overnight slightly off topic I know

If it's a school you want future DC to attend then it's a huge bonus. If it's a school you would hate, then parking issues can be a pain. Future house price will be massively effected by school reputation and ofsted. People pay a fortune on houses for right school. Or not

Thats a good point ladybird, had not crossed our mind when we bought our house, luckily it is a good one!

I moved across the road from a school when I was pregnant. 4 years later it turned out to be the most popular school in the city and I was incredibly lucky to get a place.
Check out the school!
But yes, great place to live. No noise at all on weekends or for 12 weeks a year and most of the time the kids are in classrooms learning! It's only drop off and pick up that can be annoying.

We used too and it was crazy for about 10/20 min in the morning and afternoon but I only found out after living there for 3 years when on maternity leave with my first child. Unless you work from home it shouldn't be a problem.

Tadla near us there is about a 30K-50k premium paid for those houses in the roads immediately round the most popular schools. People fight for precious places as we have no defined catchments so the aim is to move almost into the playground at DC age 3. Not to be ignored ... But obviously not the case every where. If you lived in a massively over subscribed area and this school was outstanding it would sell in days. If it's not much good then the house price will reflect it .. Schools can be turned round but reputation takes a while. The size of the school and distance parents travel effects parking. Round us most people live within 0.3 -0.6 of a mile of schools so lots walk

Our previous house and this current house both back directly onto primary schools. However the main entrance to the primary school was in both cases a good way round the block.

Our old house actually had a stile into the school grounds (we bought it off the deputy head) and it was fab for DD when she was little and just went over the wall.

As there are no parking issues I actually really like it. It's lovely to hear the noise of the children when they are outside for lessons/recreation.

I used to live on the same road as a primary school. As I was at work from 8 - 6 everyday it didn't really matter.