Should I stay put for a good secondary school (3 years to go)?

[catbasilio]

I moved house 6 months ago 2 miles away from my old location. The primary reason for moving was the need of extra bedroom. When we viewed houses, I viewed houses in my old area and around. The one we bought was the furthest away, but it had an added benefit of being near an outstanding and very well regarded secondary school, so finally we decided to go with it (I was getting this house for a good price and had in mind that in the worst case scenario I would sell up and move back after a year - I wanted to give it a try).

Nothing is wrong in particular, but the new area is very suburban and has no buzz. I cannot see myself living there long-term. The wisest thing to do would be to stay until my DS gets into secondary school (he is now Y3, so until end of Y6 probably) and then sell up and move back to the old area.

My biggest worry is that the prices in my old area are going up faster than in my suburb and I might not afford it anymore, especially after 3-4 years. On the other hand, if I move back now, I will have wasted lots of money for moving and much more uncertain school choices when the time comes.

Tell me your wisdom as I am going in circles like crazy. Though please don't tell me that 6 months is too short in the new area - I have always preferred my old area against this, but was seduced by the school.

Have you been to look around the school? I was really keen to get my dc into the local, very well-regarded school... and then I went to look around it and hated it. Make sure that you think it is right for you and your children before making a decision.

If you do like it, I'd stay put until his bum is on a seat.

Yes i have been and it really is good, and I am also judging from well behaved students in the area. This is not to mention that children from my old area also go to schools somewhere - it can't be all bad (it isn't good either or it is religious or lottery based).

After shelling out all the money to move, I'd stay for the school. If the school is rated outstanding, I'd be really surprised if the house prices didn't keep pace - it has a massive impact on house prices, at least where I live.

a driving factor for me would be what the less good school is like. If it's truly awful, stay. If it is fine, just not as amazing as the good one, then moving is more of an option.

It is school open day season. Look round both potential schools, not just the good one, and take it from there.

Also it is nice for children to be at their local school, especially in senior school when it means they are walking distance to their friends' houses. If you are very likely to move back once he's in, you need to factor inthe disbenefit of him not being at the nearest school.

I'd stay put, but that depends how miserable the new area is making you.

If I move back after DS gets into the outstanding secondary, his journey to the outstanding school would be 30mins max (by bus).
If I move back now, no one I know sends their kids to the local schools, so we would have to research some religious further away schools (up to 1 hour commute which plenty of students do).
(Although I am not keen on a religious school if I can avoid).

The new area is "naice" just very very suburban.
But it sounds no brainer to stay put...
3 years and 4 months to go until the secondary school day offer. I hope I can afford to move back then.

Stay. Is it worth getting a small but to let which you can sell in three years

Also you've only given it 6 months in the new place. Not long to adjust

Or stay and add value to your house so that it increases

Extend

catbasilio, You may also need to bear in mind that some outstandnig and over-subscribed schools are increasingly cracking down on school admissions where the timing is 'very conveniently' linked to house moves.

The local rumour mill cites examples of families who, when the home address of the child in September is not the one from which the application was made, have lost their school place, and this has put them in a very poor position in terms of finding a new school place in the Autumn term of Y7. Certainly, of recent years some Y7 children have had their places removed in the Autumn term, although tbh as the problem has become more widespread and well-known, and the shortage of school places more acute, the council have got MUCH better at picking up such applications earlier so the child never starts at the school.

You may find you need to stay at least until Christmas of Y7, maybe longer, for your application to be regarded as truly 'genuine' and thus guarantee that your child keeps the place that you have applied for.

Teacher, very useful to know thank you. At the moment there is nothing to indicate that the place could be taken away once it is offered and accepted. I also hope that if I have owned the house for approx. 4 years before moving away, that puts me in the "genuine" category, right?

In the worst case scenario, I could stay put until September-December...

I cannot extend - no space, no loft!

Most schools around here want you to live in the house on the date you apply and on the day the child starts school - although to be honest op if you have waited that long to move an extra few months won't make that much difference

I see, schools difficult in your preferred location then.

Look round the school options between now and Jan, when they are all having open days. It would be silly to stay for years when you might not even like the outstanding school when you look round.