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Original poster

Living next to a school - any experience?

54 replies

HelpMeHiveMind · 21/01/2022 11:39

Yet another post from me in this topic...we are househunting so feedback on our various options is proving very helpful!

The latest one for consideration- what's it like living next to a school? As in, not literally next door but close enough that your road gets used as overflow parking, and the playground could presumably be heard?

OP posts:

TheEconomista · 21/01/2022 13:30

We live very close to an over-subscribed primary. If you have small children it's brilliant as the commute is seconds and you are guaranteed a place so avoid the stress of school applications. The sound at playtime is lovely to me but you can go and sit outside at lunchtime and listen to see how much it bothers you.

However, we only bought this house as we had studied the parking conditions really carefully in advance. We're located on a part of the road where it's impossible to double park, which means we avoid being blocked in or having people idling for ages outside pumping out fumes. I feel really sorry for neighbours slightly further up who have parents parked over their driveways and right up on the pavement twice a day, ignoring both the yellow lines and signs (as well as the repeated emails from school reminding them not to park there!)

I'm constantly astonished at the entitlement of some parents to turn up at the last minute and dump their car so THEY aren't late, when the more responsible park far away and have to run for pickup. Parents will turn up early to bag a free space and sit with the engine running for heating in winter and air-con in summer - literally under a 'no idling, think of children's health' sign. This is a wealthy middle-class school. People know better but simply don't care.

It's so quiet in the holidays though! I'd do detailed research first regarding parking so you know what you're getting into!

AlwaysColdHands · 21/01/2022 13:35

Think it depends very much on the road/ drop off/ parking situation. We live literally around the corner and so twice a day for ten minutes there are lots of cars around. But I’m not usually trying to drive anywhere at that time so it’s ok. Not a problem at all for us.
I’d rather be close to a school than other things like a shop/ industrial area etc.
Go and have a skulk around on foot at 8.45 and 3pm ish, park further away and do a walking loop around a few times.

TheRamAndFerret · 21/01/2022 13:44

If most of the parents walk then there won't be any cars at all to worry about. Best to check on a school day and see for yourself really

Snowiscold · 21/01/2022 13:44

I live opposite a primary school. There are two entrances on either side of the school. There are no issues with parking at all on my side, though it might be worse on the other side. I think lots walk. I do hear playground noise, but I like that, and it means it’s quiet in the evenings, nights and school holidays. I would actively want to live near a school.

Maiyakat · 21/01/2022 16:12

I live opposite a primary school. I like the playground noise (although wasn't so keen when they were having some kind of music week and were playing drums outside all afternoon!) Parking is a pain. I'm amazed by how many people will sit in a car for half an hour so their little darling doesn't have to walk an extra 50 meters, and how they're happy to pollute the air outside their children's school by running the engine all that time. Check that there's just one drop off and pick up, the school by me does half day nursery so there's an extra pick up at 1130 and drop off at 1230... However I think it's a fair trade off for living opposite the playing fields. If I didn't have that I wouldn't be so keen.

My parents used to live backing on to a high school. That caused no issue for them, but did for the people living further up the road when they installed floodlights on the playing field...

garlictwist · 21/01/2022 17:25

I live the next street over to a primary school. 90% of people walk their kids to school (inner city area, not many people have cars or live that far from the school) so we don't get any parking issues and don't even really hear much.

Gurkangurke · 21/01/2022 18:35

Close to primary. It's busy, sure, but never had any issues with people parking across our drive. Love hearing the noise of playing kids. But obvs depends on individual street etc. Just stake it out at the appropriate times.

Bubblegum22 · 21/01/2022 18:48

I live beside a secondary. Most children/young people walk so car traffic, if any, is usually spread in the morning but children jump out of cars as parents don't walk them in and its pretty quick.
It's more concentrated busy at 3.10pm for about 10 minutes but really haven't noticed it an issue. Parents don't park for long, and I haven't noticed them parking across the drive. They may have but I don't keep watch.

We don't notice playground noise because there isn't any as the playgrounds/spaces are on the other side of the building.

Teachers have a car park and I understand the school tells them not to park on our road, though I'm sure some may do on occasion. Whenever I've been to the office, by the time I get home after 5, the space outside my house is usually free again. Maybe we've just been lucky but its been absolutely fine for us.

Mizydoscape · 21/01/2022 18:50

Used to live at the bottom of a long road that had a secondary school at the top. Kicked out at 3.30pm. This was 3.07pm one day. That is people's driveways blocked half way up the road and the whole street is double yellows. No one on the right could get out of their garages either as no space to swing the car out.

Living next to a school - any experience?

hunder · 21/01/2022 18:53

We back on to a primary. As others have said, the playground noise isn't an issue for us. Some mornings you can hear it from 8am if they have before school clubs, but it never bothers me. One Saturday a year they have the summer fair and the talent show stage is next to our garden. But it's all over by 5pm. We don't have parking issues, but we are not near the entrance. It does get busy with cars at the start and end of the school day, but not for very long.

Beginit · 21/01/2022 18:56

Used to live on the same street as a school in sw London and it was a nightmare for parking. We could park off road but were frequently blocked in but inconsiderate parents who said they'd only be a couple of minutes and 20 minutes later they'd still not be back.

What became even more of a problem was us having any work done or deliveries or even visitors. Couriers would claim they could not find our house but in reality they just couldn't park close by.

I agree noise isn't a problem but teachers sometimes also parked on our road. Never ever would I recommend living close to a school.

ouchmyfeet · 21/01/2022 19:07

I live between 2 primary schools, exactly as you described-close enough that people park on our road and we can hear the children playing out.

I actually really like the sound of playtime, it's not close enough to be really loud, and the sound of them all enjoying themselves lifts my heart.

The parking is annoying but doesn't bother me much, mainly because I walk my own children to school. If I had to go out in the car all this inconsiderate twats parking all over the place and blocking the road would drive me crazy.

zighead · 21/01/2022 19:13

I live next to a primary school and have done for nearly twenty years.
I love hearing the children play and am used to the busy road for twenty minutes in the morning and twenty minutes at 3pm. I do hate the one or two cars that turn up half an hour/forty minutes before pick up to secure their same spot and then sit with their engines on. What a waste of time!

Lockdownmummy · 21/01/2022 19:18

Live opposite a primary school and echo the others about people losing any common sense about parking at drop off and pick up time - my drive gets blocked everyday.

BUT it only now annoys me as I am at home (WFH and then mat leave). The years previously when I was commuting I assume it was still the same but I was just never around to see it!

KeepingAnOpenMind · 21/01/2022 19:24

I live next to a primary school. Absolutely no problems, it’s hardly like living next door to a nightclub

Snowpaw · 21/01/2022 19:30

There is a primary school a minutes walk up my road. It’s not that bad - a bit chaotic between 8.30 and 9 if I’m trying to leave the house at that time (hard to get out of parking space because of pavements teaming with people, lots of cars going past) but it is only for a short amount of time and most days I work from home so I don’t experience it. Also if I come home at 3pm ish it can be hard to get a space, but I just try and be zen about it. It’s never a massive inconvenience. There are worse places to live. It’s a nice community school.

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 21/01/2022 19:32

Opposite a Primary. Next to that is the College, then the Secondary School.

Parents parking dangerously is frustrating. Bit of noise in the morning and afternoon from the Secondary kids. The college kids are up and down all day to the shop. But mostly they make good neighbours. Its residents only parking on the majority of the streets around here.

Plus side... DDs attend a good school, will have a good Secondary within walking distance, and the college is highly regarded too.

steppemum · 21/01/2022 19:33

we live round the corner from a school.
So school on the main road, our road is the next side turning.
Our garden backs on to the school field.
our house is by the field entrance.

To be fair, very very few parents drop of in cars, most walk, so we don't have the driving parking issue.

I love the sound of the kids in the playground. It is peaceful in the holidays and evenings.
The field is amazing, in the middle of town, lots of space and peace.

I think the parking is the issue. Visit at school drop off.

inheritancetrack · 21/01/2022 19:39

It's simply the parking. The roads along the school are bumper to bumper and driveways get blocked and you can barely drive along the road. It is just for this short time frame so ok if you're not the kind of person who sees red if a car is parked outside their house. The school is a good few houses away from us and round a bend in the crescent, but with its expansion over the years we even have cars parked along our part of the road.

The noise etc, no big deal.

RandomMess · 21/01/2022 19:50

The sound is lovely lots of happiness!

The parking or even having to travel along the neighbouring roads at certain times is yuck.

Ohmygodyesthatsit · 21/01/2022 19:52

Dont live near a college every single student seems to drive, so they park up all day.
We have residents only parking which they ignore. So we are getting permit parking i want to stand outside with some sort of smug sign the first day no one can park.
If they had respected the residents parking it wouldnt have happened fools.

Spudlet · 21/01/2022 19:54

My parents live in a house that backs onto a primary school playing field. The big pro is that it’s hopefully pretty unlikely to be built on, so they aren’t overlooked on all sides of their garden. And it was great when we were little, of course. We used to jump over the back fence to play with our friends during the holidays too - it was like a huge private playing field. As long as we kept well away from the school buildings, nobody minded. There were even trees to climb. It was great, as a kid.

They get playground noise at break and lunchtime but it’s happy noise, so they don’t mind. The only big downside is the parking twice a day - if you happen to need to get onto their drive at around 3, it’s a nightmare. But a fairly brief one. They’re maybe 10-15 houses down a long street, so it’s not prime hanging around territory.

Generally they’re very happy there

westcountryfaithful · 21/01/2022 20:03

Lived opposite a primary school for 8 years. Would echo what others have said. On plus side it’s like living next to a field ie super quiet at weekends and nights. Minus is if you want your car at pickup or drop off times…

Bussinbussin · 21/01/2022 20:03

Life changingly convenient if your children go to the school. We were never late!

Ours also keeps their playgrounds and sports field open to the public on evenings and weekends, which has been a godsend.

The noise from the children is fine, occasionally the announcements over the speaker are a bit annoying but that's mostly because the principal is a knob and waffles on forever.

Parking is of course troublesome at certain times of the day but these are mostly easily planned around. It's the ad hoc evening events like concerts which catch me out occasionally, now that my kids have left so we don't get prior warning.

The thing I hate most is parents leaning all over my fence and/or car at pick up time, which has been worse during the pandemic as they weren't allowed to wait on school grounds.

LoveFall · 21/01/2022 20:13

I live right next to an area obviously designated for childcare (on a university campus). I am on a higher floor of an apartment building and my widows and balcony face the day care buildings. There are probably 9 buildings with various ages. They have covered areas for play.

They are extremely noisy. I do not mind the sound of children playing, except when they start playing a game that seems to require screaming as loud as you can. Literally shrieking, high pitched screams. Not crying.

It actually quite upsets me as sometimes it triggers me to startle as if someone is hurt.

This is not just at playground times as they are not in a school. It is all day.

I am gradually getting used to it. If you are sensitive to such things OP you may want to check out the noise levels during outside play times. I have tried approaching the child care managers but it made no difference.

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