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Original poster

Would you buy on a school road?

109 replies

RHOFLDN · 09/03/2024 15:53

It’s our dream house, size, location, decoration, layout etc BUT there is a secondary school on the road. My partner is not fussed by this but I have concerns. The noise, parking (there are restrictions but I know how inconsiderate drivers can be doing drop off/pick up) so my questions are, would you buy on a school road? Those who do live on a road with a school is it as bad as I imagine?!

OP posts:
KeenAnt · 09/03/2024 15:58

hell no

Trinity69 · 09/03/2024 16:01

Does the house have a driveway? I used to live on a road with a primary school and we had no drive. I had to time my day around when people would be picking up/dropping off, as if I came home at pick up time there was no chance I could park. Also had to be aware of parents evenings or any events at the school. I probably wouldn’t do it again.

ConflictedCheetah · 09/03/2024 16:02

I'd turn up and loiter at school pick up and drop off times and see what it's like. If it's not a massive school (unlikely if secondary) and catchment is very local you may find most people walk or cycle so traffic not an issue. Also depends on how close to the school you are. On the same road may not be an issue of you're further along.

Redglitter · 09/03/2024 16:04

I live a few hundred yards from a school. This was my perfect house & it didn't put me off at all.

The street is busy from about 0845 til 0905 and from 1435 til 1505

I've never had problems getting in and out my drive & at most it's a slight inconvenience for less than an hour a day. Factor in weekends, holidays & inset days & it's not bad

Parents evenings & concerts etc have no impact because they park in the school grounds

I can honestly say it's never bothered me BUT if I didn't have a driveway I wouldn't be so tolerant

Whinge · 09/03/2024 16:05

A road with a primary school - Never.

A road with a secondary (especially a desirable one) - I wouldn't rule it out.

ConflictedCheetah · 09/03/2024 16:06

Whinge · 09/03/2024 16:05

A road with a primary school - Never.

A road with a secondary (especially a desirable one) - I wouldn't rule it out.

See this really depends. We're on a primary school road but the catchment (SW London) is tiny so there are hardly any cars.

EVHead · 09/03/2024 16:07

I used to live right opposite a high school and it was fine. Busy with cars Mon-Fri at drop-off and pick-up times, but otherwise fine.

Junebug22 · 09/03/2024 16:10

No. My in laws actually live across the road and in one street over from a high school and the kids smoke/vape at their back fence and litter drop at break/lunchtimes. Their street is also a nightmare at school pick up/drop off times (and any after school events like parents’ evenings) as the parents all park up 45 mins before the end of the school day/block everyone’s driveways/double park so you can’t get a car between to get INTO the street etc. I once couldn’t get into their drive (blocked by two inconsiderate parents) or park anywhere on their street because of a parents’ evening and I was there to pick up my child. They’re at the dead end of a culdesac so it’s not even a through road!

They’ve lived there about 25 years so they’re used to it -of course most of the village kids walked to school up until 10 years ago- but it would drive me crazy. Really quiet during summer holidays and weekends though!

Nicetobenice67 · 09/03/2024 16:15

Nope I work in a school and park in the side street it’s convenient for me and the people who live there are not happy tbh it must be frustrating but we pay our road tax but would I buy near a school hell no

DinnaeFashYersel · 09/03/2024 16:15

You need your spend time on the street at school arrival and departure time to check.

Secondary schools aren't in the same boat as primary schools as you don't have the same issue with hundreds of parents parking and hanging around the school gate.

CandidHedgehog · 09/03/2024 16:16

A lot depends on your job and that of any other adults in the household. My previous job where I left for work at 8 and got back at 6, no issue at all.

My current job - full time WFH - never. It’s not just the parking, it’s the noise of the students playing on breaks, particularly in warmer months (although of course not in the holidays).

Other things to bear in mind are litter / trespassing. Some streets outside schools look like someone has thrown the contents of several bin bags on the floor.

By trespassing, I don’t mean anything major but if it’s a corner property and / or it’s quicker to get somewhere by cutting through your garden, the chances are multiple children will do so.

DinnaeFashYersel · 09/03/2024 16:16

Whinge · 09/03/2024 16:05

A road with a primary school - Never.

A road with a secondary (especially a desirable one) - I wouldn't rule it out.

Agree with this.

InTheRainOnATrain · 09/03/2024 16:18

Secondary without a 6th form potentially.
Primary I’d expect twatty parking from parents and screaming in the playground at break time. 6th form I’d expect novice drivers causing havoc. But 11-16YOs making their own way there, that would probably be fine. Go scope it out at drop off, pick up and lunchtime though.

MikeRafone · 09/03/2024 16:19

I live between two schools, one street either way. So very close.

I find that if I leave dead on 8.30 I get out fine ish, it’s the cars trying to come to the school along with parking that’s the issue - rather than getting blocked in my drive. Though that has happened.

the good thing is it’s predictable, it happens twice a day for 15/20 minutes at most & then it’s over. It doesn’t happen for 13 weeks out of 52

i don’t tend to be around or going out that it affects me.

if I have friends round it wouldn’t be before 9am and before 3pm or evenings, so parking is not an issue for visitors. In fairness if I have 2 or 3 friends over they park outside the house and it means the regulars who park their - can’t.

it’s usually regular cars outside, but they’ll be gone in 5 years.

my neighbour allows a regular to park on his drive, it was someone different last year but they left

Panicmode1 · 09/03/2024 16:21

We have one large secondary at the end of our road, one on the other side of the main road and 2 more within a walk..and we don't have a drive. It is busy morning and evening, and sometimes with school events, but with more parents' evenings now online, it's manageable. And in the school holidays it is blissfully quiet.

My children are happy because they literally have a 2 minute walk from their beds to their classrooms 😂 and when there are school trips that leave at 4am, we aren't having to get up an hour earlier than some of the children who live a long way away..(they are grammars so large catchments).

MikeRafone · 09/03/2024 16:22

Primary I’d expect twatty parking from parents and screaming in the playground at break time

I can hear one of the schools from their playground but not the other. Generally only in the spring and summer. I really love the sound of children playing and never noticed any stretching or screaming.

MikeRafone · 09/03/2024 16:25

By trespassing, I don’t mean anything major but if it’s a corner property and / or it’s quicker to get somewhere by cutting through your garden, the chances are multiple children will do so.

there was a recent clip of this happening in ISA and the house owner wasn’t permitted to erect a fence. So he put in motion sensor water sprinklers

InTheRainOnATrain · 09/03/2024 16:33

MikeRafone · 09/03/2024 16:22

Primary I’d expect twatty parking from parents and screaming in the playground at break time

I can hear one of the schools from their playground but not the other. Generally only in the spring and summer. I really love the sound of children playing and never noticed any stretching or screaming.

My mum lives not that close to a school (think round the corner so it’s the full length of her garden and the width of another from the playground) and the sound really carries. I would definitely call it screaming and find it absolutely unbearable but like you she thinks it’s a lovely sound of children playing. I always thought it’s because she has a far higher tolerance now she doesn’t have small kids at home but perhaps it is more subjective than that! OP’s best bet is definitely to do a couple of walk-bys at playtime and see if it bothers her. If it’s resale she’s worried about though, if it’s an oversubscribed outstanding school then I can’t imagine she’ll have any issues as there will always be families wanting to get into the catchment.

Original poster
RHOFLDN · 09/03/2024 16:34

Trinity69 · 09/03/2024 16:01

Does the house have a driveway? I used to live on a road with a primary school and we had no drive. I had to time my day around when people would be picking up/dropping off, as if I came home at pick up time there was no chance I could park. Also had to be aware of parents evenings or any events at the school. I probably wouldn’t do it again.

The house does have a driveway…

OP posts:
Original poster
RHOFLDN · 09/03/2024 16:36

EVHead · 09/03/2024 16:07

I used to live right opposite a high school and it was fine. Busy with cars Mon-Fri at drop-off and pick-up times, but otherwise fine.

What about the noise?

OP posts:
Original poster
RHOFLDN · 09/03/2024 16:36

InTheRainOnATrain · 09/03/2024 16:18

Secondary without a 6th form potentially.
Primary I’d expect twatty parking from parents and screaming in the playground at break time. 6th form I’d expect novice drivers causing havoc. But 11-16YOs making their own way there, that would probably be fine. Go scope it out at drop off, pick up and lunchtime though.

I need to check whether the school has a sixth form

OP posts:
KeenAnt · 09/03/2024 16:36

RHOFLDN · 09/03/2024 16:36

What about the noise?

Show quote history

after school

hundreds upon hundreds of teenagers strolling past your door. Joyous school is over

what do you think?

KeenAnt · 09/03/2024 16:37

how many pupils?

Original poster
RHOFLDN · 09/03/2024 16:37

InTheRainOnATrain · 09/03/2024 16:18

Secondary without a 6th form potentially.
Primary I’d expect twatty parking from parents and screaming in the playground at break time. 6th form I’d expect novice drivers causing havoc. But 11-16YOs making their own way there, that would probably be fine. Go scope it out at drop off, pick up and lunchtime though.

I didn’t think to scope out during lunchtime - good tip thanks!

OP posts:
Original poster
RHOFLDN · 09/03/2024 16:40

Panicmode1 · 09/03/2024 16:21

We have one large secondary at the end of our road, one on the other side of the main road and 2 more within a walk..and we don't have a drive. It is busy morning and evening, and sometimes with school events, but with more parents' evenings now online, it's manageable. And in the school holidays it is blissfully quiet.

My children are happy because they literally have a 2 minute walk from their beds to their classrooms 😂 and when there are school trips that leave at 4am, we aren't having to get up an hour earlier than some of the children who live a long way away..(they are grammars so large catchments).

i would be happy if I had a 2 minute walk too!

OP posts: