Edinburgh - secondary chool and area recs please

[Turmericpie]

So, this could be on the cards because of work.

Hello, I've only been to Edinburgh twice and not for a long time.

Could any knowledgable folk point me in the direction of areas of Edinburgh which are good for family living (tweens) and good secondary schools?

I've been told that there's a lot of pressure on state schools and private schooling is common? If so, private schools? (boys)

I know NOTHING.

Thanks a lot

Do you have any idea of budget and what sort of house you are looking for?
Private schooling is common with around 25% of children going private, but there are some excellent state schools. You would need to be in catchment to get a space though.

I guess about £800k max, 4 bedroom, old/terrace?

That’s a good budget. Boroughmuir is a well regarded state school and your budget would get something in that area.

Morningside, Colinton, Ravelston are all good areas.

Of course if you were to go private then you could live anywhere!

Yes...it depends when we come and if we get there in time to apply to secondary.

Do you think, if there is a referendum and Scotland leaves GB, there will be a massive rush for Edinburgh homes/school places from p**sed off English peeps?

Good family areas with decent schools are Greenbank, morningside, Colinton, Corstorphine, Blackhall, Barnton, Trinity, Portobello. Murrayfield, Ravelston.

For outskirts of town but easy reach there’s Balerno, Currie, or North Berwick bit further out. Look on espc, it gives you catchment school for each house. For your price range also Saville and Rettie.
You should get a place in catchment school.

For private schools main ones you’d look at for boys are George Watson in south of city, Heriots in city centre, Stewart Melville and Edinburgh academy in north city. All excellent so really down to best fit for your kids and location.

In Scotland no need usually to arrive in time to apply for secondary as local authority are obliged to find a place in catchment school if you are living in the catchment area. Very rare they cant. But check with schools obvs.

When people say Clinton, they don't mean Colinton Mains. You would probably have guessed when you saw you could get 4 houses for your budget, but just in case.

If there was a referendum and if they won, you are talking many years for scexit to happen. There will be plenty places for those wanting to jump in vacated by those wanting to jump out. That may happen even earlier as loads have no appetite for another devisive referendum. Both sides equally entrenched and very few folk in the middle.

If you look on espc website (local property sales site) then you can filter by school catchment so I'd make a short list of preferred schools first if you're considering state ones. James Gillespies, Royal High and Boroughmuir tend to be the favoured state high schools. There was a thread on this recently if you can find it. You're lucky in that your budget is good even by Edinburgh standards - the people who want 3 bedrooms for £300k in these school catchments I worry about, but yours should be fine.
If you're looking at independent schools then your house search area can be wider but look into bus routes to get there www.lothianbuses.com
the main contenders in the independent market would be George Watson's, Herriots, Fettes, Stuart Melville, Edinburgh Academy, Merchiston Castle.

Also bear in the mind the scottish "offers over" and bidding system if you're coming from England as it's quite different. To be within your budget of £800k you'd probably be looking at houses with offer over £650k+. Family houses in desirable areas have been going for up to 20% over the offers over price in Edinburgh but you will only get a mortgage on the valuation price in the home report.

Portobello does not have a good high school

Edinburgh schools are difficult to rate in terms of exam results as a significant portion of DC who are likely to be higher achievers as far as exams results are concerned are in private school.

You could also look at Colinton village which is in Firrhill catchment or parts of Murrayfield and corstorphine which come under Craigmount catchment.

@ImperfectTents

Portobello does not have a good high school

What’s your basis for saying that?

Portobello high seems to get mixed reviews but I've never seen any concrete evidence why some people don't rate it. I don't really know anything about it apart from it having a brand new campus, but I know a number of people who send their kids there who I can't see sending them if it was really that bad.

@Turmericpie

Yes...it depends when we come and if we get there in time to apply to secondary.

Do you think, if there is a referendum and Scotland leaves GB, there will be a massive rush for Edinburgh homes/school places from p**sed off English peeps?

It's already happening. Lots of interest in properties here from people moving up from down South. Record breaking prices in some places.

There have always been plenty of threads in Scotsnet from people moving here tbh. We wont see the threads on Scotsnet from those moving the other direction.

Just cements really that free movement back and forward on this small island of ours is essential.

I'm not going off mumsnet. My father's a director of a national housebuilding company. Huge demand for houses up here and this is expected to continue in an independent Scotland.

Well yes, he would be and he's probably kept a track of the address of everyone buying a new build house over the last 10 years and noticed a sudden upsurge....

Erm, no. The sales people speak to the people buying the houses / putting their names down on waiting lists. They also obviously need to forecast demand when planning future developments.

Anecdata at it's best.