For many of England and Wales’ approximately 8.8 million school children, the school year begins this week. Many people consider school catchments when purchasing a house. Nearly 4.3 million houses (17%) in England and Wales have an Outstanding OFSTED school as their closest neighbour. With secondary school catchment areas often being larger, it’s no wonder that a higher number of households, nearly one in five, have an exceptional secondary school as their closest neighbour.
Property price increase in catchment areas around top schools frequently outpaces that of other regions. And living near a good school may require a considerable premium.
If you are looking for a new home in Liverpool, you may be considering where you choose your new home based on the different schools in the area. Our last article went through some things you should consider before determining if you want to buy your new home.
If you are looking for a new home in Liverpool and need to consider different schools concerning your location, we go more in-depth into what you should consider before doing so.
Schools and families with young children
We recommend that families with small children consider moving somewhere with various options. Such as strong public schools for all ages, good private schools, and preferably a grammar school district. More and more parents are sending their children to a combination of public and private schools, depending on their needs at any given time. It makes a lot of sense if you can factor in access to some decent outside extracurricular amenities. Such as athletic and musical facilities. Even in an excellent state school, these components are frequently considered in limited supply.
Property in such locations is frequently on the higher end of the market, but if you can locate decent state education for at least some of your children’s school years, it may be a worthwhile investment.
In the past, families frequently have re-mortgaged to fund some of the most costly years. But this is becoming a riskier option in these uncertain times. Downsizing might become increasingly common. However, aim to avoid relocating too frequently to save money or get into a suitable catchment area. The financial consequences are enormous, and the funds may be better spent on fees.
When it comes to choosing a place to live, time spent studying school alternatives, admission criteria, bursaries, and other factors is sometimes wasted.
The most important piece of advice is to concentrate on the SECONDARY years. After all, who has ever been asked in a job interview, “What primary school did you attend?”
If you are thinking of moving house and aren’t sure where to start looking, give our team at Qube Residential a shout for any queries.
Sources: Dataloft, OFSTED, Ordnance Survey.
