Buying a home next to a school

phoebe1989seb

We used to live in a large detached Victorian house which was next door to a similar property that had been converted to a private nursery school for up to 40 children between 6 months and school age. Then the owners bought a second property opposite and opened a second branch catering for a further 50 children/babies. Our road (a conservation area) became a nightmare to park in (although eventually the council implemented a residents' permit scheme) and the noise at break/lunch times was awful even though there were supposedly never more than 12 children in the large garden at any one time..............although we loved that house we would never again move close to a school or nursery and unless you like the sound of large quantities of screaming [STRIKE]brats[/STRIKE] children next door I wouldn't recommend it! :mad:

olly300

I live opposite a state primary school and round the corner to a prep school. The state primary's schools nursery and infant playgrounds are directly opposite me.

There are surprisingly no issues with litter from the schools though there are lots of drop jackets, hats and gloves in the surrounding streets in the cooler weather.

There was a parking issue but now we live in a residents parking zone and the parking attendants know to turn up in 3s randomly to catch parents who attempt to park without a permit.

There is still an issue with lots of traffic in the morning but it's much better since the parking zone was introduced. The parents can park in a few places but have to pay and the school actually encourages them not to annoy the residents.

The main annoyance I've had for the past 3 years is that every single summer without fail they have to build extra classrooms on to the school. And when they don't do that one of the utility companies decide it's the right time to drill into the road.

scooterpig

You might find it's difficult to sell the house when you want to move. A house next to a school would be an absolute deal-breaker for me. I viewed a house recently which was absolutely perfect, except the back patio backed onto the far end of the primary school playground. That was it - out the door. I wouldn't have touched it if you'd paid me, because of the potential for noise, even though traffic was not an issue there as the roads for the school were all on the other side of the building and there was no access from the side the house was on.

scheming_gypsy

Have a look on Zoopla to see what the trend is in that area. If people don't stay there very long then the school could be the reason; and how many other houses are for sale on the street

Mind_the_Gap

Upsides :
1.The school will be silent between about 4.30 pm and 8 am, at weekends and school holidays and even during the school day other than at playtimes and lunchtimes (max two hours in my experience - we live opposite a primary school) - so quite a lot of the time, in fact.
2. Schools often employ caretakers who live nearby who keep an eye on security.
3. It's a primary, not a secondary - I would not live near a secondary, however wonderful its OFSTED report or its position in the league tables. And private establishments are even worse than state ones for the behaviour of their pupils around the streets.

Downsides :
1.Parents who drive their kids to school.
2.Parents who drive their kids to school and park selfishly.
3.Parents who drive their kids to school and park selfishly wiith their 4x4 engine running while they chat to other selfish parents.

...but fortunately this is for a limited period each day (about 20 mins morning and afternoon).

House value : well, if their Ofsted is poor now, it can only get better (they are fickle things, OFSTED reports), which will push house prices up.

evoke

Most kids are feral these days, thanks to 13 years of New Labour's policies that removed all forms of disciplining kids. There are NO positives to buying a house next to a school. I specifically asked for no schools in the vicinity when I was looking for a property. If you want your gardens littered, cars scratched and are happy to put up with the noise and misbheaviour outside your house and the traffic then do it.

TrickyDicky

My parents house backed onto a secondary, with the entrance only a few doors down. They did build a huge 2 storey garage or something at the bottom of our garden, but that meant we couldnt see the school anymore, but we would get loads of footballs land in the garden.

Plus loads of litter out the front. And one day the kids at the bus stop managed to set someone's tree on fire (it was very very dry at that point).

daveyjp

"This is a huge primary school, but we have no interest in sending our son there since Ofsted ratings are not very good."


Don't forget you HAVE to put your nearest school on the application form. If you put down popular schools and you don't get in you will end up with this one as you live next door. That said it could be an advantage. Our daughter's school had a very average Ofsted three years ago and in some areas it was poor , but she went to nursery there and the school felt 'right' to us.

She has been there a year and they had their Ofsted inspection earlier this year - it is now very good/outstanding, so things change.

casper_g

evoke wrote: »

Most kids are feral these days, thanks to 13 years of New Labour's policies that removed all forms of disciplining kids.

Eh? I suppose in 1997 teachers were all merrily caning the kids for talking in class, were they? What a daft post, trying to get political points scoring into a simple question about what it's like to live near a school.

evoke

No, just explaining the issues. 20 years ago I wouldn't have minded living next to a school. Now I would. And i'm simply stating facts. The current generation of kids in the UK are the worst-behaved in the developed world, having grown up under a New Labour government.

This was the situation after 10 years of New Labour:

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23405826-out-of-control-british-teens-the-worst-behaved-in-europe.do

And let's not get started on the record levels of STIs and teenage pregnancies, thanks to the lack of moral standards during the New Labour years. It's also down to the unlimited benefits handed out like Monopoly money to their !!!!less parents by Blair and Brown.