experience living next to a primary school

DRP

Grumpelstiltskin wrote: »

DRP How would you like it if you returned home and couldn't get on to your drive and couldn't park anywhere near to your house because of these people parking outside the school ?


I'll give you one experience, car parked across my drive, school finished majority of the children gone.


Exactly across from my drive a man ( our retired local MP ) and woman talking, not just for 5 minutes but at least 20 minutes.


Eventually the woman came across to the car and I asked her what she thought she was doing blocking my drive.


'Oh I was discussing council business with Mr X'


You couldn't make it up.

I agree that would be very annoying - i can't believe you waited 20 minutes to ask someone who was blocking your drive to move!

horrorhag

I lived opposite a primary school for years. Sleeping in when you're off work never happened and my drive was constantly blocked.


But there are worst neighbours!

Grumpelstiltskin

DRP I didn't realize that the car belonged to the woman stood talking, I thought it belonged to someone who was in the school.


I couldn't just walk up to some random woman saying 'Is that your car blocking my drive?'


Mind you seeing as it was the total waste of space ex MP she was talking to I wished afterwards I had.


He was often around the area as his daughter lived close by.

onlyroz

I used to live opposite a primary school at a point where I was often working from home. The constant screaming during break-times was extremely annoying, but the worst thing was the school buses. They would pull up and park with their engines still running for about an hour, pumping diesel fumes into my bedroom window. The engine sound used to bounce around the walls of all the neighbouring buildings, seeming to amplify it to twice the volumen. I did write into the school to complain but nothing ever happened about it.

At the school my kids attend the road does get busy in the mornings but I don't think I've ever seen anybody block a driveway entrance. Also, sometimes the school gets a pair of traffic wardens to walk up and down the street a few times at around 8:30, which I suppose must encourage parents to move on quickly.

I think how bad or good it gets depends entirely on the school - so if you're considering buying a property near to one then you should visit at various times of the day, including the start and the end of the school day and also during the break and lunch times.

Lobby12

I fully agree with the comments about parking - I live very near a primary school and parents continuously park on blind bends and block driveways and entrances. You then have to deal with them nearly ramming you off the road as they drive on the wrong side of the road round the bends which have been parked along. This makes it very dangerous so personally I would not buy a house near a primary school - we only rent this house and would never consider buying it. Also, they have parents evenings, concerts, fairs, fundraisers, car boot sales, etc. throughout the year over evenings, weekends and holidays. This means that we are affected not only before school but often when we get home from work as well. 450 pupils is a big primary school so potentially a LOT of cars!!! On the other hand when I work from home I have no problem with the noise levels - it is only for about an hour or so each day and as it is a primary school it is just sounds of children playing - so no bad language, or tearing around on mopeds, etc. that you may get near a secondary school (well, where we live anyway!)

jaylee3

Agree with the last few posts. It is very naive to assume that there is only going to be a 'problem' for 10 minutes in the morning and 10 in the afternoon. Ain't gonna happen. More like 2 hours of nuisance EVERY DAY when the school's open. Awful parking, blocking people in, traffic fumes, noise, and inconsiderate parents. And as someone said earlier; forget having a lie-in during school time!

It's annoying as half of the parents/children probably only live 15 minutes walk (or less) away anyway!

If the house is on the same road as the school, I would leave it. Like a few posters have said, have a mooch around the general area 4 or 5 times or so, around school opening and closing.

LondonGal

The main thing is you're aware of potential issues. You have had some really good advice and a good range of advice on this thread. If you follow it, I suspect you'll know whether or not you want to commit to this house. :beer:

Gingernutty

If you work shifts, get very good soundproofing and/or earplugs.

Small children running around, screaming with excitement sound like a collection of referees' whistles.......

dancingfairy

I would imagine it varies hugely depending on the location (town/country), access arrangements and whether the area is deprived or not. Also the attitude of the head teacher will make a difference.
It might be worth having a look to see how many houses in the area have come up for sale recently. This may give you an idea of whether people find it difficult to live near a school. On the other hand people may be buying it as investments if it is near a particularly good school.
Also I guess it depends very much on the size of the school.
df

christineperseus

Don't forget about the few parents that DO walk to school with their dogs................and don't clear up after them.
AND the extra litter - where the mums empty the Macdonald's boxes out of their cars! - it has been captured on CCTV!