Buying a house and school.

ric1982

Hi,

We are looking for a house in a perticular area in Birmingham. The house we are looking at has only one outstanding primary school and there is no good secondary school. We will be moving in middle of the school as my son is already 6 years old and in year 2. The primary school near the place where we are moving is very popular hence over subscribed. Unfortunately any other school in the area hasnt got good reputation. Now the house is quite nearby so we have been told that my son will be in top of the waiting list (may be not first be in top 5 for e.g.).

This being said there is no guarantee that he will get into this school. School is obeviously a high priority item in the list with our house move. Does anyone has any openion if this is good move considering there is no good secondary school and primary school that we can get into have waiting list?

Any inputs are much appriciated.

Thanks

ScorpiondeRooftrouser

Your own thread title supplies your answer. Buy the house and the school.

On a more serious note then doesn't Birmingham still have grammar schools? So I suppose from a secondary school perspective it depends if you think your child will get into one, in which case catchment area matters less.

teddysmum

It's a decision that you have to make.


Schools with a good reputation will always be in demand and have waiting lists with no hope of ever getting a place.


They are obliged to have enough places for children living within a certain radius, so some schools decrease that radius , giving children outside the area no chance of a place, but enabling them to honour the offer of places to children nearby.


Some parents are willing to move house to get access to good schools, so properties within those schools catchment areas are likely to be scare on the market and priced higher than similar properties which are further from the school.


I don't know whether the ruling still exists now places are generally in demand, but given the choice between two pupils one of whom has a sibling at the school, that child used to get preference.

JuzaMum

My daughter has been on the waiting list for our local catchment school since July '16. Still waiting.....

On the bright side the nearest available school is so far away we are entitled to a free bus pass!

Priority ranking for
Primary reception to year 6 for the academic year 2017-18
1. "looked after" children and those previously looked after, who were immediately adopted or became subject to a residence order or special guardianship order. A looked after child is a child who is in the care of a local authority as defined by section 22 of the Children's Act 1989
2. children where it is agreed that it is essential they be admitted to the school on exceptional medical or psychological grounds. Requests for a particular school, based on the serious medical or psychological condition of the child, must be supported by a qualified professional directly involved with the child and will be referred to the Authority’s medical or psychological adviser for observations before any decision is made. Parents are responsible for providing the required information at the same time as their application
3. children with siblings who are already on roll in the main school in reception to Year 6 (not a nursery class attached to the school) and will still be on roll when the child is admitted and:
4. children living nearest to the school as measured by the shortest walking distance according to a Geographic Information System from the child’s home to the main entrance of the school using public roads and recognised footpaths. Children in each category are ranked on the basis of distance

starshapedbrick

Catchment areas in Birmingham at Primary level can be tiny (250m or less) and if the only good school is oversubscribed already, what will your son do while he is waiting for a place? Birmingham does have grammars but they are extremely competitive - I live in Birmingham and see a lot of people moving out of the area around the Secondary years becuase it is so tough to get into the best schools (at least what OFSTED considers the best). What area are you looking at?

ric1982

starshapedbrick wrote: »

Catchment areas in Birmingham at Primary level can be tiny (250m or less) and if the only good school is oversubscribed already, what will your son do while he is waiting for a place? Birmingham does have grammars but they are extremely competitive - I live in Birmingham and see a lot of people moving out of the area around the Secondary years becuase it is so tough to get into the best schools (at least what OFSTED considers the best). What area are you looking at?

Well this is it. while he is waiting he will be going to be not so good school. And even they say he will be in top 5 waiting list; there is no guarantee. Also if someone move closer to the school or siblings then we are then we move down the waiting list etc.

ReadingTim

Concentrate on secondary, not primary education. A lot can happen between now and when your son goes to secondary school. Failing schools can improve, outstanding schools can decline. I wouldn't worry too much about primary schools - as long as they get the basics across and set the kids up reasonably well for high school, they've done their job. GCSEs and A Levels matter in the real world, SATs don't.

Generally speaking, over the long term, a school reflects the quality (or lack thereof) of the catchment area from which its pupils are drawn. Good schools are situated in "good" areas, which contain "nice" houses and higher prices!

ric1982

ReadingTim wrote: »

Concentrate on secondary, not primary education. A lot can happen between now and when your son goes to secondary school. Failing schools can improve, outstanding schools can decline. I wouldn't worry too much about primary schools - as long as they get the basics across and set the kids up reasonably well for high school, they've done their job. GCSEs and A Levels matter in the real world, SATs don't.

Generally speaking, over the long term, a school reflects the quality (or lack thereof) of the catchment area from which its pupils are drawn. Good schools are situated in "good" areas, which contain "nice" houses and higher prices!

Thanks thats great input. Its worth noting that there is no good secondary school in this area. So by the looks of it I am paying premium for only single primary school (with waiting list) and no good secondary schools. Dont sound too good!

ric1982

JuzaMum wrote: »

My daughter has been on the waiting list for our local catchment school since July '16. Still waiting.....

On the bright side the nearest available school is so far away we are entitled to a free bus pass!

Priority ranking for
Primary reception to year 6 for the academic year 2017-18
1. "looked after" children and those previously looked after, who were immediately adopted or became subject to a residence order or special guardianship order. A looked after child is a child who is in the care of a local authority as defined by section 22 of the Children's Act 1989
2. children where it is agreed that it is essential they be admitted to the school on exceptional medical or psychological grounds. Requests for a particular school, based on the serious medical or psychological condition of the child, must be supported by a qualified professional directly involved with the child and will be referred to the Authority’s medical or psychological adviser for observations before any decision is made. Parents are responsible for providing the required information at the same time as their application
3. children with siblings who are already on roll in the main school in reception to Year 6 (not a nursery class attached to the school) and will still be on roll when the child is admitted and:
4. children living nearest to the school as measured by the shortest walking distance according to a Geographic Information System from the child’s home to the main entrance of the school using public roads and recognised footpaths. Children in each category are ranked on the basis of distance

Thanks for the detailed input. Do you mind sharing what is the waiting list postion of your daughter at the school and how far your house is from that school? Thanks

pinkshoes

ReadingTim wrote: »

Concentrate on secondary, not primary education. A lot can happen between now and when your son goes to secondary school. Failing schools can improve, outstanding schools can decline. I wouldn't worry too much about primary schools - as long as they get the basics across and set the kids up reasonably well for high school, they've done their job. GCSEs and A Levels matter in the real world, SATs don't.

Generally speaking, over the long term, a school reflects the quality (or lack thereof) of the catchment area from which its pupils are drawn. Good schools are situated in "good" areas, which contain "nice" houses and higher prices!

This ^^^^

The secondary school is far more important.

At primary level, it is more about experience and what you as a family do together etc...

And don't judge a school until you have looked round, looked at the value added score (how well kids do compared to when they stated at the school) and listened to what other parents think. This is far ore important than an Ofsted report.

ACG

When I went to high school, the school was ranked with full marks. That was the same right through until I left.
The year after it dropped to average.
The year after that it fell in to special measures.
6-7 years later, 3 new heads and it has finally gone back to full marks.

The point I am making is that there may not be good schools now, but they could be by the time your child is old enough to go there.