Thoughts on buying house with high school behind?

caronoel

I lived backing onto the playing fields of a well respected public school, which every Summer became the spot for local teenagers to hang out drinking and whatever else all through the night.

The noise often went on well into the night. The school, council, and local police didn't care.

I'd never live near a school, or such like again

dunroving

I've taught most of my life but would never want to live next to a school, especially the main gates.

DigForVictory

In your previous buying attempts, did you vet the school as a part of the area? Can you now?
Make the time to watch it through a start & end of schoolday. Then ask the school secretary when open evenings, parents evenings, school plays etc usually are - get a feel for the calendar of their year.

I lived in a flat backing onto the playing field - it could be noisy but usually once the little dears had gone (& they had no reason to stay) the place was blissful quiet & I could peg my smalls out to dry without fear of anyone seeing them for miles.

However, parents evenings and the like were gruesome as whilst the children might grow into sense, their parents were fossilized in assorted vices - starting with atrocious parking & moving swiftly onto drink, noise, litter & all the things I had thought was the fault of their children.

It emphatically was not a dwelling for shift workers & the one week I was 'orrible sick, I made a nest at the far side of the flat (near the main road) in preference to the schoolyard din.

These days I think noise cancelling headphones might be a handy item, but you really need to know if this lot are into sport & if they have a summer program of any sort. Try a few other school neighbours & see?

I'll not say keep looking, but also bear in mind, schools can go down in reputation as well as up - and selling a place by a failing school is rather tougher proposition than an Ofsted excellent one.

Best of luck!

betsie

At my daughters school, they let the public use the gym in the evening and weekends. They also hire out the assembly hall to a gospel church on a Sunday which still means coaches driving in. I think lots of schools try and make money this way now to help with their ever decreasing budgets.

System

Id love to live by a school as I have 3 kids and it would be worth it to just send them out whilst I dont have to get dressed or leave my coffee! (haha im joking).

Seriously though the parking/ congestion is horrendous around school times and I know my DP would be out kicking off on parents every day so it would have to be a no go for us.

One of my friends had the closest house to the school and I said id love to live there but as she said its not worth it cus the school times can cause so much stress and arguments with strangers.

HampshireH

Also, I came home one day to find a parent had decided to park on my drive whilst awaiting their sprog and was quite indignant when I politely invited them...

Wow. Some people are so rude:eek:

I feel bad when I need to turn around and slightly encroach someone's drive. Wouldn't dream of parking on one

scottishgirl87

Thanks all! You have all pretty much said what I had already been thinking but we have decided to go for a viewing and go from there. We’re really starting to get fed up of living at my parents, not to mention all of our stuff has now been in storage for the best part of 8 months, so we’re getting a little desperate!

LittleMax

All schools are different - you need to go and visit the area at various times and see what it's like and whether you think you could live with it.
I would make sure those times covered drop off, pick up, break time, evenings and weekends. Ask at the school what regular activities there are, but don't forget even if the school is not used for community events there will be school plays, parents evenings and the like.

Norman_Castle

HampshireH wrote: »

Wow. Some people are so rude:eek:

School run parents can be absurdly lazy and selfish. The only way to get them out of their cars is to complain to one of them which causes the others to find their legs and demonstrate mob rule.
The daily pollution, congestion, pitiful and illegal parking and driving and annoyance caused by them wouldn't be tolerated elsewhere.

I live opposite a secondary school, never had a problem with the pupils but the parents are !!!!!!. Teaching by example seems to mean drag your kids down to your level.

LOL Can't believe !!!!!! got through the swear filter:D

pinkshoes

Speak to the school! What is it like??

I'm a teacher and the school I am at thoroughly support our neighbours as best we can.

Teachers and parents are asked to park respectfully (does the school have enough staff parking???) and any issues with kids are sorted immediately.

Parking and traffic will be the biggest issue though. Does the house have suitable off road parking?