Anyone move house due to school catchment?

[Gemma Simone]

I'm in a real dilema and am interested in what others have done. I went to see my catchment school a few weeks ago and it's awful. Really depressing place. The other schools in my area are oversubscribed so I've no hope of getting my Lo in. So we feel we have to move. But we love our house and haven't seen anything for the same money near a good school that's half as nice .

Another option I thought of just now is applying to schools that are a drive away, say max 20 mins, and that are not oversubscribed, and we might have a chance of getting one of those. But risk is that we may end up at our rubbish school by default if the others haven't got room. I just don't know what to do. Have you tried this option or moved just for a school?

 

[angelmummy]

Hi there, if i were you i think i would list all the schools that i did definitely like whether they were nere my house or not, i am sure if you pick a few schools you do like, the chance of you not getting your lo in any of them would be unlikely.

It is a nightmare though deciding!! We live just down the road from a school but we did not actually put that on our choices for my ds who started last sept. we put down a school which is a 15 min walk away cause we preferred that to our local school and we did get it.

sometimes though its a pain walking a lot further instead of 2 seconds down road but its worth it i suppose cause i really did prefer the school he now goes to.

hope whatever you decide to do whether to move or not that you get your lo in a school you are happy with x

 

[Gemma Simone]

Thanks very much for your reply. I'm so fed up of thinking about it all and wondering what the best thing to do is!

 

[MummyJo]

I had a similar dilema and thought 'well if I put all three of my opitions as schools I want, I'll definitely get one!'
Got my decision back this morning and ended up at the school I didn't want by default

 

[Gemma Simone]

Oh no! How disappointing for you. . What will you do now? What is the school that you've got like? Is it that bad?

 

[CarlyP]

We did move, we lived about 20 miles away from where I grew up, and I said I wanted to be back there before school age, we moved when DS was almost 3, got him into a pre school and have put down our choice of school but haven't found out yet, when we 1st moved here we were in a 2 bed cottage, OH found a 3 bed house in the next village but I refused to move because he'd have to go to another school.
Since then we have moved (round the corner from chosen school) and are just playing the waiting game now

 

[Gemma Simone]

We did move, we lived about 20 miles away from where I grew up, and I said I wanted to be back there before school age, we moved when DS was almost 3, got him into a pre school and have put down our choice of school but haven't found out yet, when we 1st moved here we were in a 2 bed cottage, OH found a 3 bed house in the next village but I refused to move because he'd have to go to another school.
Since then we have moved (round the corner from chosen school) and are just playing the waiting game now

good luck. but i'm sure if you;re round the corner you'll definitely get in!

 

[CarlyP]

We did move, we lived about 20 miles away from where I grew up, and I said I wanted to be back there before school age, we moved when DS was almost 3, got him into a pre school and have put down our choice of school but haven't found out yet, when we 1st moved here we were in a 2 bed cottage, OH found a 3 bed house in the next village but I refused to move because he'd have to go to another school.
Since then we have moved (round the corner from chosen school) and are just playing the waiting game now

good luck. but i'm sure if you;re round the corner you'll definitely get in!

Thank you I hope so

 

[Feltzy]

We had the same issue with Evie, the nursery she is at now is ok but the school attached to it isn't good. I just put down a few schools which were just out of the catchment area but were much better and I found out yesterday that my first choice has been accepted, I was quite surprised I wasn't expecting it at all! Its about a 15 minute drive away and we hope to move near there in the next couple of years anyway.

 

[CarlyP]

How come you've found out I've been told we won't know until May time.

 

[Feltzy]

I don't know I just got an email from our local council yesterday, I always knew it was some time in April for the results. Maybe every council has different dates?

 

[CarlyP]

Will check my emails lol, thought they sent a letter

 

[Feltzy]

I did my application online so I think thats why I got an email.

 

[CarlyP]

I applied online too but no email it says on the E.Riding website that we wont find out until May 6th!!

 

[Gemma Simone]

We had the same issue with Evie, the nursery she is at now is ok but the school attached to it isn't good. I just put down a few schools which were just out of the catchment area but were much better and I found out yesterday that my first choice has been accepted, I was quite surprised I wasn't expecting it at all! Its about a 15 minute drive away and we hope to move near there in the next couple of years anyway.

thats what we plan to do now. the house moving thing hasn't worked out. congrats on getting the school you wanted. must be a big relief

 

[Feltzy]

We had the same issue with Evie, the nursery she is at now is ok but the school attached to it isn't good. I just put down a few schools which were just out of the catchment area but were much better and I found out yesterday that my first choice has been accepted, I was quite surprised I wasn't expecting it at all! Its about a 15 minute drive away and we hope to move near there in the next couple of years anyway.

thats what we plan to do now. the house moving thing hasn't worked out. congrats on getting the school you wanted. must be a big relief

Yeah it is, I spent months stressing over it too!

 

[jane99]

Kent found out on the 1st April.

This year & next year intakes are high birth rates in my area, so something take into account too. People I know didnt get any of their 3 choices & was allocated a bad performing school (these are the only ones that have spaces cos no-one wants them).

If you really want a particular school, then move as close as possible to it, in order to avoid disappointment.

Your Local Authority will publish data on this year's applications, which you should be able to view on-line (when available) or pick up a School Admissions Booklet at the school open days in the autumn. This will give you a rough idea of catchment as Kent County Council state the straight line distance of last child to be offered a place. ie. 0.8miles away.

 

[new_to_ttc]

I went through a very similar thing when my son was ready to be schooled. I was in a great job at the time, so got him intot he local private school, but once i was made redundant I didnt want him to attend the local catchment school. I tried getting him in schools around the area but no luck, and recently being made redundant i made a huge step and moved, far away! I went on a road trip, looking at schools everywhere, and completely relocated within a catchment area I was happy for my son to be in. This was 5 years ago, and as stupid a move it was, it was the best thing I ever did. His schooling is his foundation for his entire life choices and career, and its important to get it right if you have the option to do so. I moved 130 miles lol, but thats not necessary if you know of a school more local and a home you can afford near by it, I would definitely go for it!