Investing in a good school area

Parents are always keen to research which areas have the best schools before purchasing a property, however doing the right research will often lead to the better results. Here are our points to follow to make sure you’re well informed before pressing the button.

1. Leave enough time to enrol your child at a local school – this is so you don’t end up finding your dream property and then finding out it’s too late for them to enrol at a particular school and then subsequently sending them somewhere further away.
2. Find areas that have good primary and secondary schools, not just one or the other (unless your children have all at least left primary school).
3. Try not to base your decision on the most updated league tables, instead find schools which have achieved at a high level consistently over a long period of time.
4. Don’t be put off by higher property prices in areas with better local schools; look at it as a long term investment for your children.
5. Meet with head teachers to discuss what their schools are all about and what you can expect if you send your children there.
6. Research the local transport links as well as its logistics. Does the area suffer from bad traffic every day? Is there a local bus available to take your kids to and from school? If the school is in walking distance that’s also a huge bonus.
7. Locate areas that have a range of good schools instead of an area with just one outstanding school; this ensures you have options when it comes to enrolment.

Was any of this advice useful? Find us on Twitter @chewtonrose and let us know.