MAPPED: The best places to live with good schools
NEW research has revealed the best places to live in England that fall into catchment areas for top schools.
New research has revealed the best areas to buy in England to get into the best schools
With private school fees rocketing by 553 per cent since 1991, parents must choose wisely when deciding where to raise a family.
Research by estate agent Savills shows which areas have the top-performing state schools.
They ranked Watford, Hammersmith and Fulham, Epson and Ewell as the areas in the South with the highest proportion of students in good schools.
But with average house prices ranging from £353,000 in Watford all the way to £1,220,000 in Hammersmith and Fulham, parents may choose to look to the North for a cheaper family home.
Cheshire’s “Golden Triangle” of Harrogate, Gateshead and Trafford all offer better value for money for family homes near top schools.
Those hoping to buy in prized catchment areas will face a heavy premium, with properties in Harrogate going for up to 79 per cent more than comparable homes in the rest of Yorkshire.
Recently, a three-bedroom semi-detached house near to the town’s celebrated St Aidan’s Church of England High School was sold for 30 per cent more than the guide price after just two days on the market.
The top-performing school with the best value property was found to be Heckmondwike Grammar School in Kirklees.
Online estate agent eMoov found that average house prices in the West Yorkshire town average £113,500 and that the school gets 161 GCSE points per pupil.
Nine of the ten best value schools were in the North and the Midlands
Education Secretary Justine Greening considering Grammar schools
In fact, nine out of the top 10 "best value" schools were found to be in the North or the Midlands, in areas such as Halifax, Lancaster, Rossendale and Walsall. Only Plymouth made it to the list from the South.
But parents should act quickly as house prices up North are growing at a much quicker rate than those in the South.
Frances Clacy of Savills Research said: “It’s not clear what comes first, but it’s generally true that with good schools comes high house prices, though this isn’t necessarily always the case.
"The relative value offered by property in the north of England, in comparison with the south, means that buyers can move to these more affordable locations without compromising on their children attending high-performing schools.”
Best places to live with good schools in the south of England
Epsom and Ewell, average house price £463,239
Gloucester, average house price £198,019
Best places to live with good schools in the north of England
Trafford, average house price £416,025
Harrogate, average house price £312,523
Gateshead, average house price £142,288
House prices are growing at a quicker rate in the North than in the South
Best places to live with good schools in or near to London
Sutton, average house price £372,713
Watford, average house price £353,022
Hammersmith and Fulham, average house price £1,222,642
Best places to live with good schools in the Midlands
Warwick, average house price £334,016
South Northamptonshire, average house price £294,050