This week marked the deadline for school applications for children starting reception classes this September. We had spent several months deciding where to relocate to when we moved back to the UK, with our decision primarily based on accessibility to London, proximity to family, and quality of schools and nurseries, and affordability of houses.
So having marked up the probable catchment areas of three acceptable schools in the original area that we looked to relocate into, overlay with that the locations and catchments of the junior schools, we were left with a sweet spot of one street with about 20 houses. None of which were for rent.
Having been intently following the targeted property market on Zoopla all year, it was unlikely that a suitable place would come on the market in out sweet spot, either to rent or buy, and so we decided to look further afield
We eventually ended up in the next village and decided to hedge all of our bets on one school, which housed a nursery, an infants and a juniors all on the same site.
So with such large amounts of due diligence completed well in advance the process should have been straightforward and stress-free. However upon starting the online application process we we’re presented with the option to list up to four schools and so had to start the process all over again.
Roll on April 16th when we find out whether we backed the right horse or whether we will need to move house to be somewhere near the school of our (2nd/3rd/4th) choice.