In case that wasn’t enough deep thought for us, we actually have another potentially life changing discussion knocking around at the moment – moving house.
At some point, we’re fairly certain we’re going to have to move.
While the local primary school here is excellent, our local secondary is worse than dire – about a 20% pass rate for GCSEs and often in the local news for extreme bullying and truancy problems. Its Ofsted is not too glowing either. Colour me fussy, but on the whole I’d like my boys’ educational experience to be an enjoyable, well-rounded one even if it’s not exactly dazzling.
Realistically, this isn’t going to change by the time our boys are old enough to attend. It’s been the local sink school for at least 20 years that we know of. The other schools that we could “choose” are over subscribed and not our catchment area – they’re “good enough” not outstanding. Either way, Akra Jr and Li’l Bhaji are unlikely to get into them living here. Private education is and always will be well beyond our means.
So, as we see it we have the following four options (you’ll note staying put and going to the school regardless is not one of them):
- Stay in Worcester but move to another secondary catchment. This has the advantage that both children can stay in the current primary school with minimal disruption. Housing choice in other catchment areas is limited and not all to our taste – we’ll certainly lose a lot of convenience by moving away from our current location. On the plus side, we would have to wait until Li’l Bhaji was in school too before moving, so that gives us a few more years to save and potentially get a nicer house.
- Move to a neighbouring town – after long investigations yesterday I think we’ve pretty much ruled this one out. Neighbouring towns are smaller (and we miss the big city as it is), we’d not be able to keep the boys in their current primary and all in all the upheaval just wouldn’t be worth it.
- Move closer to Akra’s work – probably Cheltenham or Gloucester. We’d probably have to rent for a while as we’re just not clued up enough on the good areas. Advantages that we would be in a bigger city with all the amenities that brings. Shorter journey time for Akra. Disadvantage is that our money wouldn’t go as far with houses and we’d have to move sooner rather than later to minimize disruption for the boys (i.e. before Li’l Bhaji starts school, ideally). I like Cheltenham but not quite as keen on Gloucester.
- Go back to London – either back to Croydon (feels slightly like a backward step) or North London to be closer to Akra’s parents. The latter seems more sensible given that we want to do lots of travelling around the UK in the holidays (the M25 is a pain to get around). Lots of advantages, not least that we miss London… miss not being able to take the kids to the big museums, miss all the public transport, miss the facilities. Main disadvantage is cost – having got used to a detached house we’d have to go back to a terraced or semi (which is not the end of the world, I know, but I’ve got used not to have to share a party wall). We’d be saddled with a much larger mortgage and Akra would have to find a new job (which would likely involve a commute into Central London). If we’re taking this route we really should do it sooner rather than later to minimize the housing cost gap we would have to find.
So, lots to think about. Akra Jr and Li’l Bhaji come home tomorrow. I’m not totally convinced that we’ve come any closer to a decision on any of this since they went away.
13 responses so far ↓
1 Dom // 29th Aug 2006 at 3:10 pm
Move back to North London!
In fact.. just swap houses with me. There’s 3 schools within 5 minutes walk from here. And I’d really like a nice big house in Worcester. :)
More seriously… I don’t know how anyone can even afford a terraced house round here. 1 bed flats tend to go for £200k. A typical semi is £400-500k. Sigh.
2 tangerinecath // 29th Aug 2006 at 5:39 pm
North London! North London!
LOADS closer to meeeeeee :oD
3 Pewari // 29th Aug 2006 at 6:17 pm
So … not biased either of you then? ;)
4 zip // 29th Aug 2006 at 8:19 pm
Making a decision to move is bloody hard. It’s fairly easy to make the decision in the head compared to trying to do the same with your heart. If your heart isn’t with you you will find the pettiest of reasons to stay put.
I’m more of an expert in staying put rather than moving but if I had to give some advice it would be: find a big reason to want to move to a particular place (ie fall in love with a house/place) rather than use the reasons for moving away. The heart rules.
hope this makes some sense…
5 Ayrt // 30th Aug 2006 at 1:21 am
Move over here to Oz, schools are ok (I guess), less traffic, plenty of cool places to go, slightly higher taxes and most important of all, the weather is lovely…
Granted its been 315 days since significant rain here in Brissie (>50mm), but still, nice big house, pool, barbie…
You know it makes sense
6 Pewari // 30th Aug 2006 at 7:26 am
zip: it does make sense. I just find that my heart is as fickle about what it wants to do as the rest of me.
Ayrt: lol – but when we go camping I’ll have to worry about snakes and spiders – I’m not sure that’s a good trade ;)
7 Akra // 30th Aug 2006 at 11:58 am
Zip: That would assume that staying put was an option.
It isn’t.
8 Miss L // 30th Aug 2006 at 4:15 pm
Well that’s half your decision made – get out looking at houses, its good sport!
9 paula // 30th Aug 2006 at 9:28 pm
My hobbits started school on Tuesday going to a neighbouring town primary for several reasons. (Photos online!)
Even here in Scotland there is a divide, between schools you would be happy for your child to attend and those which are like holding places until the pupils are old enough to sign on. It is as sad and tragic as that.
10 Tami // 31st Aug 2006 at 12:00 am
I think you’re very smart for thinking of this now. Too many parents, myself included, don’t want to uproot the children once they have made so many friends in school. Do it now while they are young and they won’t be the wiser.
11 tangerinecath // 31st Aug 2006 at 7:12 pm
The house next door to us is up for sale… 3 bed semi with CH & garage, recently refurbed kitchen & bathroom, nice neighbours ;o)
12 Pewari // 31st Aug 2006 at 7:13 pm
“nice neighbours” … what, the other side? *smirk* ;)
13 tangerinecath // 1st Sep 2006 at 1:31 pm
oooh you meany… just because I called you an old trout ;o)
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