Renting near Belleville to get access to the school Post Reply

[Flogri]

I agree that the question might not be appropriate in view of previous posts and comments about short term renting but It might well not be a joke.

What you would do if you were renting far from any school and now your child has to go to reception? Of course, you would rent close to a good school. Rents might be more expensive but still cheaper than paying a less expensive rent + private school!

I see neither anything really shocking if the children need to walk or take a bus to go to school. This is often the case in the countryside. One would prefer not to waste time on transport, another prefers to have to commute but make sure the children are in the right place. I am sure many people commute to go to private schools and this does not shock anyone.

To conclude: if the system is abused this is because it is abuseable and wrong.

[calgary]

I agree with Flogri -

if the system is abused this is because it is abuseable and wrong.

That said, a simple change in rules that requires you to prove locality every year would quickly alleviate this issue - ie you move away, you lose your place > this is how it worked when I was young in Canada and I understand it still to be the case there.

[cynic]

6months is the answer I believe

[MGMidget]

It looks like a wind-up to me.

[runningmummy]

Hilarious

[littlechicken]

I also agree with Flogri. The system is wrong and abusable. What people do within their legal rights is up to them and not for us to judge.

I have been following various topics with enraged parents that didn't get to the school of choice although they are 'more worthy' than others that did, be it because of the sibling policy, be it because they are renters not owners and so on and so forth.

The truth is there is a shortage of schools in London because a lot of them were turned into swanky flats and also because there has been a trend change with families choosing to stay in London, rather than moving to the country. This has to be addressed by the government and not by pointing fingers at each other.

It reminds me of the uproar when it was revealed that Jimmy Carr was legally avoiding paying tax.

When the law is wrong, change the law.

[Wobblypiano]

"Local schools for local people" indeed.
Indeed, local if you can pay £1.5 million for a family home. Not many people can pay that for a 4 bed terrace.
I'm local- have been since 1973 when I was born 7 minutes walk from the schools Belleville and Honeywell. Although I didn't go to those schools most kids on my street did. Now kids on this street can't get a look in and my little one is number 61 on the waiting list.
I've been local for 40 years, but can't access my local school. The reason being people moved into the streets by the schools, over inflating the prices in the mean time. Selling/ buying, all overinflated. Parents desperate to get their kids into a good "local" school, although they themselves moved / bought into the area just to be by the schools, not actually " local" people themselves- actually pushing out " local" people. I can't afford a house / flat around those streets any more. I could do 18 years ago, before the affluent bought themselves into the school catchment area.... I will have to drive for 20 minutes to take my little one to a decent school. I'd love to " walk" to my local school, like the rest of you. Not many can buy our way in / pay that much to place their kids into a good state school. So the rest of us have to ... Wait for it... rent!!!! You guys moved into the area to get into the schools, what's the difference with people renting to get into the school. What if you or hubby loose your job & need to downsize/ can't afford your mortgage? Move out to wilds of Earsfeild for example? I imagine you wouldn't expect your kid to be thrown out of school, loosing their friends because of that. This approach, seeing the world from a very convenient, isolated and "entitled" point of view, is why we now live in such a fragmented society. Discuss.

[schoolgatesmum]

Couldn't agree with you more Wobblypiano. I haven't lived here all my life but I moved here 20 years ago - way before I even thought of having children. I have way more sympathy for people who have lived here for years than people who pay a premium for a house, don't get the school they want and then complain. People who can pay a premium for a house btc have choice. A lot of people do not have that choice (i.e. buy a house in catchment, go private, move to the country). And it's always the people with no choice who really miss out - they literally get offered the schools that nobody wants (the schools of no choice) and they can't do anything about it.

[momtomum]

We're nowhere near Belleville, but as a mom new to London from the US, I find this whole system both funny and sad.

We moved into a family friendly neighborhood with good - not outstanding - schools because it was what we could afford. To rent, not buy. After we moved in, the school our children are in was rated outstanding. It really is a lovely school and all 4 of our kids will have places. Terrific, right?!?

Problem is now that it's outstanding, rents in the area have jumped up so much so that when our lease expires in 15 months, we will have to move further away from the school. We'd like to stay local - being less than 500 meters from a great school is lovely - but may well end up moving further away so we can afford both rent and food!

It's not fair that our kids should have to move schools just because rent have gone up, nor would it be fair to punish our family by splitting up siblings.

There are people who try to game the system by renting a studio apartment they never intend to live in, but the crazy competition over places at outstanding schools in SW London makes real estate very expensive and pushes families who once were local to move further away just to survive.

[juliantenniscoach]

I think the property migration has also been compounded by the movement north of the river. There is an awful lot of money come south because they have been priced out of Kensington, Chelsea area by new money from China, Russia and the Arab Peninsula.

The price sq/m there has absolutely rocketed especially for larger properties. So this area has been directly affected by that. I mean if you had told me 20yrs ago, or even 5 yrs to be honest that properties in Thurleigh Road would go for £3M+, I'd have asked what you had been smoking!

Still think the OP is a wum though

[Balhammom]

Great article by Toby Young in the Telegraph.

I agree with basic premise, fix the problem, don't complain about parents gaming the system


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/10 ... ility.html

Totally agree with final paragraph

There is no quick fix to the problem of falling social mobility. But the answer has to lie in driving up standards in our schools and making sure children from all parts of our society have access to a rigorous, academic education.