An education in moving for schools: 2025 update

Behind many of the smiling faces waving their children off through the school gates is an adult still recovering from the exhausting process that is choosing the best school and securing a place.

The stress of making the right educational choice made the news in The Times this autumn, with the headline “why choosing a secondary school is more stressful than moving house”. The journalist, Julie Henry, used the results of a recent survey to back up the claim.

According to a survey of 2,000 UK parents by the Good Schools Guide, 43% found choosing a school as the most stressful choice they faced as a family. This was in contrast with the 28% who found moving house the apex of angst. Of those polled, 46% described choosing a school as ‘all-consuming’, while 10% said they had lost sleep over the decision. 

Now, imagine how complex things get when a family is moving home to be within the catchment of the best schools. That is the reality for thousands of buyers, sellers and renters – and maybe even you. This year has seen a number of changes that has prompted us to reissue advice on buying with a school place in mind.

If you are thinking long term or already have children, here are the key considerations:

School ratings have changed

Ofsted in England, Estyn in Wales and Education Scotland in Scotland have all scrapped a sole rating such as ‘good’. Instead, they give one of up to six ratings to multiple aspects of a school’s performance. In November 2025, Ofsted is changing again, switching to a ‘report card’ format. Movers no longer have a quick overview of a school, with parents advised to read inspection reports in detail.

Pressure on the best performing state schools

When the Government announced it would be applying VAT to independent school fees, many families couldn’t make the future figures add up. As such, the Department for Education’s figures found there were 11,000 fewer pupils at English private schools come January 2025. Families priced out of private schooling are increasingly eyeing up top state schools - especially selective options and those with stand-out exam results. This is putting extra on places.

Be prepared to pay a premium

An article published by CityAM in August this year assumed a direct correlation between VAT in independent school fees and rising house prices. It quoted new research by Santander, which found the average house price in the catchment areas of the top 50 primary and top 50 secondary schools in the UK was 42% more than the average home in the market. The bank also found parents are willing to pay a 15% property premium to live within preferred school catchments.

7 top tips for moving for a school place

1. Check each school’s current admissions policy and catchment area. These can change year-on-year, so don’t rely on old versions

2. Don’t assume the houses closest to the school automatically get a place. There is usually a list of admission criteria and location is very rarely at the top

3. A school will not always sit in the centre of a circle – many catchment borders are unexpected in their size and shape

4. Some schools have priority admission areas or allocate a set number of places to pupils living in chosen parishes

5. When it comes to selective schools with entrance exams, location is sometimes irrelevant. They will often take pupils with the highest exam scores first, no matter where they live

6. Catchments of selective schools fluctuate year-on-year, so there is no guarantee of a place even with an exam pass

7. Schools will require a valid, permanent address during the application process and they are cracking down on address fraud. Timing your move is crucial – you’ll want to have completed well before the admissions deadline.

While we can’t guarantee you a school place, we can advise you of the best streets to give your family a strong starting point. Contact us today to start your search.