What Are The Downsides Of Living Near A School?

Disadvantages of living near a school
Disclosure: Clicking on links on this page may earn us a small commission. This helps us continue to produce free content and doesn't affect the price you pay.
There are advantages and disadvantages of living near a school, and it’s not just for those homebuyers with children. From our own experience we can tell you that it’s important to be aware of what it means to live close to a school.

Many people would agree to the statement “location is the most important thing when buying a home”. After all, there’s a popular TV series that’s been running for years about that very topic.

For people with children, this often includes being near a good school. And if you use the school, many of the downsides will be evened out by the benefits.

However, living near a school does have drawbacks and especially if you don’t have kids that will attend it, you should consider them, before agreeing to the purchase.

We have lived a few houses down from a primary school and know what we are talking about. So using our experiences, we will tell you what these drawbacks are so you can make an informed decision.

1. Property values near schools

Property value increases near a school?

Since the demand for properties near schools is high, the property values will carry a premium for the privilege. Also, the better the education offered, the higher this premium will be.

One Department for Education report highlights that to buy close to a good quality primary school could mean paying an 8% premium on the property’s average price. That could amount to a hefty sum.

Near secondary schools, the same report highlights that the premium could add 7% to the asking price.

We used to live a few houses away from a good primary school. When we came to sell the house, we had a lot of interest, especially from young couples and parents with toddlers.

The proximity to the school was mentioned a few times during viewings, so clearly, the school was a draw. We sold the house within a weekend for the asking price. This shows that in terms of house value, living close to a school can be advantageous when you sell.

But for buyers it means having to fork out more for the privilege of living near a school. If you have or are planning to have kids, you might be prepared to pay the premium or compromise on space to get in the right location.

However, if the school won’t be any good for you, you might want to consider if the house is worth paying more than in areas that don’t have a school nearby.

Enjoying this article? - Buying

Enjoying This Article?

Get more advice about buying property in your inbox

Get articles like this as downloadable PDFs when you join our email newsletter with regular updates and tips.

You can unsubscribe at any time. See our Privacy Policy.

2. More competition

Especially near schools that have a high rating, you might find that the competition is stronger. After all, parents want the best for their children, so a good school is a must.

If you are one of those parents, then it’s just one of those things you have to live with. But if you don’t need to live near a school, you might want to consider if the property is worth the extra stress.

Because more competition doesn’t just push up the price, it will also mean that houses will get snatched up quicker, making it more of a challenge for buyers. And it increases the risk of being gazumped.

So this is definitely worth considering if you are interested in a home near a school.

3. Traffic and parking

traffic jam

The areas close to any school will likely experience higher levels of traffic and parking issues during the start and the end of school. While not all children are dropped of at school by car, a considerable amount is.

According to government statistics, in 2022 40% of primary school children travelled to school by car, with 56% walking there and only 4% using a local bus.

Children between the ages of 11 and 16 were more likely to walk (41%), with 26% being dropped off by car. 16% used a local bus and 6% went there on their bikes.

In rural areas, kids are more likely to be driven to school as they are likely to live further away, while in urban areas, walking is used more.

The consequence of these statistics is that during the school run in the morning and afternoon, your area might be busier in terms of traffic. That’s important to factor in if you will be driving in the area during these hours. If you have ever sat in school traffic, you will know what we mean.

Imagine being stuck in traffic a few houses away from your home. Not an image that screams dream home, does it?

Depending on how close to the school you live and if the school has parking, you might also find that parents park on the street while they drop off their kids. And we know how inconsiderate some parents are, as we have had them park in front of our drive on a regular basis.

This is especially annoying if you need to leave but are blocked from getting off your drive.

4. Litter

plastic bottle on the road

The statistics we have mentioned show that many school children, whether primary or secondary school, will also walk to school. While this is good news on the traffic side, it does lead to littering along the way they go.

Whether they have their breakfast on the go (crisps seem to be a popular choice), quench their thirst, or eat snacks on their way home, the wrappers, bags, bottles and cans more often than not end up on the road. From there, the wind might blow them into your front garden.

We have had that happening on a regular basis. And while you might think that this is more likely to happen if you live near a secondary school, you might be surprised. We lived close to a primary school and the amount of litter in the street and the front gardens was astonishing.

However, it will be even more of an issue if you live near a secondary school, as the kids are more likely to be passing without their parents.

Not only does it create more work for you as you have to clean it up, it is also unsightly and makes the area less attractive.

5. Noise

Playgrounds can be noisy

There will be different times of the day when the noise levels might be higher near a school. In the morning, when kids are passing your home to get to school, expect to hear chatter, laughing, screaming and shouting.

This applies to primary and secondary schools, and can get annoying if you are after a quiet start to your day. Then again, you might already be out and never be bothered by it.

During break times, the kids might be in the playground, which inevitably comes with noise. Secondary school kids might also be in the area during lunchtime, hanging around in groups, which again can be a noisy affair.

Then again, when school has finished, as kids pass by your home, there will be noise.

Of course, all this will only have a negative impact on you if you are actually at home during these times. For example, if you work from home, all this noise could be a distraction and soon get on your nerves.

Our experience of living near a school

For us, one of the biggest disadvantages of living near a school was the traffic and the inconsiderate parking in the morning and afternoon.

Car blocking our driveway
During the school run, it was a regular occurrence that cars would park in front of our driveway.

Because the school didn’t have any parking space, parents would just drive on the street. Unfortunately, they didn’t bother whether they parked in front of driveways.

It happened almost every day that we had cars blocking our driveway. As I was working from home at the time, I was blocked in several times by parked cars during the school run, which meant I had to wait until I could go out.

We had to get used to planning our lives in a way so that we didn’t have to go out or come back during the school run, which was quite disruptive.

Because the school did also hold events on weekends, the inconveniently parked cars could appear without warning. While this only happened on occasions, it did get quite tiresome.

The noise was also an issue, as I was working from home at the time. It was especially noticeable during the warmer months, when I wanted to have my lunch in the garden.

Although we lived near a primary school, litter was an issue. Every time we went out or came home sweet wrappers, crisp packets and plastic bottles greeted us in our front garden. And the street was also littered with the remnants of passing kids.

This is definitely a disadvantage of living near a school that you should take into account before buying a house, in our experience.

Buying A Property? FREE Step-By-Step Platform

  • Bite-sized steps for buying and/or selling a property in the UK
  • Easy-to-follow explanations every step of the way
  • Clear actions to follow to progress your property transaction
  • Trackable progress so you know what to do next
  • Detailed informative articles related to every step you follow
Property Road Platform

Benefits of living near a school

Of course, there are always two sides of a coin. And while the list of disadvantages of living close to a school is quite long, there are also advantages.

  • Convenience – if you have kids that will go to the school, living close enough to walk will definitely be a bonus point
  • Property values – Since these homes are in demand, your property will retain its value more effectively, even if it means paying a premium to get it
  • Good education – living near a highly rated school will give your child the change of a good education

Conclusion

There are undoubtedly more drawbacks than benefits to loving near a school. However, if your child has a shorter, easier and safer journey to school, the negatives might be worth accepting.

And there are plenty of people who want to leave near a good school for the sake of their children. And rightly so, as it can make their lives much easier.

The question is whether you want to live near a school if you don’t have a reason, for example because you don’t have kids or your children are already out of school.

You might have found your dream home, but it’s close to a school. By considering the drawbacks, you can establish if it’s worth buying the house or not.

Authors

  • Steve Lumley

    Steve Lumley has years of experience writing about property. His output has covered everything from property investment, news for landlords and student tenants to articles on how to run a successful portfolio and starting out as a property investor. He has also written several books on the subject.

    View all posts
  • Paul James

    Paul James, is a marketing expert with a passion for property. As well as being a property investor, Paul has also worked within the marketing departments of some of the UK’s leading estate agents. Paul is the founder of Property Road.

    View all posts
Checklist - 101 Ways To Sell Your House Faster

101 Ways To Sell Your House Faster eBook

FEATURED DOWNLOAD:

FREE Checklist: 101 Ways To Sell Your Home Faster

When you subscribe to our email newsletter. Plus, receive a 7-day crash course on how to get higher offers on ANY type of property.

You can unsubscribe at any time.
See our Privacy Policy.