Parents determined to get their children into one of the UK’s top state schools often paid tens of thousands of pounds more for homes in the catchment areas than they would in surrounding neighbourhoods, according to a new analysis.
A Santander Mortgages report of house prices near the UK’s top 100 performing primary and secondary schools found that rising demand to secure a place at an outstanding school was leading to some parents paying huge premiums for a home in their preferred school’s catchment area.
Miguel Sard, managing director of mortgages at Santander UK, said: “If families are looking to move into a catchment area specifically to boost their chances of getting into an elite school, they can expect to pay a hefty price.”