Talk to the local experts

When you’re searching for your new family home, being in the right area to access the best schools for your children is a key factor in your decision. Whether you’re moving to a new area or a whole new city, here’s our tips for finding the best schools in an area:

The people who know most about the area are the people who live there, and the people who sell there. Whether you’re looking at new homes through an estate agent or a home builder, the sales representative will be able to advise you on the local schools.

If you’re considering a home on one of our developments, ask the Customer Experience Manager there if any families have already moved in, so you can talk to about the school that their children are attending.

Do some online research

You’ll find that as well as being able to ask local experts for their advice on schools in the area, there is a multitude of information on local schools from reliable sources available online.

Ofsted (Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills) is a government department that is put in place to regulate the education services provided by schools and centres across the UK. This makes Ofsted reports and ratings a popular measure for parents when looking for a new school. Ofsted reports are public and can be searched for on their website.

We offer the Ofsted ratings and full reports for the three closest schools to each of our developments on our website. You’ll find this information in the Education section of your chosen development page.

You can also use the government’s school performance comparison tool to see how schools in the local area compare based on results in core subjects and the percentage performing at or above the expected standard.

Make appointments with the schools

Once you have a shortlist of schools you’re considering, it’s time to start arranging to visit, meet the staff and take a good look at the facilities. Get the most out of your visit, prepare some questions before you go. Here’s some example questions that you might want to ask:

• What is the policy on discipline?
• What is the process the school uses monitor progression towards standards at each grade?
• Are there any free transport options for students?
• What technology is available and how is it incorporated into student’s learning?
• What out of school activities are available for students?

Start the application process as soon as possible

Once you’ve decided on a school and the area you’re moving to, it’s important to get the application in as soon as possible as this can be quite lengthy. You will want to have the new school lined up for when you move so it’s one less thing to worry about and so your children aren’t taken out of education for longer than necessary during the move.