Family life can be hectic, and often, when we plan to start a family, we don't necessarily move house beforehand to accommodate the extra room needed. This means that growing families can find themselves bursting at the seams before inevitably moving into a larger property.

As all children eventually need to start school, it may not be something you've considered until it is time to apply for your preferred school. As a new parent, this can feel a lifetime away, but as all parents will agree, those early years fly by at an alarming rate, and before you know it, your little ones will be heading off to school.

It is around this time that thoughts turn to catchment areas. This refers to the boundary around a school that determines which children will be accepted into which schools.

Do you live in the catchment area of your preferred school, or have you never even thought about it? It is straightforward to check; visit your local council's website for a map that will show the boundaries of the catchment areas for each school in the district.

You will need to choose your child's school when they reach age 4, which is when children start school in England. Applications open in September and close in January. You will be informed of the school choice by April so your child can begin in September.

Getting your child into the right school can feel very important. Children spend a long time at school, and their learning sets them up for the rest of their lives, so the stakes are high. Before buying your home, you might not have given a second thought to the catchment area that the property falls into, particularly if you did not have children yet. But what if you discover that the place you have called home for years is now the barrier to getting the schooling that your child needs?

At this point, you might have decided that the answer is to move to a new house that falls within the catchment area for your school of choice. Property sales are not immediate, though, so it is important that you actually plan ahead for this. Most parents would prefer not to have to move schools in the middle of the school year if they can help it, so your timeline has just moved forward by at least 6 months.

The school applications for September 2025 are open for submission until January 2025. Realistically, if you intend to move house for the school of your choice, starting to make plans now will put you in a proactive position, ensuring you are in control of the process.

A rushed house sale can be stressful and costly. If you are working to a tight deadline, you run the risk that you will have to reduce the marketing price of your property to generate fast interest. In contrast, if you give yourself a little more time and you're not reliant on a 'quick sale' marketing strategy, you have time to prepare excellent marketing materials and promote the property to the market correctly so that you can achieve the true value of your home without the pressure of a quick sale.

If you are thinking of moving home to get your kids into the best schools, it's crucial to start planning early. Get in touch with our team of property experts without delay so that we can help you navigate this process and get you moved in time.