Avoiding catchment premiums: London postcodes with Outstanding schools — and property prices below the area average

The price of a London home in a top school’s catchment area is currently 26 per cent higher than the city average. Here’s where that isn’t the case.
Homes in Crystal Palace, south London
Daniel Lynch
Ruth Bloomfield29 March 2022

Great state schools are a massive driver of London’s property market, with parents prepared to fork out massive premiums to live close to an Ofsted-outstanding primary or senior school.

According to new research, published today, the most expensive outstanding school in London is Gospel Oak Primary School, close to Hampstead Heath, where parents must pay an average £1.7 million to live in the same postcode. This is 81 per cent more than the average price for Camden, £944,000.

Across the capital the average price of a home in the catchment area of top schools is £654,289, which is 26 per cent more than the London average price of £521,146.

However the study, by law firm Simpson Millar, also found there are some bargains to be found near outstanding schools – locations where average prices are actually lower than the surrounding area.

Homes in the same postcode as Rhodes Avenue Primary School, in Alexandra Park, cost an average of £604,000. This is £110,000 less than the average across Haringey which stands at £714,000. Although Rhodes Avenue is close to the lovely Alexandra Palace Park prices have traditionally been kept low because of its lack of a local tube station.

Another cut price way into a top performing school is in Lewisham where homes close to Rathfern Primary School, Catford, cost an average £486,266. Across the borough the average price is £531,392.

Expect to find some smart period terraces around the school – the compromise, however, is that Catford is one of those rare parts of south London which has, so far, stubbornly resisted all attempts at gentrification.

For older pupils Simpson Millar also found good value to be found in the hinterland of Mossbourne Community Academy, just south of Hackney Downs, where the average home costs £666,000 against a borough average of £692,000.

Other outstanding schools with lower-than-average house prices include Beatrice Tate School in Tower Hamlets, Cleves Primary in Newham, and Barclay Primary in Waltham Forest.

“With National Offer Day on the horizon on April 19 many parents are nervously waiting to hear if their child will get their first-choice primary school place ahead of the new education year in September,” said Sarah Woosey, an education solicitor at Simpson Millar.

“Address often plays a key role in the decision to award the last few places at a school. Because of this, some parents even look to move house so their address falls within the catchment area of a top school.”

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