New data from leading property buying company Upstix shows that homes within the catchment of the top 20 English primary schools can move at very differing pace – with as much as two and a half months between the fastest and the slowest.
It takes an average of 206 days to sell a property within England’s top 20 primary school catchments. But how fast you need to move as a buyer to avoid missing out really depends on where you are buying.
The fastest selling primary school catchment is for St James’ Roman Catholic Primary School in Orpington (main picture), with a sale time of just 170 days, compared to the slowest of 247 days for Abacus Belsize Primary School in London.
Top 20 Primary Schools England |
Area |
Postcode |
Sale Time |
St James’ Roman Catholic Primary School |
Orpington |
BR5 1BL |
170 |
Skelton School |
Penrith |
CA11 9SE |
178 |
Barnes Primary School |
London |
SW13 0QQ |
182 |
Penny Acres Primary School |
Dronfield |
S18 7WP |
189 |
The Raleigh School |
Leatherhead |
KT24 6LX |
194 |
Evelyn Street Primary Academy and Nursery |
Warrington |
WA5 1BD |
194 |
Dolphinholme Primary School |
Lancaster |
LA2 9AN |
195 |
Baron’s Court Primary School and Nursery |
London |
SS0 7PJ |
202 |
South Farnham school |
Farnham |
GU9 8DY |
204 |
St Stephens Primary School |
London |
E6 1AS |
204 |
Gatley Primary School |
Stockport |
SK8 4NB |
204 |
Earl’s Court Free School Primary |
London |
W6 0LB |
208 |
St Stephen’s Church of England Primary School |
London |
W12 8LH |
212 |
St Ives Primary and Nursery School |
Ringwood |
BH24 2LE |
212 |
Fox Primary School |
London |
W8 7PP |
217 |
Heathfield Academy |
Croydon |
CR0 1EQ |
218 |
Charles Dickens Primary School |
London |
SE1 1AF |
223 |
Nascot Wood Junior School |
Watford |
WD17 4YS |
229 |
Redhill Primary School |
Derby |
DE72 3SF |
231 |
Abacus Belsize Primary School |
London |
N1C 4PF |
247 |
Fred Jones, Chief Operating Officer at Upstix, says: “It is no secret that the UK home buying and selling process can be incredibly stressful – but it is even more so when you have a school application deadline to meet. Our research shows that there can be as much as two and a half months difference in property selling times depending on which primary school catchment area you are trying to get into.
SNAPPED UP
“Homes in some of the catchment areas of great schools can be snapped up quickly and with Labour proposing changes to VAT on private school fees we’re likely to see ever greater demand in the coming months.
“It means parents on the prowl for outstanding state education will need to start their house hunt soon as options will be snapped up quickly.”
“For families with an existing property to sell, there’s a risk this could hold up the process, which can be lengthy, complex, and costly. With only 231 days until the January primary school application deadline, =. we’re seeing more and more parents make the most of our instant cash buying proposition to beat the catchment crowds.”