Parents move for best schools

Parents are so desperate for their children to get the best education that they are willing to move home. So many people are flocking to some areas that available property has become scarce, dramatically pushing up the prices of homes.

Thousands of parents were today finding out if their child has managed to get into their preferred school.

And performance league tables for 14-year-olds released today show the best and the worst schools across the West Midlands

The disparity of performance between schools is leading for a desperate rush annually.

Houses around Wolverhampton Girls High School, which today was named the third best in England for its key stage three results, are at least 10 per cent higher than they would be if the school wasn't there.

Estate agent Nick Berriman said: "Being in the catchment area of a good school is an absolute must for many families."

The same is true in Netherton, where the national reputation enjoyed by Hillcrest School and Community College has helped house prices more than double in six years.

Estate agent Beverley Southwick said: "Undoubtedly house prices have soared in Netherton because parents want their children to go to Hillcrest. It is definitely a pulling point."

Parent John Hackney and his wife Angela, moved from Kingswinford to Hagley in order to give their daughter Luisa the opportunity of a place at highly-regarded Haybridge Secondary School, which is just 200 yards from their new home.

They were today awaiting a letter to find out if she has been granted a place.

Mr Hackney, aged 60, said: "Our son Alex was already getting an excellent education at Old Swinford Hospital boys' school and we were keen to give Luisa the same opportunity. It means upheaval and a higher mortgage, but it will be worth it if she gets a place."

Brighton and Hove City Council revealed yesterday that it was to be the first in England to scrap the catchment system and instead create a lottery for places from next September, saying it would be fairer to less affluent pupils.

When schools are oversubscribed, an "electronic ballot" will be used to allocate places, rather than the current system of giving places to children who live closest to the school.

The new code, which comes into force today, advises schools that lotteries are a good way to allocate places fairly at oversubscribed schools.

Parents are invited to choose their favoured schools in order of preference but many secondaries attract far more applications than places available.

Ministers proposed the lottery option as a way to loosen the grip of middle-class parents on the best state schools.

It means that it is likely to be adopted by more councils across the country – and could eventually be taken up in the West Midlands.

That would effectively end the importance of catchment areas – and therefore lead to a drop in house prices in areas where there is currently high demand because of schools.

Any new system will not end the annual anxiety for parents and children who are preparing for secondary school. Government figures suggest at least 90,000 children will find out today that they are to miss out on their first choice school.

For them, the future will be uncertainty and worry.