Many overseas investors use school catchment as a reference indicator when buying property, so here we take a closer look at that idea. This analysis looks at secondary schools, using GCSE results — specifically the share of A*-A, or grades 9-7, entries (%) — as the measure.
Where the Top 48 Schools Are Located
Looking at schools where 80% or more of GCSE entries currently achieve A*-A or grades 9-7, there are 48 such schools nationwide. Of these, 35% are concentrated in London or its surrounding towns — 17 schools — while the traditional university towns of Cambridge and Oxford have 3 schools each, and Manchester and Birmingham have 2 each. Comparing the postal areas of these 48 schools against 2019 house prices for the same area, 34 have prices above the local average, 13 below, and 1 roughly level. This pattern isn’t limited to the highest-performing schools — postal areas around schools ranked 290th to 300th also show prices above the local average. On average, prices in these school catchment areas run 18% above the surrounding local average. So, proportionally speaking, school catchment does appear to carry a genuine edge.
Schools with the Biggest Price Gap
| School Rank | School Name | GCSE A*-A or 9-7 Entries (%) | Area | Area Price Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 | Oxford High School GDST, Oxford | 88.41 | Oxford | +64% |
| 18 | Withington Girls’ School, Manchester | 90.3 | Manchester | +62% |
| 37 | Dulwich College, Dulwich | 83.94 | London | +61% |
| 8 | The Perse School, Cambridge | 93.93 | Cambridge | +56% |
| 19 | Highgate School, Highgate | 90.21 | London | +56% |
Is There a Relationship Between School Ranking and House Prices?
We’ve seen that school catchment areas tend to have higher prices than the local average — the next question is what relationship, if any, exists between a school’s ranking and local house prices. We put together three charts: the top 50 schools against local price growth, the top 50 schools against the local average house price, and a comparison between the top 10 and bottom 10 school catchment areas.
Top 50 Schools vs. Local Price Growth
Top 50 Schools vs. Local Average House Price
Top 10 vs. Bottom 10 School Catchment Areas and House Prices
Conclusion
Looking at the “top 50 schools vs. local price growth” chart, the correlation is fairly hard to make out. But moving to “top 50 schools vs. local average house price,” there is a downward-sloping trend from right to left, and while it isn’t especially pronounced, combined with the roughly £380,000 gap between the average prices around the top 10 and the bottom 10 schools, a reasonably clear positive relationship between school ranking and house prices does emerge. That said, it’s worth noting that the highest-ranked schools are heavily concentrated in London, and London has historically led on both GDP and economic activity, which naturally attracts more investment in education resources as well. Whether prices rise because of the school catchment or because of London itself is a question that needs further unpacking to answer properly. But on price alone, the conventional wisdom of investing in a good school catchment area does hold up as a worthwhile indicator, and it’s one worth keeping in mind when investing in property.
For help assessing whether a specific school catchment area is a sound investment location, ask Zagdim.
Have a question about this guide? Leave a comment below, or ask Zagdim directly.
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