Revealed: the best and worst places to raise children in England

New research has revealed the best and worst places in England for young families to live in order to secure a good education for their children.

Headlines:

North Lincolnshire is the best place for young families to live
Local authorities ranked on Ofsted results, the number of school places available and housing affordability
Lewisham ranked lowest, with oversubscribed schools and expensive housing

The study, conducted by Oxford Home Schooling, ranked local authorities on a number of key factors: the percentage of schools that are rated ‘Good’ or ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted [1], the percentage of school places available [2] and the affordability of housing, based on average wages [3] and property prices [4].

North Lincolnshire came out on top, scoring highly across all categories. Despite 86% of its schools being scored highly by Ofsted, one in seven (14%) of the student places available were not filled last year. With its average wage (£25,000) representing 17% of the area’s average house price (£149,000), it’s also an affordable place to live.

Such statistics are considerably better than the national averages. Across the country, around three-quarters (74%) of schools are considered ‘Good’ or ‘Outstanding’, while just 6% of school places are not applied for. In one in five (20%) local authorities, schools are oversubscribed, with applicants outnumbering the places available.

Regarding the affordability of housing, the average wage in England (£30,000) represents 13% of the typical property value (£281,000).

North Lincolnshire is just one of five local authorities from Yorkshire and the Humber that feature in the top 10 best places to live. In contrast, half of the 10 worst places for families are in London, with Lewisham the lowest ranked.

In Lewisham, the number of students applying for school places was 35% higher than the amount available, despite less than two-thirds (64%) of the schools being rated ‘Good’ or ‘Outstanding’. With houses averaging nearly £400,000, and wages just 9% of this (£35,000), it’s an expensive place to live too.

The top 10 best and worst places for young families to live in England are:

	Best			Worst
	Local Authority	Region		Local Authority	Region
1	North Lincolnshire	Yorkshire and the Humber	1	Lewisham	London
2	Torbay	South West	2	South Gloucestershire	South West
3	North East Lincolnshire	Yorkshire and the Humber	3	City of Bristol	South West
4	Calderdale	Yorkshire and the Humber	4	Islington	London
5	Rotherham	Yorkshire and the Humber	5	Hillingdon	London
6	Shropshire	West Midlands	6	Reading	South East
7	Central Bedfordshire	East of England	7	Thurrock	East of England
8	North Yorkshire	Yorkshire and the Humber	8	Croydon	London
9	Cheshire West and Chester	North West	9	Knowsley	North West
10	Rutland	East Midlands	10	Richmond upon Thames	London

Dr Nick Smith, principal at Oxford Home Schooling, said:

“All parents want the best education for their children and many will go to extreme lengths to get them into certain schools.

“This may involve moving house to be within certain catchment areas. For those considering such action, our research has highlighted the local authorities which offer quality education in areas where houses are most affordable.”

To discover the best and worst areas for young families to live in your region, visit: https://www.oxfordhomeschooling.co.uk/blog/the-best-and-worst-places-to-raise-children-in-your-area/.