The Sacrifices We Make for Education – Why Cheltenham and Gloucestershire Stand Out
As children across the country return to school this week, a new survey from Yopa has revealed just how far parents will go to secure the right education for their children. Almost half of parental homebuyers admit they sacrifice their dream home to live within a preferred school catchment area. Many even stretch themselves financially, take on larger mortgages, or rent temporarily just to be in with a chance.
The research, which surveyed almost 5,000 UK homebuyers, shows that:
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31% of parents moved home specifically to be in their chosen catchment.
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25% had to pay above asking price, with some stretching 20% beyond the guide.
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38% borrowed beyond their means, often relying on larger mortgages or family help.
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Many moved years in advance, with 13% moving at the birth of their child and 39% moving at least a year before applying.
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84% did eventually secure their preferred school place—but at the cost of significant stress and, often, compromise on their ideal home.
These figures will resonate with many families. The pressure to make the right choice for our children is immense, and it can feel like every decision—where we live, what we buy, even what we sacrifice—revolves around education.
My own experience
This September, my wife and I experienced this firsthand as our four-year-old daughter walked through the gates of her first school here in Cheltenham. The build-up to that day was a mix of excitement and intensity—the long conversations about where she would be happiest, the weighing up of options, the natural worries about whether we were getting it right.
Seeing her smile in her uniform, holding her bag on that first morning, made it all worthwhile. We felt proud, relieved, and thankful that she is starting her journey in such an inspiring environment.
Why Gloucestershire stands out
Families moving to Cheltenham, Gloucester, and the wider county are fortunate. Gloucestershire offers one of the most versatile and highly regarded choices of education in the South of England—ranging from outstanding state primaries and secondaries, to grammar schools with long-established reputations, to some of the UK’s leading independents such as Cheltenham College, Cheltenham Ladies’ College, Dean Close, and many more.
This diversity means families can make decisions that reflect not just academic ambitions, but also personal values, extracurricular opportunities, and pastoral care. It is a region where education truly is a cornerstone of community life, and this contributes to the enduring appeal of living here.
The bigger picture
Education, perhaps more than anything else, defines our hopes for the future. Homes can be replaced, mortgages repaid, sacrifices forgotten—but the start we give our children is irreplaceable. That’s why so many families make decisions that may seem extreme from the outside: because we all know that the right school can shape the path of a lifetime.
Here in Gloucestershire, we are blessed with choice, quality, and tradition. For my family, the decision was not easy, but it was clear that Cheltenham offers something truly special. Watching my daughter take her first steps into this world of learning confirmed what so many parents already know—education is worth every effort.