IS COMPREHENSIVE EDUCATION REALLY FREE? A CASE STUDY OF THE EFFECTS OF SECONDARY SCHOOL ADMISSIONS POLICIES ON HOUSE PRICES IN ONE LOCAL AREA

This study investigates the question of whether house prices are higher in the catchment area of popular and heavily oversubscribed secondary schools. It is often claimed that parents are willing to pay more for housing in order to secure a choice of school for their children. Advertisements for houses for sale often mention the school catchment area if it is a popular one. This question has not previously been examined by means of a rigorous statistical analysis and the only evidence we have on it is anecdotal. This study test for such effects using a sample based on two popular comprehensive schools, in one local authority, Coventry, that are regularly oversubscribed. It compares prices of houses for sale in their catchment areas with those of neighbouring schools, using statistical techniques to allow for differences in the house size and quality. The basic data consists of a sample of 248 houses for sale in July 2000. It finds that houses are more expensive in the catchment areas of these two schools, after having taken account of all the other factors that influence house prices. Houses in the Coundon Court catchment area are found to be about 20 percent more expensive than outside. For an average house in the Coundon area this increases its price by about £10,000 and for an average house in Allesley by about twice that. Houses in the Finham Park catchment area are about 16 percent more expensive which adds about £16,000 to the price of an average house in Earlsdon.