An affordable family choice

One of the most important factors for families when choosing a home is its proximity to a good school. According to a recent poll commissioned by the Children's Society, over half of parents would be prepared to move house to improve their child's standard of education. This desire to attain excellent education is fuelling house prices, with a report from estate agents Savills finding a direct correlation between good schools and above average house prices in the local vicinity.

The Impact of Good Schools report revealed that the top 25% local education authorities carry an average house price premium of just under 15%. When it comes to homes surrounding individual schools, house buyers can expect to pay an average of 13% more for a property in the top schools' catchment area, with some buyers having to pay in excess of 20% above average.

However, families needn't break the bank when looking for a new home near good schools. Berkeley Homes (Kent) Ltd's Holborough development near Snodland in Kent combines a variety of stunning new houses with a close proximity to numerous good schools.

Family houses in the Birchleigh phase of the development are priced from £249,000 for a three-bedroom Boston house type. The Boston is the perfect home for new families starting out on the property ladder, as it falls in the 1% stamp duty threshold. There's also an en suite to the master bedroom, so parents can have a relaxing, child-free bathroom that's not littered with toys. The Madison four-bedroom house starts from £265,000 and offers living over three floors and an open plan kitchen/family room, so parents and children can happily coexist while meals are being prepared.

Four bedrooms come in the shape of the Newport townhouse, which starts from £389,950. This house type boasts a dedicated family room - ideal for parents who want to shut the door on the toys and ensuing chaos at the end of the day. Growing families can opt for the five-bedroom Harvard house that, priced from £430,000, benefits from a civilised drawing room and an integral garage - a perfect place to store the people carrier and the family's bikes.

Holborough is close to several good primary schools including St. Katherine's School, Snodland Church of England Primary School, Lunsford Primary School, Brookfield Junior School and Halling Primary School. Additionally, Grange Park School is a special needs school that provides education for students with autism and associated learning difficulties.

When it comes to secondary schools, Holborough is also close to Holmesdale Technology College, Aylesford School and The Malling School. Holmesdale Technology College is a smaller than average size secondary school located in Snodland. According to its Ofsted report (the Office for Standards in Education), the solid curriculum provides older students with a wide range of courses and other work-related opportunities to meet their needs and aspirations, and to prepare them well for the future.

Aylesford School is a specialist sports college located less than three miles away from the Holborough development. The specialist school focuses on raising the standard of achievement in students by using sports as a method of improving results. The Malling School in nearby West Malling is recognised by Ofsted as a good school with areas of excellence, which includes recognition in the Language Unit and successes in core subjects, such as maths and science.

Piers Clanford, Managing Director for Berkeley Homes (Kent) Ltd comments; "For families, purchasing a property usually involves some sort of compromise - whether on location, space or price. At Holborough we feel we tick all the boxes by providing spacious, semi-rural homes with excellent access to public transport, within the catchment areas of good schools at reasonable prices."

For more information, visit Holborough.co.uk.