According to new research from property firm Savills, Orpington was ranked in 18th position nationally for being one of the best neighbourhoods to live for access to high performing state primary and secondary schools.
Orpington made the top 20 alongside other south London areas including Richmond Park, Sutton and Cheam, Twickenham and Wimbledon.
The research highlighted these neighbourhoods for their strong state primary Key Stage 2 and secondary Key Stage 4 results.
Savills analysed every parliamentary constituency in England, assessing academic outcomes and the likelihood of gaining a place at high performing schools without also falling within the catchment of lower performing ones.
Orpington placed firmly within the top 20 areas in England offering good access to strong performing schools:
- KS2 rank: 32
- KS4 rank: 32
- Average house price: £546,058 (19 per cent below the regional average)
The combination of relatively affordable property prices compared with other high ranking London areas and strong school performance helped secure Orpington’s position on the national list.
Orpington has seven Outstanding rated schools in the area, with five being primary or junior schools and two being secondary.
Among them are Crofton Infant School, Crofton Junior School, Darrick Wood Infant and Nursery School, Midfield Primary School, Perry Hall Primary School, and Warren Road Primary School, all of which hold Outstanding ratings at primary level.
At secondary level, both Newstead Wood School and St Olave’s Grammar School are rated Outstanding.
Other south London areas that made the list
Five south London neighbourhoods were named among the best in the country for access to high performing state schools:
Richmond Park
- KS2 rank: 1
- KS4 rank: 1
- Average house price: £1,016,265 (51 per cent above regional average)
Sutton and Cheam
- KS2 rank: 2
- KS4 rank: 9
- Average house price: £518,988 (23 per cent below regional average)
Twickenham
- KS2 rank: 6
- KS4 rank: 19
- Average house price: £754,501 (12 per cent above regional average)
Wimbledon
- KS2 rank: 35
- KS4 rank: 25
- Average house price: £891,022 (33 per cent above regional average)
Orpington
- KS2 rank: 32
- KS4 rank: 32
- Average house price: £546,058 (19 per cent below regional average)
The research found that London and the South East dominated the results, accounting for 68 per cent of the constituencies ranked within the top 20 per cent for school performance.
House price premiums near top schools
Savills analysis also highlighted how access to strong state schools continues to drive up house prices.
Homes in the highest performing 10 per cent of areas cost on average £695,018, around 28 per cent above the regional average.
Average house prices by school performance band:
- Top 10 per cent: £695,018 (28 per cent above regional average)
- 10 to 20 per cent: £484,811 (13 per cent above)
- 20 to 30 per cent: £423,640 (15 per cent above)
- 30 to 40 per cent: £349,904 (1 per cent above)
- 40 to 50 per cent: £335,027 (1 per cent above)
- 50 to 60 per cent: £307,873 (3 per cent below)
- 60 to 70 per cent: £255,955 (12 per cent below)
- 70 to 80 per cent: £284,446 (7 per cent below)
- 80 to 90 per cent: £261,639 (12 per cent below)
- Bottom 10 per cent: £240,485 (22 per cent below)
Savills head of residential research, Lucian Cook, said: “There is a well established link between house prices and access to high performing schools.
“Families often judge the desirability of an area by the reputation of its schools and are willing to pay more to live in the associated catchment areas.”
