Family homes close to some of the district's top-performing schools

House prices near top schools grew by 35 per cent (£104,365), compared with the English average of 20 per cent (£49,082) over the last five years.

The average house price in areas close to top-performing state schools is now £400,850, compared with the average of £293,824 – a difference of £107,026.

House prices in the postal districts of the top 30 schools are on average £30,968 (eight per cent) higher than other locations in the same county.

Andrew Mason, Lloyds Bank mortgages director, said: “Providing their children with a good education is a priority for most parents and is often on the list of key considerations for families looking to decide where to live.

“While there is most definitely a premium attached to some neighbourhoods surrounding the best state schools across the country, there are also many that come in under the county average, particularly outside of London and the South East where homes remain more affordable versus average earnings.”

Our area is fortunate to have more than its fair share of excellent secondary schools, and because living within a fairly narrow catchment area tends to be one of the most important criteria for entry, properties nearby command a premium.

Incidentally, if you want your child to bag a place at any of the following schools, it’s a little late to start moving into catchment for the coming year – the application deadline falls onOctober 31.

St John Fisher Catholic High School in Harrogate was rated Outstanding at its last Ofsted inspection in 2010 and has long had a reputation as one of the district’s best schools. Just along the road is 35 Hookstone Drive, a semi-detached property of over 3,000 sq ft which has been comprehensively extended and refurbished in recent years by the current owners.

It now has six bedrooms, three bathrooms, two reception rooms, dining kitchen, utility room and conservatory. Outside, electric gates lead to a large driveway providing off-street parking, plus gardens and a detached garage.

Just around the corner from St John Fisher is its Church of England sister school, St Aidan’s High, which was also ranked Outstanding before it became an academy (and therefore no longer rated by Ofsted). Backing onto its playing fields is Holly Lodge, a large detached family home built in the 1930s. It has six bedrooms, four bathrooms, large hallway, kitchen and spacious utility area, plus three good-sized reception rooms and a small study. Outside, there’s a garden, plenty of off-street parking space and two double garages.

Finally, Westfield House on West End Avenue backs onto the playing fields of Harrogate Grammar School, which is widely regarded as one of the best state schools in the North. It has four bedrooms, two bathrooms, two reception rooms, kitchen, utility room and hallway.

To the rear there’s an enclosed flagged patio garden, plus garage and off-street parking for one car.