Hi, we (me, my husband and 2 daughters, 3 and 7 years old) are meant to move to S F this autumn, but as I've never been there I have no idea where to start looking for a house and schools. How does the school system work? Will we get a school place in the area we live in, or is it more of a lottery (as I've been told)? Might have to consider going private... Any tips welcome! After doing some research I think we might choose the Palo Alto area rather than downtown, prices seem astronomical! Oh, we're currently living in England, S E of London.