Moving between application date and starting school

[Mamakata]

Hi
Hoping for some more expert advice. I have posted before about the rules around renting in catchment if we don't find a house to buy before the school application deadline (jan 17). Ultimately we want to buy a house in school catchment and be in walking distance, however I am worried we won't find the right house in time (we made a mistake buying out current house and don't want to repeat that). We are moving to a new town so if we can't find a hiuse to buy we will rent instead.

If we rented a house on a long term rental so that we were living there when we had to apply for schools, but found a house to buy in the catchment (and managed to move) in between applying and our dc starting school (so between jan and September) would the school just take our new address for application purposes? So as long as the house we bought was still in catchment, we would be assessed on our new address? Or would this effectively be a late application, and if so what would that mean for us?

Thank you...

[LIZS]

It depends . There may be a few weeks after the deadline in which to amend the address and be considered "on time" (check with your LA) but otherwise you would be allocated a place based on your address at the time of application (ie mid Jan) and have to go on waiting lists once you moved.

[prh47bridge]

The rules vary from LA to LA. You need to ask your council. The worst case is that the council may conclude that you have made a false application and insist on using your current address, especially since you would only have been renting for a short time.

If they don't do that they may insist on sticking with your rental address. Depending on the date of the move they may use your new address. If you are given the choice and choose to use your new address you may be treated as a late applicant which means you will only be looked at after all the on time applications have been dealt with.

You really need to be in your new house before the deadline for applications if at all possible.

[Mamakata]

Ok thank you. The plan is for both addresses to be well within catchment, so would not be bothered which is used (would not want to change any preferences) but am worried that a move at the wrong time would mean it could be classed as a late application.

Hopefully irrelevant and we can find somewhere to buy in time, or do a long term rental instead. Don't want to jeopardise any school place but don't want to miss out on a house either. It's a minefield.