Admissions - which address will count

[Helenagrace]

I have to apply for a middle school for DS next term. We're renting at the moment, having relocated last year with an unsold house 300 miles away.

The house we're renting is in a very sought after catchment but it isn't very nice as houses go. We're locked in to a rental contract until December and we'll extend for a few months and look to buy or move to a nicer rental.

This will mean that we will be in catchment for the application and possibly the notification of a school place but we will probably move between then and DS starting at the school.

I don't know where we will end up - it could be in or out of catchment.

If it's out of catchment will I have to give up DS's place? Basically is it the address at the point of application, decision or start date that counts?

[prh47bridge]

The LA cannot take away a place that has been offered simply because you've moved. They can, however, take it away if they think you rented temporarily to get a place at your preferred school with no intention of staying there permanently. That is the risk you take, especially since you say this is a very sought after school. It would be safest to either move before the deadline for applications or stay in the rented house at least until January 2015.

[Helenagrace]

Thank you for your posts.

There's no way we can make a permanent move now as we now have tenants in the house we own so the earliest we can sell it is August 2014. We can't move before December as we're locked into our own rental contract until then.

There's a shortage of school places in the town so I am worried that we might end up with no place at all.

Do you think it's worth talking to the LA about our position?

[prh47bridge]

You will get a place somewhere. There is no question of missing out completely. The only question is whether the LA will offer the place based on your current address or some other address.

I don't think it would do any harm to talk to the LA and make them aware of your position. Do it in writing and keep any response they send. If they say one thing now but do something different later you may need their responses as evidence for an appeal.