How to get an out of rounds primary place in Hampshire?

[chicaguapa]

We're going to be moving to Hants this school year and are going to choose the place to live based on where we can get DC into school. I've phoned a few schools in different places (Romsey, Chandlers Ford and Alresford) but only the school in CF has a [this year's] reception place for DS, the others are full.

But looking at the HCC website it looks like we have to apply to the county for a place with proof of address first! Would they accept that we can't rent a house until we know where the school will be? DH has a job starting 1 July at a school in Hants so would that be enough proof that we will be living in the county? We won't be moving down until the end of June so I'm not sure how can we apply for a place before then? And by then the place at the school in CF could have gone anyway.

I'm a bit confused and stressed by it all. Is this normal?

[Littlefish]

It isn't possible to apply for places at schools unless you have an address in the area.

This is because schools can't just hold a place open. They could have a place now, but tomorrow, someone else could move into the catchment, and they would have to offer them the place.

I think the best thing you can do is ring the Admissions office and explain your problem. Unfortunately, I think you're probably going to have to take a chance, rent a house and then find a school place. This might mean that your ds is at a school several miles away.

[CanvasBags]

I had a similar problem when we moved counties for my DH's job. He's a teacher so we knew way in advance of moving that we would be moving iyswim. This county's admission policy stated that we had to take up any school place before the end of the term we applied for it. I did not have to have an address when I made the application - it's a different form you fill in when you apply out of the normal round of school places. So, I applied for the school place the first day after the easter holidays (having checked it still existed) and we moved at the end of June. We found a house to rent as close to the school as we could.

In actual fact, we couldn't find a house to rent very close to the school and 18 months later, we ended up moving DD to a school beside the house which we rent. So, it is worth checking that you actually want to and are able to move to the area where the school places are.

[Rhuidean]

Have you tried the New Forest? South Baddesly, Beaulieu, Lymington area? If a school has a couple of Reception places you would be very unlucky to have them filled between phoning and moving. There are YR places as some of the schools in the New Forest.

[chicaguapa]

Hello. I haven't tried the New Forest as DH will be working in Eastleigh so we're trying to stick around there. We also have DD in Y3 so it's a mission getting them in the same place. I'd feel more comfortable if they had 2 places as I agree it would be really unlucky to miss out then.

I'm going down to CF next week to look around the school that has ONE place in YR (they have 8 in Y3!). I'm going to see if the head can keep it until Easter. I have agreed with HCC that as long as we can prove our address when DC start school, it will be okay. Hurrah!

[snowmash]

New Forest to Eastleigh is probably no worse than Alresford...

[LleytonsMummy]

I Live in the New Forest, so if you have any questions pls let me know.. I also worked in Eastleigh before DC and my commute was about 35 min