Hi there, thanks for message. I can only sympathise as I know how stressful forward planning can be! We are at the stage of coming out of renting and hopefully completing house move next month. Fingers crossed!
Lots of things are happening at Westgate, if that is yous school of choice, in Sept 2014 when it becomes a 4 -16 school, so I am not sure how this would impinge on admissions. We found Hants CC school admission team very helpful and I am sure they will give you lots of helpful advice. I know it is tough to uproot your children, but you might just find school admissions situation easier if you are applying for a place with your child in situ in a Winchester primary, so a move this summer, I mean. I know it is a very over subscribed and busy town schools wise, and with the changes at Westgate it might be more difficult to get into catchment ( we had to rent in catchment for 12 months before we moved, it has cost us an arm an a leg!). You need to have a Winchester address by the Halloween time of the preceeding year if that helps. - but I think you need up to date advice from the County Council before you proceed, as I don't know what the position is re primary school admissions ( my older child is at 6th form college).
All the HS in Winchester are very good, so it might be worth looking round at them - you also have to fulfill entry criteria ( my son did have family in the school so that helped a bit I think).
I think in hindsight, it would have been easier to move him so that he moved up to HS with a set of friends intact, rather than being alone. The summer camp was utterly brilliant for him as it gave him a chance to get to know people and the form bonded very well indeed. He was unsettled to start with, but it is a good, caring school, and he is slowly getting into it a bit more, and enjoying it.
Good luck - if you need any help or advice re areas, renting etc let me know, we have been here since July, so am slowly getting used to it!