Starting Reception & Moving House

[TitaniaP]

We're in the process of relocating from the midlands to South West London. DS has just turned 4 and was due to start at the local primary in September. We don't have a moving date yet, but house sale/purchase is progressing nicely. Not sure where we'll actually be come September but I don't see the point in starting him at the local school here (if we're still here) only to move him shortly afterwards.

What do I need to do? Do I need to register as home edding until we've moved to new house and can apply for a place? I would like DS to start school this academic year but think it's unlikely to be before Jan.

I'm trying not to fret about what school we will get offered as well be apply after the term starts but there's not much I can do about that right now!

[TigerFeat]

I don't think he needs to legally start school until the term after he's 5. Not sure if you need to inform anyone that you're waiting till then though.

I'm sure someone who knows will be along to advise soon though.m

[Deeperdown]

He doesn't have to start school until the term he turns five.
You need to ring admissions at the LA and inform them you are moving out of borough but don't have a date yet. Unless he is five before January you don't need to register to home ed.

[TheRealMBJ]

do you have a know which school you would prefer him to go to? Os your new house I'm the catchment area? What is the pressure like for places in the area?

I would contact the LA of the area into which you are moving, stating your new address and explaining the situation. The local authority is legally reguired to provide a full time school place for all children from the school year in which they turn 5.

[Saracen]

Compulsory school age starts in the term AFTER the child's fifth birthday. More accurately it is linked to three specific dates.

If your son turns 5 on or before 31 Dec then he reaches compulsory school age on 1 January
If he turns 5 between 1 Jan and 31 March then he reaches compulsory school age on 1 April
If he turns 5 between 1 April and 31 Aug 2016 then he reaches compulsory school age on 1 Sept 2016

So, normally no child would reach compulsory school age until January in their Reception year at the earliest.

Once he reaches compulsory school age, if you aren't sending him to school then the only thing you have to do is actually provide him with a suitable home education. You don't have to inform anyone, be inspected, or teach any specific subjects.

Hope your move progresses quickly, but if it doesn't, feel free to drop in at the Mumsnet home ed board with any questions you may have!

[prh47bridge]

The safe thing to do would be to tell the school that you are deferring entry. That way they have to keep the place open for your son. If your move fell through or was delayed you would still be able to send your son to the local primary. If you tell the school that you don't want the place it will be offered to someone else and you would have to apply for schools all over again if your plans changed.

[TitaniaP]

Thanks for all your replies. Does our local school have to allow us to defer? I was hoping to not tell them anything until we knew more but he's at the pre-school next door and they've told the school (accidentally I think). I think keeping his place open here is our best bet as always with house moves things can fall through right at the last minute.


The new house is really really close to the school we'd like him to go to. However it's also really oversubscribed. Well just have to see as we can't apply until we're actually living in the new house.

[Chchchchangeabout]

Have you checked the catchment area? Some of the schools in SW London have ridiculously low catchments of eg 150 metres.
I would have a plan B and C at least especially if not applying in time for September intake.

[petalsandstars]

Read the admission policy of the LA and school you want. You'll be classed as an in year admission and our local one says that if you move into the area and the catchment school is full they'll look at schools within "reasonable walking distance " 2mile radius and if there's a space there you get it and if they're full too then you are allowed into catchment school despite going over class size limit.

[TitaniaP]

Were definitely in the catchment area. I've checked. But all the local schools are pretty good to be honest.

I'm not sure that they'll go over the class size to get him in will they given that he won't be 5 until June next year?

[petalsandstars]

We have got in with a summer born - his age in months shouldn't matter as it would be discrimination against the younger children.

[littlejohnnydory]

We moved in October last year. We just emailed the LEA to say that we no longer required dd's Reception place then as soon as we had our new address, we applied for her new school. As others have said, a child starting reception will still be below Statutory School Age (in any case, home educated children don't ned to be registered with anyone) - so there's no need to do anything other than turn down the place. We were lucky in that we moved to a rural area where schools aren't oversubscribed so there was no problem getting her into school here. But the LEA where you're moving to should be able to tell you which schools have spaces.

[Saracen]

Yes, your local school has to allow you to defer. It's in the School Admission Code. The longest that you can defer is until the child reaches compulsory school age, or the start of summer term, whichever is earlier. After that, if you haven't taken up the place it will be released to another child.