We want to move to a different county- but dc starts reception next month!

[Dumbled]

Help!
We want move to the neighbouring county but school starts reception next month and I'm not sure what to
about dd starting school.
We haven't even sold our house yet so It could be not even until next year we are in the area.

The options are, as far as can see;

• start school where we live now , then move her. Though I'm
  

Concerned be even less chance of school place in new area waiting this long & disruptive to dc?

• try and secure a place right now in the new county? However not even sure what village we will end up in so tricky knowing what school
  

to go for.Could be a 30-40 minute drive each way until we move house... Doable but not ideal.

• rent in new area ASAP? Worried about trying sell a house with tenant in year or so though
  

• I think legally dc doesn't have be in school until next January so could delay until then to save disruption? But not sure best for her be at home?
  

Help! Anyone been in this situation before?

[Lilaclily]

I don't think you can do anything until schools open anyway so I'd start her in whichever school you've already chosen

Presumably she's had induction sessions too so it's seems a little off to change things now when you haven't even bought a new house

[snowgirl1]

I doubt you'd be able to secure a place in the new county until you live there - in the county I live in places are allocated firstly to cared for children, then to siblings and then to everyone else based on distance from school. I'd start your DD in school where you currently live and then move her school when you move into your new house - especially as you haven't sold your house yet. You might end up in a long chain and it could take ages to complete (or fall through), so I'd go with what is certain now, i.e. where you live currently. Children are remarkably resilient and will adapt to change relatively quickly.

[PurpleCrazyHorse]

We moved across the UK when DD was in Y1. We were meant to move in the summer holidays between Reception and Year1 but it didn't work out. We sent her back to school in Sept and we moved in October half term.

DD didn't make proper friends in Reception (although it can feel like it at the time). She settled quickly in our new area and settled quickly into her new class. 2 years later and she talks occasionally about her old school but doesn't really remember her classmates.

If you don't have a moving date, I'd start her in your local school. They do start phonics and things gently in reception which can help get them started. If you don't move until next year, your DC could miss almost the whole year and start a new school with lots of catching up.

[PurpleCrazyHorse]

Oh and once had our offer agreed on the new house I applied for a place at the local schools. As it happens they had a space which they held until we completed and moved. Obviously we were 100s of miles outside the catchment but no one else was waiting. I could update my application once we moved in to reflect the new address.

[CotswoldStrife]

If it's a different county I doubt you could even apply for a school place without an address in that county. And if you haven't sold your house yet (is it up for sale?) then how would you know where to apply to? Even renting wouldn't go through fast enough to get a place for September IMO, you're not going to sort anything in the next three weeks. Why the sudden panic, is it because she is due to start?

[Dumbled]

Thanks everyone. All just feels a bit stessful!
I think you are all right, she should continue with school in this area for now as we don't know for sure where we will end up.
I'm also worrying as I need apply for a secondary place (one main reasons for moving) by mid October too ...

[PassTheCremeEggs]

I'm in this situation but a bit further along the road - house sale in current area and purchase in new area are near to exchange. We expect to actually move at the end of September/start of October.

DD has a place in current area to start reception but I've made the decision not to start her here. She's not 5 until May so no problems with being required to start. I think starting her for four-five weeks in one school will be more unsettling for her so I've reluctantly decided to keep her at home until we move when she can start properly. Still feeling horribly guilty about the badly timed move though...

[PassTheCremeEggs]

Sorry - should have added that new area won't take an application without address, which for buying they say is exchange of contracts.

[Dumbled]

Hi Pass, funnily enough I stumbled on your thread!
Stessful isn't it? I agree for just the of 4-5 weeks its not worth starting. They often only do half days anyway at this stage.
I will probably still start my dc local as she have 4-6 months of no school, and she is already bored at home. Also we may end up
Only moving 10-20 mins away as we have a large search area, though it's more likely we will move out of county. It's the worst time to move isn't it? Wish we started back in the spring...

[SvalbardianPenguin]

Start her in reception and move her when you move house, moving school in reception is not a big deal usually.

[SvalbardianPenguin]

Dumbled, secondary school applications are in by January aren't they?

[Dumbled]

The council said in the area we are looking it, it's by mid October... I will double check...

[Hersetta427]

Secondary is October - Primary is January.

To be honest if you are looking to sell your house, you are not giving yourself much leeway on the October date either.

[Dumbled]

Yep just double checked it's Oct 31st. Hersetta I know it's not great timing. We were going sell in spring but nothing on market - then we found this new area which seems tick all boxes but are under pressure with the application dates. Wondering if rent ours out for year so we can rent over there? Should be in by October that way? Not that keen on the idea but might be only way..

[SvalbardianPenguin]

I just checked too, it's October - thank goodness I found this thread!

[gillybeanz]

We moved 250 odd miles when older dc were little, I think y1 and y5, halfway through school year.
they both eventually got schools, not the same one though.
kids are resilient and soon make new friends, and they don't legally have to start school at any time, not sure where you got that info?
I think you just have to be prepared to go with the flow, it eventually sorts out, otherwise you'll spend the next months possibly year making a load of stress out of a situation that isn't really stressful.
Concentrate on selling and buying, that's all you can do at this point.

[PassTheCremeEggs]

Gillybeanz - pretty sure they legally have to be at school at the start of term after they are five, unless you're home educating?

[gillybeanz]

Yes, that's correct. They don't have to be at school at any age.
If you move and they don't have spaces in the new schools you have no alternative to wait until a place is available.
it was about 6 weeks for my ds2 when we moved, but ds1 had a place straight away.
It was no big deal though, he just stayed at home with me.

[Dumbled]

Really gillybeanz?! I was under the impression as pass said they had be in school the term after 5? Guess your right, if there's no place what can you do? Howcome some schools fine for taking kids on holiday then if they don't have to be there? Confused

[Hersetta427]

Dumbled. yes that sounds like it might be the quickest option - especially if there is a lack of property on the market for you to buy. I would concentrate on finding a good area for secondary schools as at least you will have a choice with that one if you move before the application deadline as to be honest you will need to take a primary place at a school that has a vacancy (which may not be the most local or your most preferred) and get on waiting lists for schools you do like.

[Dumbled]

Hersetta for once we are looking at area that has much more choice! However, I'm just not sure we could have sold & bought in 6 weeks... Well that's impossible really unless a miracle happens?! There is someone desperate for our house but they haven't got a buyer yet so not proceedable. Unless they get into a tiny chain they we forget about buying immediately?

[Hersetta427]

I think it extremely unlikely. We had no chain below us and it still took 10 weeks.

You probably need to do some research into whether the local secondary schools are always oversubscribed as if they are you will definitely need a local address on 15th October in order to be in a position to apply to nearby schools.

[gillybeanz]

When you are moving mid term though you don't/ can't apply before the deadline for applications.
We finally got to move in February and to begin with just had to take pot luck with schools.
I suppose if you are after a particular school it becomes more complicated and you'd have to wait to sell/ buy during summer holidays next year.

[gillybeanz]

Dumbled
They only have to be there if they are on roll, so somebody who isn't registered with a school can do what they like.
Hence, schools can fine/ not allow holidays during term time.

[PatriciaHolm]

Children have to be "in education" from the start of the term following their fifth birthday. If you don't send a child to school, you need to be home educating.

Councils can fine for unauthorised absences of children who are on roll at a school. The ability to home educate doesn't remove the obligation to send your children to school regularly if you choose to enrol them - you can't just chop and change between school and home ed on a weekly basis! ;-)

In your circumstances, I would focus on having a provable address for secondary applications. Then you can figure out whether a local primary has places, go on waiting lists, etc; they have to find a place for you somewhere.