Moving house = changing schools .. what is the process?

[ducdo]

Hi all
We are looking at moving out the area which means moving our children (7, 11 and 13 years) to a new Junior and High School.
Once we decide on schools, I am wondering how the timing will work for putting childrens name on wait list and getting a space and moving house, all to fall into place..
If we sell our house and find a new one, yet no school place available yet, are we stuck? Don't want the kids to end up in a 2nd choice school temporarily. We cant keep them at existing school from new area as too far.
Surely this comes up alot so wondering what to expect and how difficult this be will to juggle.
Anyone who has done this with different schools (junior + high school) and selling/buying and survived the stress (!!), would love to hear how it works. Thank you

[AtiaoftheJulii]

Different authorities have different ways of dealing with it, so your best move is just to ring the admissions dept in the area you're moving to and find it all out from them.

You may not just be able to decide on schools though - depends very much where the spaces are! If you are deadset on or against certain schools could you home educate for a while whilst you wait to get to the top of the waiting list?

[mummytime]

You can apply from your present address, and then tell the LA your new address when you have moved. However unless you are going down the private route there is no way you can guarantee places at specific schools before you move (unless maybe you can commute them to their new schools, and accept places in advance of your move).
You can though at those ages appeal for places at your preferred schools.

I would start by focussing on the 13 year old, as they will need to move and get settled in their new school the most urgently - considering external exams.

[SouthernHippyChick]

Yes done it- primary and sec, yes stressful!!! Cant really sdvise as pot luck - we had to wait a couple of weeks for places, nervewrscking. You need that prrmanent sddress first, then ideally to be in cstchment

[ducdo]

thanks all, very helpful. If there was a gap from leaving current home/school and being in new house whilst waiting for school place to become available, are we OK to keep them off school and 'home school' them for the interim? who checks on this and to what level we 'home school' them as I am not a teacher !!!

[creamteas]

Had friends returned from overseas recently and their DC were out of school for 2-3 weeks without any hassle.

As long as you have applied for school places in your new area, and it is not realistically possible for them to have stayed at their previous school, then no one seems to worry about them not attending.

I think you would only have to worry about home schooling if you decline a place that is offered to you.

[CathyCampbell]

Hello, I wonder if anyone can help. We are in the process of moving and are currently waiting to hear back on a potential mortgage offer. If everything goes ok with the house we will have to move our daughter (6) to a new school to start year 2 in September. There is a great school a stones throw from the new house and they have places. Trouble is, I need to apply for a place by June 28th. The local admissions website states that I can’t apply until we’ve exchanged contracts. Which means I’ll miss the application deadline. I have a letter from the solicitors saying that I’m ‘soon to exchange contracts’ is thus enough? Also, if I apply and the sale falls through, will we lose our place at her current school? Now I understand why they say moving is stressful!

[titchy]

You can't apply till you've exchanged. Being 'near' doesn't count - as you point out it could fall through.

You'll just have to apply as soon as you have exchanged and hope there's still a place. The good news is that your dc would be in year 3 in September so the school can go over the legal minimum of 30 per class.

[ASauvignonADay]

Depends on the school and area. We're an academy and wouldn't necessarily insist on waiting until you'd actually moved. Usually you providing your new address is enough. Wouldn't set a start date and pull them on roll until you'd actually moved though.

[PenguinsRabbits]

In our area you needed to have actually exchanged if buying and a solicitors letter saying exchange had occurred. You could apply before from old address but this could well mean you are at the end of waiting list if it goes by distance. Its still worth doing though - one time we did get offered a place from old address as the school had just expanded and added an extra class. You can turn down an offer as well as accept.