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Original poster

How to move mid school year, please help me get my head around this!

53 replies

MayorMumbum · 18/03/2019 12:36

I've posted a few times recently about the mess DD is in with regards to secondary school offers and her bad mental health but I really need some advice on what to do next.

Due to my DD not being offered an acceptable school place and an overall horrible year for us as a family we are looking to move house to a nicer area where there is a bigger selection of better schools and for a new start.

We have seen the perfect house but we don't drive so would need to find a school place for DS(8). I am going to homeschool DD for mental health reasons for a while until she has a school offer. I don't see that happening until Christmas at the earliest.

So what do I do??? How can I move now without securing a place for DS at a school first? We would need to move pretty quickly and could only hold off until the May half term so DD can do her SATS at their current school. It also means removing DD2 from her nursery and possibly deferring entry to reception for a year.

I just need advice, this house is perfect and they don't come around very often in this area, but I have no idea whatsoever what to do about the school situation!

OP posts:
Myusernameismud · 19/03/2019 08:09

About home schooling? None at all. I didn't even need to tell the LA myself, I told the school and they informed them. In fact it was the school receptionist who told me to do it. Because they'd be out of school for more than 2 weeks, they'd be classed as 'missing in education' or something along those lines, which would trigger a welfare officer visit, so she said 'so will you be homeschooling them in the interim?' and I said 'uhhh yes?!' and she said 'OK i'll let the LA know'

Had no contact from the LA whatsoever, and we moved fairly soon after so wasn't an issue at all.

Mustbetimeforachange · 19/03/2019 08:15

Take the SATS out of the equation if that helps, they are for the school's benefit!

Original poster
MayorMumbum · 19/03/2019 09:17

It's DD who really wants to stay for SATS (to my utter amazement) so I'm reluctant to whip her out before then as she will already be missing out on so much as a result of us moving so quickly. Just feel like I've failed her so badly Sad

OP posts:

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Meet0nTheledge · 19/03/2019 09:39

It sounds as though you are doing your best in a difficult situation, not failing her. I would say though that both my DCs really enjoyed SATS week, toast every morning in the school hall, the tests are fairly short and then it was fun stuff for the rest of the day, so I can see your DD's point there.

NotComingBackAnytimeSoon · 19/03/2019 09:44

As they're for the school's benefit, and if your DD is likely to do well in them how about talking to the school.
Tell them you'll be moving, that DD wants to do them but you can't get her there. They might try to figure out transport for her until the sats are done.

Myusernameismud · 19/03/2019 09:55

As much as they are for the schools benefit, DDs school uses SATs results to decide which set they're in for Maths and English, and also uses it to plan a GCSE 'flightpath' for each student. So DDs flightpath is 7-8 as she scored 118, 117, 112 on her SATs last year. So I'd be wary of not doing them at all, because when she starts secondary school it may mean extra assessments in order to gauge which set she should be in.

Original poster
MayorMumbum · 19/03/2019 10:01

We could get her there for Sats week I'd just have to spend a few days wandering about waiting for school to finish. The issue is we would need to move two or three weeks before and I'm not sure if they would let her stay enrolled until after her Sats iyswim. Her headteacher is really supportive but I'm not sure what he'd say to that as I'd be removing my younger two as well.

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Original poster
MayorMumbum · 19/03/2019 10:02

She's expected to get greater depth in everything so maybe they would let her on that basis. I just don't know. Thanks all for your continued advice. Can't tell you how much I appreciate it.

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Myusernameismud · 19/03/2019 10:07

Talk to the head and explain the issue. I don't think they can off-roll your DD because you've moved. They have to wait until you've told them you're removing her form the school. My DCs school had to have it in writing that I was removing them, even after several meetings and lengthy phone calls about the logistics of it all.

Myusernameismud · 19/03/2019 10:08

*From

Original poster
MayorMumbum · 19/03/2019 10:11

Yeah think I'll make an appointment to speak to him. Hadn't really considered that they may still allow her to sit them to be honest. She'd be out of school a maximum of three weeks beforehand I would have thought so maybe we could just pay an absence fine or something as though we're going on a long holiday. No absences are authorised on the run up to sats week.

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JustHereForASec · 19/03/2019 10:16

Keep thinking long term.

I was in a similar bind over moving years ago. I didn't have the courage to keep my child at home for (what would likely have been) a few weeks. Looking back I really need not have panicked over my seven year old and it was the biggest avoidabke error I made.

You can provide enough stimulation at home for a child of that age. Honest!

Original poster
MayorMumbum · 19/03/2019 10:23

It's a 11 year old, 8 year old and also (god help me) my 4 year old Grin

It would be fine if I know how long it would be for, but it could be a long wait. That's my biggest wobble really. We don't drive and DH would be further from work too so it would be a lot with a lot of uncertainty.

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JustHereForASec · 19/03/2019 10:35

It was the uncertainty that made me commit to the house and school with the guaranteed place immediately.

I wish I had thought long term and hence my point about not letting the thought of the younger ones being out of school for a while scare you. You won't make the best choices out of fear ime.

The wanting to do SATs thing is admirable on the one hand but it's a result of brainwashing really and wishing to be part of the group. It's not essential as I understand it. I would try to accommodate but not let it dictate iyswim.

Good luck in picking your path through this!

Original poster
MayorMumbum · 19/03/2019 11:28

Yes DH very much of the opinion that if they won't accommodate her SATS after the hell she has been through there this last year (bullying, mental health issues etc) then to pull them out to HE and move then apply for local schools immediately and hope for the best!

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Mustbetimeforachange · 19/03/2019 12:50

The schools always have to deal with children who haven't done SATs - eg from private schools, abroad, off sick at the time, moved house (!) etc. I know you say she wants to sit them but it's complicating matters so it might help to remove that complication. Even when they use SATs, they often sit their own sets anyway when the arrive (mine certainly did).

Nearlyadoctor · 19/03/2019 14:23

You can make an in year application for new schools up to 8 weeks prior to moving as long as you have a definite new address within a catchment area.
I think if you want Dd to do her SATS then you’ll have to keep her at the school until that date - a 3 week break when they’re all getting ready for the exams would not really be fair on her imo and I think the school would have to put it as unauthorised absence which looks bad for them so I can’t see them being very keen.

Original poster
MayorMumbum · 21/03/2019 09:51

OK so we LOVE the house, but the closest primary school (practically opposite) is seven over already for my sons year group. The council woman was a bit rude and made me cry basically telling me I'll be in big trouble if I pull them out of school without having another one to go to "just for a house move" I'm disabled, I can't walk him 2 miles Sad (she said it could be that far). I think they are fed up of my phone calls whilst I navigate all of this.
WTAF do I do? We all need this move so much Sad.

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Original poster
MayorMumbum · 21/03/2019 09:52

Oh and we'd be able to move in after DDS Sats so it's perfect Sad.

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MorningsEleven · 21/03/2019 11:52

Do it. Fresh start for everybody. FWIW my daughter isn't doing SATS, we had a similar excited to you with mental health issues, school refusal and home ed. Moving her was a godsend.

Original poster
MayorMumbum · 21/03/2019 11:56

I want to so much! But I'm terrified I won't find a school place for my younger two that I can walk to Sad. It's so awkward because both my oldest and youngest are due to start the next phases of their education in September (reception, year 7) so it all feels really complicated.
The council aren't really helping either, basically telling me not to move or they will report them as being missing in education

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Nearlyadoctor · 21/03/2019 12:59

Why do you think Dd won’t be offered a school place until ‘ Christmas at the earliest ‘ the LEA have to offer places, obviously if the one you would like is full they will offer alternatives. If the nearest school for your son is 2 miles away then they have to provide transport - I think it’s over 3 miles for secondary and 1.5 for primary.
Have you already had the offer accepted on the house ? If so get a solicitors letter confirming or a tenancy agreement if renting and put in your preferred school application now. Lots of children move in year and Easter is a prime time for people moving house, spring new start etc so you never know when a school place may become available.
Try not to panic - easier said than done though.

Original poster
MayorMumbum · 21/03/2019 13:32

Trying not to panic. It's just all confusing and the council haven't been very helpful.
I am wondering what happens with my eldest DD. The school offer she has (which she won't be going to) is six miles from our possible new address. Would she still be expected to travel that far or is it possible they could make her a new offer?
Want to sign but holding off until I really get my head around all of this. I couldn't have picked a worse time to do it really Blush.

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Nearlyadoctor · 21/03/2019 13:50

So this will be for year 7, you can change your preference now to a different secondary presumably the one within your new catchment area. You need to do the in year application for her for whatever primary school will then feed to that secondary - depending how quick you move I assume she’ll still have a term or half a term before the summer holidays. The LEA have an obligation to offer you a place somewhere and if the nearest schools can’t take them will offer the second / third etc with places and transport if over the recommended walking distance.

Meet0nTheledge · 21/03/2019 14:14

School transport entitlement is 2 miles for under 8s, 3 miles for over 8s, so that probably won't help.

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