Moving house after school applications

[OverTheRainbow88]

So we were planning on moving and then Covid happened and now we don’t want to rush and move before the primary applications in jan. So if we stay where we are now and apply using this address could we then move before DS starts school next sept if a house We like comes available?

We wouldn’t be moving far we just have saved so can get a slightly larger house but it may be in a different catchment area.

Look at the admission rules in your LA.

If you do move after application deadline then make sure you ask them to change your address for administrative purposes only, rather than changing your application into a late application which puts you behind everyone with on time applications.

We moved house in the Jun before our daughter started infant school in the sept. We had to change her school place before she started and managed to sort it all very easily however the catchment school was large and had added an extra class for her year group so had lots of space.

We moved again the beginning of this year, DD now in year 5, no schools had space for her and we had to appeal to get her a place. Luckily we were successful but it was quite stressful!

You have to send proof when you move, eg solicitor letter, tenancy agreement and copy of a bill etc to prove you have moved.

Thank you. When you moved did you choose to change their school or could they have stayed at the school they got into with your old address? I wouldn’t want him to settle then have to move if can be avoided as we would still stay near ish the school we get into rather than a different city!

Once you have a place, provided it wasn't obtained fraudulently, you can keep it even if you move miles away.

The 'difficult' area is moving in between close of applications and allocation day. You need to be clear what the LA does in those situations, in terms of which address counts, whether changing address means a late application etc.

Thank you. It won’t be fraudulent as when we move we will sell our current house and buy the new one..! Maybe we will just wait until after he’s started to be safe.! Thanks

Do you think it will still be practical to attend the same school or will you move significantly further away? If it's quite far I would try and move before applications, otherwise you will have a long school run for years to come.

Yes, thank you. We won’t be moving far just to a bigger house, but the catchments around here are very small.

Would you be able to get into your desired school from your current house? If so I would wait with the move.

We’ve got 3 ok options where we are I think. There’s one with a very good reputation which we would get into 4 times out of past 6 years. Was planning on having a look around them this year but unsure if that will be allowed! It’s all a bit confusing!!

in my borough, you would immediately lose your place if you moved out of borough after being offered a place and before your child starts school. Check your local authority's admissions policy.

I did. We’re now not in the catchment area for our sons school. We applied for his place whilst we were in the process of buying our house, and therefore leaving the catchment area. I contacted the LA to advice them but as I wasn’t in the new property yet (and didn’t know when I would be as we had no completion date) then I had to apply using my soon to be ex address. I informed the school too who were fine.

I updated the address with school when we moved and luckily my younger son got into the school using the sibling rule.

Ok thank you, I’ll look at our LA policy!