changing schools - how do you go about it?

[notveryinventive]

Me and my family are moving to a new area which will mean new school for DS (6YO - yr2). How do you go about it?

Do ask the new schoool if they have any space for DS? Do I tell his current school the school I want him to go to and leave it up to them? Do I contact his new LA and leave it up to them? Does it make a difference in the fact that DS is statemented (he is mildly autistic) and at current school he has a TA?

Ive also got 2 DD's, but they are not school age yet. DD1 will be starting next sept, so I will have to apply for a place for her too. DD2 is only 8 weeks so a while away from that yet.

Im 98% certain we are going to move to this house, but we are not too late in the fact that if DS cant go to the local village school we do not have to take the house (although I will be totally gutted if we dont end up having the house). So that leads me to ask, what are the chances he wont get in to the village school? As far as Im aware its a local school that provides education for this little village and another small village close by. Currently they have a total of 40 children that go there.

Any advice would be very much appreciated. Thanks

You apply to the LA for your new home but they will almost certainly not accept your application until you have exchanged contracts or signed the letting agreement for your new house. Alternatively you can apply from your current address through your current LA. If one of your preferred schools has a place they must offer it to you but they will only hold it for you for a few weeks. If your preferred schools are already full they won't offer an alternative school near your new home.

The fact that your son has a statement potentially puts you in a stronger position in that he must be admitted to the school named on the statement even if it is already full. However, your new LA will need to decide whether or not to issue a statement of SEN for him. That won't happen until after you have moved.

So I could sign a contract for this house and DS could end up not getting into the school round the corner. If I knew he couldnt get in I would think about if I wanted to move into the house as I really dont want to rely on a car for school if possible for a number of reasons (DH doesnt drive and Im the earner for our house while he is SAHD, What if our car has a problem, also we are moving into a tiny village and I wont be able to drive him to school if the snow is too bad).

How often does it happen where a family move into a new area and the school in their little village cant take on their DC's?

Im looking now at possible alternatives should we move and DS cant go to the school in the village, hope there's another in a village not too far away.

Just checked the next nearest one is 13 mins drive away so not walking distance Is it worth taking the risk and getting this house that we really like (I suppose if DS HAD to go to a different school we will have to work round it) and having to drive DS everyday if he cant get in the village school or should we play it safe. Then again with our reasons for moving, we are going to have this problem no matter where we move to, and I do really like this house.

Will just have to keep our fingers crossed then. I can always send DH to work and I can be a SAHM (although I can earn more than him) for this reason.

You can phone the school to ask if they have any places in Y2.

I moved DS2 a couple of years ago, and as far as I remember I just went through the new school. (Maybe the school did the rest)

When I was looking for a new school for DS1 the LA had no idea which schools had places, and so I had to phone each school individually.

Even if they do have a place, they won't hold it for you if someone who is ready to start now wants a place.

The rules have changed since Lynette moved. At that time you applied to the school for a place. You now have to apply to the LA for all admissions. The LA should be able to tell you which schools have places but you may have to ring individual schools to find out for sure. As Lynette says, they won't hold a place for you. However, if there is a place available you can apply for it immediately through your current LA and they have to give it to you. As I said earlier, though, you will probably have to take the place up within a few weeks or you will lose it.

If that isn't an option then yes, I'm afraid moving home is a lottery. The way the system works doesn't allow you to find out if there is a place available and then decide whether or not to move. You have to move and then find out what places are available.

There really isn't a useful answer to your question as to how likely it is a village school will be able to take on your son. It varies tremendously. Some village schools are full up leaving children from the village going to schools elsewhere, others have plenty of spaces. If you find this school has several places available in your son's year you will be pretty safe but not guaranteed. If there is only one place you have a decent chance of getting it but it is a risk. If there are no places available you will have to hope someone leaves.

However it might be worth looking at the transport to school rules, because if the LA can't give you a place at the local school they may have to offer you school transport. I think this is even more likely if he has an SEN/statement;and from my observation is high quality transport (usually a mini-bus with escort or a dedicated specialist Taxi).