Moving house.

[BillComptonstrousers]

We are moving areas in the next six weeks (north to south). After speaking to the local council, they have told me that I need to move to the area first before I can apply for schools for my two children. How long will this take? Do I have to keep the children home till they get into a school?
They also won't tell me which schools have spaces, so I have to apply for 3 schools, If I don't get those I will have to start the process all over again,Surely it would be easier just to apply to the school that has space, is that correct? I can't keep the childre home indefinitely can I?

Anyone?

We've just been through this moving north to Scotland so not only a new area but new education system. I also needed a house address before we applied for schools, we had a date but not a house address as we were applying for a property through the forces and the we had to wait for them to find us somewhere, so I wasn't even sure where we would be living. I was very worried we would miss out on places, but now we have an address I rang the school and have gotten a place at a good local school.

My advice would be ring the schools in the area you will be moving into explain what the situation is and see if they have any places, they should be able to tell you. If your moving in six weeks you'll be moving after the October half term. If this is right then I would explain to your 2 dc that they will be staying in their current school until after the half term and then you will be moving. I'm sorry I can't offer more advice but I think those would be your first steps because 6 weeks is a long time to keep the dc out of school.

My dd will have missed a month of Scottish school, and I haven't put her back in her current school as if we can move in on the date we want she would only have been in a week which felt too unsettling to me.

And from my experience you don't need to apply to three schools, are your dc in school yet? If not maybe ring your current council for advice and you won't need to apply to the Local education authority in your new area, just check space of the catchment schools of the areas you like so you have an idea of where there are spaces for when you move.

If you have a definite address in the new area e.g. have exchanged contracts on a house and have a definite moving date then you should be able to apply for a place. If your dcs are already in school then the form you need to fill in is called the in-year transfer form and this is submitted to the LEA. You can list up to 3 schools, but you will be allocated places at your nearest school that has places available (this may not be the same school if you have more than one child). The LEA should be able to give you a list of schools that have places though.

How long it will take depends on the LA but most are fairly quick. They are required to process your application without delay.

You won't necessarily be required to use the in year transfer form. That is usually for transfers within the LA but it does vary. Check with the LA which form they want you to complete.

They really should tell you which schools have places. I can understand them not wanting to at the moment as it may change by the time you move but there is no excuse for them not telling you when you are ready to apply. If the LA continues to be unhelpful I suggest you ask the schools direct. They should certainly know whether or not they have places available.

If there are no places at the schools you choose they should offer a place somewhere else, usually the nearest school with places available.

My LEA asks you to use this form for all applications outside the main admissions round, but this may not apply everywhere.
The LEA website may provide more details about how to apply. They may be updating waiting lists now that the school term has started and schools are starting to find out there are vacancies, but if this is the case they should tell you.