How and when to move home re: schools

[tellmesomething]

DH and I would like to make the New Years resolution to save up enough money this year to move home. We are currently renting in an area of London that is just not very nice we want to move to a better area but how do we do it with school? I have just renewed our contract until august. Ds is 3.5 and starts school in September. How does school enrolment work if you want to move? Move 1st or enrol 1st? I've already made local selections for September

I think for starting in September 2015, the deadline for applications is 15 January 2015 website here.
The address they use for the application is where you are living at the time of the application. When you are moving, you make an in-year application and get put on waiting lists for schools based on your entry criteria from new home address - the council are obliged to find you a place, but not necessarily at any of your choices of school.

Thank you! So how long does the process usually take? If I need to move by 15th august I'm guessing I will find a property by mid-end July. Do I just submit an application then? It's Ds first year at school so I really want to get it right

They will allocate schools according to address you are currently in on date of application - i.e. 15th January (or in the 3 months following, when allocations are announced).

So you need to apply to the school int he area you want and then moving into the area increasing your chance of getting in by moving closer and changing your address (ideally in the 3 months window).

The council are only obliged to find you a school if you live in their borough, so if you are moving boroughs this might be more complicated.

If you are interested in schools behind your own borough, you still apply to your home borough (at time of application) and they will liaise with the other boroughs where the schools actually are.

In London, catchments for schools can be very small indeed and the distance will be measured from the address where your DC is actually living at time of application. Future addresses cannot be used (except for Forces personnel with required official documentation) because otherwise the system would buckle with many claims to be moving to the very same street at the first choice school.

to be be in with the best chance of getting the school you want, you need to move before allocations are made -ie asap before march. if that's not possible (and I imagine its not) then you can move any time, sooner the better as waiting lists go on school criteria (distance/siblings/religion) then first person to get their name down. there's often a bit of traffic in reception.

Have you looked at the schools in your current area? You don't have long before you have to apply!

I think you should apply now as if you were planning to stay put in case your plans to move don't come off. If moving is dependant on saving up all sorts of things can unexpectedly get in the way of that.

Think about where to move to/ where to make your 'in year' application to once you have the money in the bank to move.

sooner the better as waiting lists go on school criteria then first person to get their name down

No, that is wrong. They go on the school admission criteria only. It is against the rules for an admission authority to give priority to the first person to get their name down.

As others have said you will be making a late application and so will rely on a place becoming free following the March allocation. Most local authorities pause their waiting lists and allocation processes after the March allocations to allow the dust to settle but it is a really good idea to get moved by May to be in place as spaces arise.

You might get lucky and find places not taken up at your school of choice - families do move away or send their kid to private school. But it is highly likely he won't be starting at your school of choice at the start of September. Think about contingency plans - can you drive to a school further away? Home educate for a year? Stump up a years private school fees?

I would still make an on-time application from your current address OP. The council may let you amend your application (and still count it as on-time) if you move more quickly than expected. This will make sure your ds will have a school place locally if the move takes longer than planned.
If you are still living at your current address on allocation day in April, you can still accept the school place offered even if you intend to move later on.

Hate to say it but moving in August means you will either have to take up whatever place you are offered in the new area whilst you go on waiting lists for the schools you do want or commute back to where you are now to take the place you are allocated in March. Chances of places being available in August for a September start at a sought after school are unfortunately slim