When is the best time to move house / area

[Sandi102]

we are planning for a 3rd baby (in the next year or two), thus need a bigger house, because i live with in-laws too. ds1 is 4 and just started reception..We want to cause as little disruption as possible to his schooling, so when is the best time to move? Should we move so he starts a new school next Sept or wait until Sept 2006/07? Or should I just cut it out here until he leaves Primary in 2009!!!??

The tricky thing is getting school places Sandi. The 'obvious times' to move - end of yr2 and yr6 make it harder to get into the next school that you want. It's better to be resident a year before a big school change (to juniors or secondary) and then you get your first choice school.

I don't know how old your no2 child is, but if you moved before applications for him/her starting school, then your ds1 would go up on any waiting lists, because of having a sibling in the school, iyswim.

IMO the younger the better for a move. We moved and there was a change in education system. My ds1 went straight into yr1 with a class of children who'd done a whole year of full-time reception, (he'd done none). We had a bumpy ride for the first month or two, but he settled in very well all things considered, and it certainly didn't hold him back academically.

HTH

i agree with rosin. depending on the area you plan to move to you may have problems getting a school place if you move in time for secondary education.
i actually have this dilema myself. my dd has just started in year 1 & as our nearest comp is pretty dire i plan to move so she starts at her new school in sept 05 (this will also co-incide with her sister starting in reception) my reasons for doing it at that particular time are that she will find it easier to settle then at age 6 than she would if i left it to year 5 when she would be 9 or 10. unfortunately we will be moving after the admissions process for my youngest dd so it will purely come down to which school has a place for them both at the time. luckily for us all the schools in the area we plan to move to seem very good. i suppose its just a case of doing your research on the schools in the area you will be moving to before deciding what is best for your children. its a tough job this parenting. good luck.

firestorm and rosin, thanks for you're comments. ds 2 has started reception so we either move to the new area in time for ds2 to start year 1. ds2 is only 5 months so won't affect him yet!

i am on the schools waiting list, but I'm facing the dilema that if we move to the area we want to, we may not get a place at the school. Has anyone ever appealed against the placement of a primary school?