Could I have some advice please?

[wildchild554]

We are going to be moving out the area next year but have been told we need to apply for high school placement by the end of October which even teachers have said there is no point as we will be moving back to north wales next year. I have just been told today by someone that I can apply to a school in the area we are looking to move today but from my experience it has always been you need to be already living in the catchment area, I will also need to apply for primary school for my youngest son. Both children have SEN and I have been told my eldest will likely only be in a mainstream school for a short period before being transferred to a special needs school. It is already down in the educational psychologist report that my youngest will be going to a special needs school after primary. Please can someone help me, is this new information correct or not? We are definitely moving we are just waiting on an inheritance before we can.

Apply where you are living in October. You can name a school in new area on your preferences and if undersubscribed may get a place. You can then update it as you move or if an EHCP names a specific school.

I'd work on the basis of moving might take longer than you think, and apply for local schools before the end of the month.
Unless the North Wales school has spaces, you are unlikely to get in from a distance away. Not sure about the different countries, but you can definitely apply for a school in a different county.

When you move, look at school options from your new address.

The SEN system in Wales is different to that in England, so their EHCPs will cease and IDPs will be put in place.

With EHCPs even if you weren’t moving you don’t need to apply via the normal admissions route, so the normal admissions deadlines don’t apply. There should be phase transfer reviews held this term.

For your youngest, even though the EP assessment says SS will be required for secondary, by the time you get to secondary that report will be considered out of date, so it’s not set in stone.

Thank you for your advice.