Moving before schools start?

[Aims001]

Hi all! I’m looking at moving house however my 4 year old is about to start the school next to us in September so I was wondering what happens if I were to move say 5 miles away from this school in august for example. Would I cancel my child’s place and be able to get a place at a school near by? As I don’t drive so I wouldn’t be able to take him to his current school. Has anyone had any experience with this?

You would need to find out if any schools you can get to have a place once you move, or join waiting lists. Apply to the LA as a late applicant once you move or have proof of new address.

I would ring the school you would like your child to go to and ask if they have any places or how long the waiting list is. There is movement in Sept but depending on your area it might be hard to get them a place straight away. Ring before the summer holidays. You need to apply to your LA for an in year transfer or maybe late application as they haven’t started yet. The LA will be able to process the application in the holidays but I don’t think if you applied in August the place would be sorted for September simply because the schools are closed. If the school has places it will be quite straight forward though.

We moved from overseas in July without knowing that school places are like chicken teeth round here. I rang the local school and they had no places and huge waiting list so didn’t even bother applying. I then rang around all the others schools and applied to ones with spaces. I been driving my child to school 6 miles away for years. Unfortunately where we live there aren’t local school places for local children.

Bit different as my DS was in year 1 but we applied for the 2 nearest schools (we could have had 3 but those were the only walkable ones) to our new house which were all full. As we'd only moved 3 miles and were still in the same LA they put us on the waiting list but expected us to stay in the current school until a place came up. It did about 6 months later. Saying that his was a bulge year and you will be added to the waiting list using your new address once you've moved so should be pretty high (we were 1 or 2 most of that 6 months, just no one left).

If there is no school space available within 2 miles of your home, the LA will have to provide transport to school.

Hi, this wasn’t the case with our LA we applied for help with transport but it was declined. It was a while ago so I can’t remember the reason. I think they’re quite strict on the requirements. It’s worth having a conversation with the LA first.

I was in this boat once upon a time. We moved so I contacted the LA of new area and dc was put on a waiting list for two schools and they both came forward with spaces! Similarly, we had to move area again due to housing situation 5is time a bit more local and applied for new school place during a half term and again got the place no arguements.
In my personal situation I had the old school keep ringing me about dc not attending,I had to tell them about 20 times he's moved school and send over details of school, our new address etc but it was sorted eventually, however the emails kept coming for 6 months (you couldn't unsubscribe from them)

Do you absolutely have to move? It's a very bad time to so so. Obviously if eg you are a rental tenant and your landlord is selling then you have no choice.

If you have to move then do so asap and get onto al the waiting lists for every school you can get to from the new house. There will be some movement- someone currently holding a place at one of those schools will have a successful appeal etc.

If you want transport you have to apply to the nearest schools, get rejected and then take a space in the nearest school which has a space. (I know it sounds bonkers!).

Waiting lists are done on criteria not length of time on the list so a school could have 10+ children on it but you enter at number 1.

Unless this has changed recently or varies by area this isn't the case if it's due to a voluntary house move or you chose a school other than your closest. Admittedly I'm in London where it's a bit different as children get free bus travel anyway (they seem to ignore that no one would put there 4 year old on a public bus alone and therefore parents need to accompany them).

Hi! We are currently in social housing and wanting to move due to needing more space & inconsiderate neighbours so nothings actually happened yet but I am getting closer to moving and no places have come up in my current town they’re all about 30 plus minutes away from his school (by car) some are possible to reach with bus & train but will take an hour each way and some other areas that I’m close to getting have absolutely no way of getting here. I’m hoping that if I do get anything it’ll be during a half term however with social housing you just never know and i won’t be able to ask for a few months until the next half term to move. Once you’re offered a place that’s basically it you have to get ready to move out as soon as & tbh even if they did give special consideration I would be expected to still pay both rents which I just wouldn’t be able to afford