moving to Oxford

[klika12]

Hello ladies,
I've just registered and thought about asking for suggestions. We are going to move to Oxford next summer as DH just accepted a job offer from the university. We currently live in the US and have two kids age 5 and 7, so good schools are a priority. The first problem is that I understand registration for the school year ends by the end of January, and we have no idea about the whole process. From what I read so far, there's often a waiting list for schools so I wonder how we are going to find something available in the summer... I started to look at the ofsted site but it's a nightmare and don't even know where to look. Could you please advise on the best schools and neighborhoods to live in? Catchment areas? I'm not even sure if we are going to buy right away or rent first and then buy once we have a better sense of the city.
As you can see, I have no clue and being on the other side of the ocean doesn't help. Any lead would be greatly appreciated!
Thank you in advance.

I am assuming you are going for state school rather than private.

People might argue that North Oxford and its schools are the best, but it's also easily the most expensive area of the city. Knowing your budget for housing is key to helping you figure out where to live! As you've gathered, competition for school places is tight. You can't apply for a school place until you have a place to live.

Thanks for the info. Yes, we are considering state schools even if I don't quite understand the difference among primary, community primary and voluntary aided.
If the kids get in a school and then we move after the first year, would they automatically remain in that school even if out of the catchment area?
So we can't apply for a school until the summer. What happens if we can't find a spot for them? Primary school is mandatory so they will have to give us a spot somewhere, right?
I guess our budget for renting would be around 2000 and for buying around 500k. I keep reading that North Oxford has the best schools but so far I couldn't see anything outstanding according to the ofsted site...