What happens if you move after deadline for primary school admissions

[springishere]

DS is a summer baby so is going to have to start school a couple of weeks after he turns 4, I am really not happy about this but don't think I really have an option. We are going to have to move next year about March time due to my husband job, how would this work with getting him into a school. From what I can see all the decent infant or primary schools are oversubscribed and therefore will be full. I am getting so stressed about not only the idea of him starting school so young but also not being able to get him into a good school now. Does anyone know how it works for applications after the Jan deadline.

You will be treated as a late application which means you go to the bottom of the pile, I'm afraid. You will get a place at the nearest school with places available once all the on time applications have been sorted out. If there is any way you can move before the deadline you should do so.

You may be surprised by how well your son takes to school. However, if you are concerned you have the right to delay his start until later in the year. You could delay a full year but then he would go straight into Y1, skipping Reception, and most schools would already be full, making it difficult to find a place.

ditto what PRH said

It is definitely worth moving before the deadline if at all possible (even if that means renting in the new area & leaving house in the old area empty for a couple of months, if you can afford it)

It is also worth trying to find out what "movement" there is in the area you are moving to (a friendly chat with the school secretary of schools you are interested in may reveal this information :)) If there is typically a fair bit of movement of families (and therefore children leaving the school) and you delayed school start until the January, and buy/rent a house as close as you can to the school you want, then you would be near the top of the waiting list and just might get a place in time for him to start in Jan - this option given no guarantee of course, but it is maximising your chances.

I wouldn't want to delay beyond Jan TBH, as PRH says in theory you could delay a year, but then he would go straight into Y1 & there still wouldn't be places at popular schools.

Reception is generally much more play based, and more small child friendly than year 1. I wouldn't worry too much about a child starting soon after they are 4, much better than suddenly being thrown into year 1 just after 5.

There might be a different deadline for 'late applicants with good reason' (such as moving into an area shortly after the official deadline etc). We're in a similar situation and I've just found this out from our local council. In parts of SE and SW London it's mid-february. Worth asking in your part of the world too.

Our school doesn't fill all places, as they leave a couple open for late applications.

gladis - if your school is oversubscribed; ie if there are enough "on time" applicants to fill all the places; then it CANNOT keep places for late applicants - this would be a clear breach of the admissions code.

However if it's not oversubscribed then there would obviously be some places left for late applicants.

Betsy - I beg to differ. They're not "keeping places" for late applicants, as they don't even start allocating places until a few weeks before they publish the results. So there is a considerable gap between the closing date for applications and the offering of places.

Spring - if you look in your borough's admissions booklet, it might even say it in the important dates section like it does in mine, something along the lines of:

'closing date for applications from people moving into the borough after the [deadline] or for any late applications to be considered as in on time because of exceptional circumstances.'

As I said above, it's worth a phonecall!!

Phonix - Betsy is right . The practice Gladis describes is wrong. It is acceptable to treat some late applicants as if they were on time provided there is a clear policy which is applied consistently. It is NOT acceptable to keep places open for late applications, which is what Gladis specifically said.

prh and betsy - I apologise, I totally missed gladis's post and thought the comment was a reaction to mine.

Sorry - I just assumed that was why, as there are 28 students and they have a class capacity of 30. Maybe two children pulled out at the last minute. It was an oversubscribed school in the first round.

I guess some people have to leave areas at the last minute, for the same reason that some people arrive in areas at the last minute???

Are you moving locally?

I moved from one catchment to another but within the same LA. I applied to the school I wanted DS to go to and explained that I was moving to within the catchment area. My solicitor wrote a letter stating that we were due to exchange on X date that I submitted as evidence. The school is oversubscribed but DS got in, despite the fact that we hadn't actually exchanged or moved before the placements were done.

No we're not going to be moving locally, we're going to be moving to another county. I would do anything to be able to move before the deadline but it is totally impossible for us, financially and logistically. I am getting so stressed by this whole thing that it's keeping me awake at night and I can't think about anything else. From the look of it the schools in the new area (Tunbridge Wells) are totally over subscribed, so do you think that means that our late application means that we are only going to get some awful school that nobody else wants to go to that has spaces... Surely people move and this is not an uncommon problem is it? Any positive stories would be very much appreciated!!

The closing date for applications in Kent is 15th January. If you apply late for a good reason (which may include moving into the area) you will be treated as an on time application provided you apply by 28th January, so not much leeway. I am afraid it is likely that you will end up being offered an unpopular school (not necessarily the same as being awful) which has places. Your best chance of getting into one of the popular schools will be through the waiting list. People do drop out and if you move close enough to your preferred school you will be at or near the head of the waiting list.

My DD has already started foundation stage and we're moving next week. Since she's not 5 till July, and there are no places at our catchment school, I'm going to put her on the waiting list and keep her at home/nursery until a place becomes available.

I've spoken to the head at the new school and she's totally happy as are the LEA.

I'm actually secretly pleased that I'll have her at home for a bit and I've been assured that there is always movement within the schools but that might be partly because of area.

How much leeway do you have as to exactly where you are moving?

We moved last year in June, with DS who was in Year 1 at the time and DD who was due to start reception in September. I needed to find a school with places for both of them. I got in touch with a lot of schools, visited about 13 of them and found a school that we liked and that could have both of them. I was at the same time looking at houses and found one in the right area.

The whole thing came together and both children are very happy at their school as are we. Other schools in the area are oversubscribed for reception this year but for whatever reason this one isn't.

I hope your move goes smoothly and you do find a school you like.

Bearing in mind the young age of your son, if you can't get a place at a school you want, why not put his name on the waiting list(s) for school(s) you like and home ed him while you're waiting?

we're in a similar position as we're trying to move (from a small flat to a house) but haven't foudn anywhere and have to apply for reception places in january. pressure is on and can't resolve it. so, my sympathies. as you do know where you'll be moving to is it worth being in touch with local schools there so they are aware of you and your predicament in advance? can't hurt?

Hi springishere - I've sent you a private message re. the school situation in TW.