Admissions Dilemma - help me

[onadarkcloud]

I am starting to panic over the school applications process for dd who will be 5 next year so looking at a reception place for Dec next year.

At the moment we live in London but looking at moving out to Herts (Bishops Stortford/Sawbo area), we haven't yet found somewhere to buy and need to sell our place too. If we end up missing the deadline after 15th Jan and go into late applications will we end up at a school miles away? I am getting into a panic and really worried about this now. would we be better off biting the bullet and finding somewhere to rent first? The problem with that is it would be harder financially as we would still have our current home.

You are correct that is you miss the deadline you will be treated as a late application, so if at all possible it is better to move before the deadline if you can.

To get an idea of the likely impact of missing the deadline have a look at the previous years admission stats to see whether the schools you might be interested in were oversubscribed or not. If the school were oversubscribed then you would be allocated a place in a school with places left, which could be some distance away. If they are not oversubscribed then it might not be so much of a problem. (Obviously previous stats are no guarantee of the same position this time, but they give you an idea)

You can also appeal if you don't get the school you want, but your chances of success will be limited if it is an Infant Class Size appeal (by law reception, Y1 & Y2 classes can only have up to 30 children per teacher)

Also when is your little ones birthday. If they are 5 after September 2012 they will be starting reception next year, usually in September not December. If their birthday is before September they should have started this year.
You also may get a place because there is a lot of movement in some places, so even as a late applicant, if you live close enough to the school you may well get a place.

Dds birthday is in Dec so will be looking at starting school next Sept. Thanks for the link BetsyBoop. This whole business is a minefield! But surely there are families that move.

Indeed there are but the system would become impossible to operate if people could move into the area the day before offer letters go out and have to be treated as on time.

Some LAs will treat you as on time if you move into the area after the main deadline date in January but they will usually only give you a few weeks grace at best. Check the admissions booklet for the LA you are moving to.