Primary school catchment area

[aawcmon]

My DD is already in Primary school in our catchment area and my DS is due to be registered in January 2013 (for starting in August 2013). We have our house on the market just now, and we are looking only at houses in our catchment area as we want to ensure DD and DS go to same primary school (not an option to move DD from primary school, i don't think she would cope well with change).

I'm worried if we move and don't find anywhere within the catchment area before registration, what are our options? If we need to try and find a sub-let, does that have to be in the catchment area as well? My mum's address is in the catchment area, so is that an option? Someone even mentioned that i should just put a mail redirect on my current address and not notify change of address, but surely if i'm paying council tax at another location, this is how the council determine where you live....I should note that we are in Scotland, don't know if that makes a difference...any advice welcome.

I don't know about Scotland, but here if you put anything other than the child's current main address on the form then, if detected, the place can be taken away, so don't put down mum's unless you are living there, and don't just redirect.

You are probably best to stay put (it is only another 8 or 9 months) or move within catchment, have you spoken to the school, what are the admission criteria for the school, and how oversubscribed are they?

In Edinburgh they need to see your council tax letter as proof of address. My friends house didn't get sold before the induction day and it resulted in her selling and moving during the holidays to her mums and she didn't move her son.