Reception application (moving cities)

[Priyamj]

Hi there
I am currently living in London and have applied for and received a school reception place for my DD here. But i am planning to move to Walsall in time for school start in September of this year.
I have called Walsall council and they have told me that i have to apply for a place within my local authority. I called my local authority and they have said that it is highly unlikely that i will receive a place due to how far i am. My DP has an address within Walsall where i wont be moving to but will close to, should i just apply using this address and change when i move?
i am just worried that if i move and forfeit the school place DD currently has and have no school to start in september :( the Walsall council are not helping me in regards to advice on this.

NO DO NOT DO THAT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES! You must apply using your address at the time you apply, be it London or your new digs in Walsall once you've moved. If you use an address where you do not live any place offered will be withdrawn as your application will be viewed as fraudulent.

Keep you London place for now, then once you have moved apply to Walsall council, but obviously you are aware that although they will find you a place, it may well not be at the school you would choose. If they offer you a place more than 2 miles away they will provide free transport for your dd though (but not for you).

The LA in Walsall will not offer you a place until you have a local address there. This involves actually living there, and having documentation that proves that you and your child live there. Once you have that, the local authority is duty bound to offer you a school place in the area of their jurisdiction, wherever there is space. Many people "plan" to move and then for all sorts of employment/social reasons plans change at short notice and they do not do so, so the the LA cannot consider a local application until you have documentational proof.

If there is no room at your local/first choice school to your new address, then you can go on a waiting list for that school and your place in the queue will depend on how well you fit the application criteria for that particular school, which you can research online. If you have some flexibility, it may be worth renting as close as physically possible to your preferred school in order to increase your chances of entry.
Good luck.

As Walsall have told you, you can apply through your current LA. Your current LA is being unhelpful with its comments. If there is a place available at one of the schools you name as a preference they must offer it to you regardless of how far away you live. However, if none of your preferences have places they won't come up with an alternative school in Walsall.

As others have said, you cannot apply to Walsall until you have a confirmed address in the area. Using your partner's address would be against the rules and could result in any offer being withdrawn if the LA finds out. Once you can prove your address they will find a place for you, either at one of your preferred schools or, if they are full, at the nearest school with places available.