What order to do things in when moving house and schools?

[aethelfleda]

My head is spinning with the different things needed to move house! We are researching a planned move to a different county, and my DDs (r/Y1 at the moment) may well need to move mid-way through next academic year. As far as I can tell, the sequence seems to be:

1)plan purchase/make offer/exchange contracts
2)apply to school as intending to live in area
3)complete purchase
4)Apply to school/LEA for a place at nearest school
5)wait for allocated school and get onto waiting list of school nearest to new house (as there's a shortage of places we are unlikely to get a place initially)
6)cope in meantime til place comes up at random allocated school, or delay relocating and keep kids at old school until new space available at desired school.

Does this sound like the right order to do things?
I've been thrown a bit as have been given application forms for two schools we visited despite not living in the area yet (and one only gives spaces when they are not full, oterwise the LEA does it). Confused!

we did -

1. offer accepted
2. apply to school - it was after closing date so we automatically went on the waiting list at number 9 (we also applied for a place in current area n case the move fell through)
3. exchange contacts
4. moved 2 days later - went to council office with proof of address which brought dd to number 1 on the waiting list as we were now the only ones in catchment.
5. 3 days after moving - dd had offers of places from 2 local schools, but not the one in catchment.
6. 2 days after that, we got & accepted an offer from catchment school, this was 1 day before the july term ended. we managed to squeeze in a couple of hours visit so she could meet everyone.

hth

sorry, 1. offer accepted refers to offer on a house!

Please can I add a piece of admissions advice that I have learnt to my cost over the last fortnight...........

Once you are sure of a move and willing to give up your current location school place you can apply for schools at your new location through your current location's admissions.
I.e. You cannot apply from your new house at it's local LA admissions until you have exchanged or got a rental agreement, but if just before that you are sure you want an open school place that you have been told about you can get it using your current address even if that is far away.

(can you tell I'm bitter!)

YellowYoYo is correct that you can apply through your current LA. This is worth doing if the school you want has a place available. Note, however, that most LAs/schools expect you to take the place up within a few weeks of it being offered and accepted, so it isn't worth doing this if the move is months away unless you are prepared to undertake the journey every day.

If you are in England, the schools should not be giving places to you or accepting applications from you. The Admissions Code is clear that you apply to your LA and any offer comes through your LA.

Check carefully with your new LA as to when they will accept an offer based on your new address. Some will accept an application after exchange of contracts, others won't accept an application until you have completed the purchase. If you don't get a place by applying through your current LA you want to get an application in to your new LA as soon as possible.

So just out of interest how does it work if you are abroad and so don't have a 'local LA'? (have to deal with this in the next year or so- shudder).

Unless you are on Crown Service you won't be able to apply until you have a confirmed UK address and can meet whatever requirements are laid down by the LA covering that address.

Thanks prh47bridge. We do own a house in the uk but it has tenants. Do they need to have left (and us back on the council tax roll) for us to be considered by the LA?