Applying for primary schools/will be moving area

[FionaLBE]

Hi,

My daughter is due to start school next September.

My husband and I are currently seperating.

I am going to have to move area partly for affordability and partly as I need a fresh start. It is only 20 away though so will be fine for their contact. School wise he shouldn't complain as he and I had looked around there and he was ok with the schools then.

My problem.... I am currently still in our house as we are trying to keep things smooth for dd and I aim to only have one house move.

Application for schools is 15 January. I rang today both to the City (current council) and County (new area council).
Basically they said I have to apply by then as otherwise I will put the application at risk if it is late. But I WON'T be living here by September but don't have an address yet.
Does anyone have experience of this?
It is really important to me she goes to the local school, partly practicality of dropping her off/collecting but also having grown up in a village everyone tends to go to the local school so it helps with friendships. Especially in our current situation I think it is important to help her settle and meet people.

So do I apply for an out of area school where I will be low priority as I am a distance away now. Also we will move to one of two villages. One of the two is more likely as it is bigger, but there is no guarntee.

Or do I apply to the local school and hope that she then gets a place in the local school once we move.

I spoke to people at both the City and County Council and it was not helpful.

Its not ideal but could you rent out your house to rent nearer to get school place and start making connections in new area while you wait to sell?

Thanks for the idea. I did look at it but I can't afford to rent and pay mortgage here; also I don't want to move out and loose my rights to this place. Husband wants to keep the house (it was his originally but I have been here for 8 years) but we remortgaged so I could help him out with some stuff so I need something. Ideally he will "buy me out", this is why things are taking a while, he is self employed and dragging his feet sorting his books out. But that is all another story. I am trying to be careful how much I push him and how I do it as we need a "good" relationship for our dd

You will be able to apply to at least three schools through your current council. You apply to your local council even if the school you want is in another area.

In your situation I would make your preferred school where you intend to live your first choice and make your local school where you currently live your last choice. Getting a place where you intend to live is a long shot but it may come through. If it doesn't you will probably still get a place at your local school - you won't lose out on a place just because you made it your last choice.

If you don't get a place in the initial allocations you will have to appeal for the local school where you will be living. Your chances of success depend on the class sizes in infants. If they have 30 children with a single teacher in Reception, Y1 or Y2 an appeal will be heard under infant class size rules which means you are unlikely to win. However, if the classes are smaller you will have a better chance.

you can still put your first choice school as first choice. you still may get in from such a distance if numbers are slightly low. then choose other schools in the area you intend to live in for your other options. you don't even have to list your catchment school on the form.

or can you just move now and let your DH stay in the house temporarily?

You will need an address to be assessed upon now and then a council tax bill come allocation time. Without that you will not routinely get a place.

You need to sort out something in the next couple of weeks. If schools are oversubscribed, you will have to find the cash to rent a place close enough to be certain that you are in the catchment area for the school you want for your child or face almost certain disappointment.

As you know you need an address and a council tax bill and potentially a utility bill, you could move into a house with someone who did have the right postcode and put the bills in your name, even if you were initially living at two addresses.

You have to be pragmatic if you are going to split up and have not already sorted out education for your child.

If the new school is usually filled, then you need a local address to the new area ASAP. There is no getting around that, the LEA is not going to save you a place (and deny a local family a place) on the basis that you may be moving there, you want stability for your child etc.

If the school is not usually full, then you should be able to get a place from where you currently live, there is no rule you need to live close - just that the 30 closest children get a place.