primary application and moving - advice please . . .

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Hi, I wonder if anyone could help. We're currently living in a different country and are due to move back to London, after 2 years away, at the end of this week. We've found a rental property in the catchment of a great school, however it now looks like we won't be able to move the family until early Feb/March due to unavoidable work commitments. My husband and I (and occasionally DS) will be travelling back to London every week or two for a day or so until then, but we won't actually be living at that address on the 15th Jan (though will be there next weekend). I'm really concerned this will impact our application. Not so much the process itself, as we are already registered for council tax/bills etc and this really is a legitimate and long-term move into a new area, but I know how ridiculously competitive this school is and that local parents are very vigilant for people moving into area for the sole purpose of securing a school place in order that they can report them to the LA. This is really worrying and I'm wondering if I/we should try to commute for a few weeks so that we're there for at least 3 or 4 days a week (though this is really not feasible at all, particularly with 3 year old DS!) Does anyone know how this situation would be viewed if someone did report us. I realise this sounds totally paranoid but the house we're renting was apparently very popular and many people made offers - possibly because of close proximity to the school. We also know that that both neighbours have small children themselves and may be aware of application deadlines etc. Both DH and I have tried to negotiate our work situations so we can move earlier, but it looks like its going to be impossible. Any advice would be really welcome.

Do you know the actual rules on address/moving from the council?

In the guidance is does state that the child needs to be living at address on the 15th Jan but that supporting info (council tax bills etc) could be provided for movers up until 8th Feb. However when I spoke to them they said we really needed to have all this documentation by the 15th Jan to be sure wouldn't be treated as a late applicant. We wouldn't be there permanently by 8th Feb anyway

Thanks Tiggy - that's what I thought. We only found out a few days ago that we weren't going to be able to move for another few weeks. Awful situation as I know if we don't get into that school we won't get into any other of the decent local schools and will have to travel a pretty long distance to one of two schools with very mixed reviews (very oversubscribed part of London). Might have to chat again to DH about one of us moving early - it would have serious implications in terms of work but might just have to face them . . .

You do have a current and existing tenancy agreement? You have set up council tax and utility bills?

Come and go a lot in the interim but seeing as you will be living there within a matter of weeks, I'd just get on with it and submit the school application by 15th frankly.

But do come and go a lot to shut the neighbours up. As long as you are paying the council tax already, that's what I would do.

Yes we do have a current tenancy agreement and have set up council tax, bills etc. This is what we thought we might try to do (coming and going), but we're not sure exactly how much of this is possible with our jobs - going to speak with managers tomorrow and see what we can negotiate. Presumably it would be very difficult to prove this wasn't our permanent residence if we had moved a fair amount of furniture in and were living there 3 days a week (plus in-laws coming and going when we aren't there). Still feel worried though . .

I think if I were you I would move. Trouble with work is that it is often a changing goal post. If you're not careful the move could get delayed further by more work stuff. You need to prioritise and if this school is a priority then you need to stick to the rules and move. Either that or I would phone up the council and be completely honest and see what they say. I would not lie. Too dodgy if the school places are as sought after as you say.

Cant one of you come over before the other? Or have both of you suddenly had unavoidable work commitments?

Who's to say you didn't move in and then go on holiday? Not like you couldn't provide travel itineraries etc. with all your coming and going. Or a relative was sick causing you to have to go back several times.

There are a load of people who actually defraud good and proper with school admissions. I don't see your position in the same light.

You are in NO worse position if they decide to remove a place (would love to see statistics on this) than if you didn't get the place in the first place. You'd still end up in a sink school, the other side of the borough and London expects you to send your 4 yr old on London buses and their duty to provide transport is complete.

If you only get that same school anyway by being a late applicant which is what will happen, your 4 yr old would still be free on the bus when accompanied by you regardless. Like you'd send them on their own.

My reasoning for seeing you ins diff light is because plenty of councils allow more time for late moving, if you happened to be living under one of those, you wouldn't be doing anything wrong.

I think it depends lots on the area and the fight for places. In certain areas parents will fight tooth and nail for a place and it's not worth it, is it, to break the rules and have the threat of the place being withdrawn? Which legally of course it could be if you are not living at the address on January 15th.

Thanks everyone - your responses have really clarified things for us. Goodygumdrops - DH's job always was going to run until Easter (so we knew we'd need to live apart for a while) and my job was due to finish on time but I work in the health sector and unfortunately have acquired a patient with complex problems that require some of my input for a few more weeks. Shattered - we did think about the holiday/sick relative thing but we know quite a few people in the new area and it would mean lying to them (which I'm bloody useless at) and worrying long-term about being 'found out'. It is a school where parents fight tooth and nail to secure a place and I'm quite sure soem parents - quite understandably given the dire school situation in this London borough - wouldn't hesitate to contact the council should our situation become apparent. DH and I have discussed it at length today, and decided that I will move next week. Our fantastic family have agreed to take care of DS for 2 days a week for a month or so which will enable me to commute to work. My head is spinning a bit at the short notice, but feel relieved that I won't have months of feeling guilty/worried. I'm obviously far more risk averse than I thought! Thanks so much for all your input, without which I'm sure I'd still be dithering. Right, I'm off to pack . .