Possible very late application to a primary: has anyone any experience of this?

[quail]

We may have to move for one year only to Oxford, with no chance of staying longer. One of my kids is at primary school where I live, the second starts this September. We have just heard about the possible move so have no idea where we would be living and are unlikely to know for weeks.

So that leaves schools as a big problem. Is it ever possible to move your kids across the country with no notice and find two places in the same primary school? Has anyone ever done it in Oxford? Also, does anyone have experience of keeping a primary school place open for their kids if they go away for a year but come back?

Thanks for any advice.

It will completely depend on whether the Oxford schools have places in the year groups that your children are in. Do you have any idea of which part of Oxford you'll be living in?

Your current primary school won't be able to keep places open I'm afraid, and you'll have to reapply when you return.

Oh heck, that's bad news. No, we have no idea which part, have only heard about it today and know nothing about Oxford.

I can't be any help on the schools in Oxford, but if it is only for 1 year, do you really have to all move? If it is your partner's job could he not commute/rent a room during the week for the year to save the upheaval of moving schools and potentially losing your current school places even when you return? I know it's not an attractive option but I think I would probably be considering it, if it is definitely for 1 year only.

Primaries in Oxford city are struggling with intake numbers anyway, so reception places are at a premium and likely to be all full. Of course ,you can't be left without school places at all, but may really struggle to get 2 at same and desirable school, unless you are willing to travel q a long way. There is at least one free school which may not be oversubscribed, so that may be an option.
There are also clearly likely to be issues in reverse as well when you move back.
2 questions I guess; is daily or weekly commuting for DH a viable option? And if not, how would you feel about home educating, either until a desirable school place came up, or for the year?

Oh that is bad news. We have talked about commuting - daily is impossible, so it would be expensive, but so would ANY family sized rental place in Oxford, even with rent from our house. Oxford house prices seem insane. The idea of being new in town and having to take kids to two different schools, when it's dd2's first reception year, is very depressing.

Thanks for your help. Forewarned etc.

(I think I would be perfectly crap at home educating.)

if it is for 1 year only then I would be looking at stayng put and the person who has the job just renting somewhere on their own for a year and commuting back home as often as they could.
It will be such an upheaval settling your children in a new school only to havr to take them out again.