in year admissions

[intheshed]

Hoping someone can give some advice on this!

We are looking to move house to a completely new area. DD1 is currently in reception and we are trying to figure out what to do about school places.

I emailed the council admissions dept, clearly stating DD is in reception and we are looking to move in June, but in the reply was told 'there is currently one place available in Y1' at our preferred school. The next 2 nearest schools are full. I can't decide if she means for Y1 in Sept, or if she misread my email and has given me the totally wrong information.

The next thing is the only proof of address they ask for on the form is either council tax records, driving licence or child benefit/tax credit letter. Given that we can't get any of that set up until we have moved in, and it would probably all take a few weeks to come through, does that mean we have to move house without having a school place secured??

We are going to see the house again on Sun and I know they will be putting pressure on us to go ahead (new build house) but I don't want to move without a school place sorted.

Any advice on how it all works? Are they likely to take something else as proof of address, such as a letter from the mortgage company?

Meant to say, it's a 3 hour drive, so no way DD can stay at her old school until we find a place.

Unfortunately, you cannot apply for a place at a school on the basis that you plan to move. Planned relocations often fall through. You have to have proof that you will be shortly living in the area, and mid-term you have to be available to take up the place offered. Imagine if your house purchase/rental fell through and you didn't need the school place for another three months, but another child did need it and there was an empty desk at the school.

Usually a rental agreement or a legal house purchase exchange will do but no - it's a horrible, stressful, chicken and egg situation. If you search you'll see lots of threads on this very topic on mn.

You can apply though using your current address, but if there is a place you have to take it up in a "reasonable" amount of time (a couple of weeks or so usually).

Thanks for the replies- mummytime do you mean I could apply before we've moved using this address, even though we live nowhere near at the moment?!

Yes, you can apply from anywhere and if there is a vacancy and no waiting list, you must be offered it. But then you need to take up the place in a timely manner (check with LEA, but work on basis of a couple of weeks).

Wow that's interesting, I didn't realise. Ok and once they have offered a place, what happens to DD's current school place? Is it automatically taken away and she has to start the new school asap? Or do we still get time to formally accept the new offer and inform DD's old school?

Sounds like it may be possible as we are moving from rented into a new build, and they want to complete fairly quickly. IF we can find a school place...

You need to tell the present school you are leaving.

You can also go on a waiting list, then when you do move you inform them of your new address and move up the list.

If you are offered a place at a school in the area to which you are moving you will be expected to take it up promptly or you will lose the place. They shouldn't automatically remove the place at your existing school just because you've been offered a place somewhere else.