changing schools for year 1 - confused!

[GetYourMoneyBackAtTheDoor]

We are hopefully moving house (STC) over the summer hols. The infant school I hope to start using for DS (who is currently YR) has spaces for Y1, we've visited etc. I need to apply on-line. I am worried however, that something falls through with the house sale and we are left with a place at a school miles away (well, not that far but we wouldn't want it if we didn't move!). How is this dealt with, it must come up a lot? Does anyone have any experience of this? I guess it is hard as it is happening over the summer holidays so presumably there won't be people around to deal with it (or will there?) so it will need to be sorted out beforehand.

I would have thought that you wouldn't apply until you have moved, or at least until the contracts have been exchanged. There will be people at the LA admissions dept over the summer, I would have thought - I don't think they work term times only.

The only thing you might have issues with is getting him school uniform sorted for his first day - although you may well find that the first day of term is an INSET day, and you should be able to get uniform on that day.

You can apply for a place at the school now if you use your current address. You will need to apply to the LA that you currently live in (not sure whether it is the same or not for both schools). If the school has places then they have by law to allocate you a place. The disadvantage is that as soon as you apply and you accept a place you loose the place that your child currently has. So if your house move falls down then you have a problem.
The safe option is not to apply till you know you are moving and you have exchanged contracts. You should then be able to use the new address and apply for a place. The problem is that in the interim it is quite possible that the currently free spaces may all have been filled. You can then appeal but if it is an infant class size appeal you will have a very low level chance of winning.
Sorry but neither option is risk free but they are the only options. There will be admission office people in over the holidays but not necessarily in the schools and the LA will not admit without confirming there are available places with the school.
From the 1st September the rules change and the school will be responsible for all in-year admissions, so that is another added complication.