How does it work when a family moves house/town in the middle of the term?

[wgcdad]

I have my first daughter, 3.5 years.

For state primary schools, how families move schools, say, in November/December? How does the application work for the new school? Does the council HAVE to find a place or is there a risk of the child missing one year?

Thanks.

The council have to find a place, but not necessarily in the school of your choice, or even in the catchment school.

Dh and I visited the local schools as part if our house-hunting, so we already knew where we wanted our dc to go. When we finally moved house mid-Reception I phoned the schools to find out where there were spaces (you might need to call the LEA) and applied as soon as we exchanged contracts.

It meant that dc1 started school a couple of weeks before the end of term, because they had a space at our favourite school then. If we wanted to wait until we had settled into the new house and start at the beginning of the next term, he would have had to go to a school lower down our list, as school 1 was full for the following term.

Yes they have to find you a school place. We moved in October and applied to an over subscribed primary school just around the corner. Within 2 weeks ds2 was offered a place and started immediately.
You can apply online with your local council school admissions using an 'in-term transfer' form. We also attached proof of address which sped up the process.

It is more tricky with an under 7 though , as infant class sizes are restricted to 30. The council will offer you a place wherever one is available at the time. If you decline this they do not have to offer an alternative. You can go on waiting lists or appeal if you don't get allocated a place at any of your preferred schools.

Your daughter doesn't have to change school just because you move. If you can still get to the old school you can keep her there. If the move is too far or you want a local school you will need to talk to the LA that covers the new home. Some LAs will want you to apply to individual schools, others will want to handle your application themselves and will only get involved if you can't find a place.

The LA does have to come up with a place for you. That will usually be at the nearest school with places available. If that is more than 2 miles from home by the shortest safe walking route your daughter will be entitled to free transport to and from school, although this will stop when she is 8 unless the school is more than 3 miles from home. If there are no places available within a reasonable distance the LA will have a Fair Access Protocol which defines how they will find a place. In that situation they can break the infant class size limit and have more than 30 in the class.

If you don't get into your preferred schools you are entitled to go on the waiting list. You won't be pushed to the back of the list just because you are a late applicant. You are also entitled to appeal although in most cases your chances of winning an appeal for Reception, Y1 or Y2 are poor due to infant class size regulations.