Moving into a new area during school application deadlines

[jodem]

Hi

Does anyone have experience of exchanging on a new house (in a new area) before the January 15th primary school application deadline and then completing afterwards?

We are due to exchange contracts this week and then complete January 20th. I understand that I have to apply through our local authority (Croydon) by the 15th January for schools in the new area (Chelmsford) and then change address before Feb 11th. Croydon then pass the file to Chelmsford who then take over.

I am extremely anxious about this as I don't have confidence in the efficiency of either council so if you have been through this yourself I would be grateful if you could share your experience and let me know what to watch out for.

Thanks JD

You can use your new address from the time you have exchanged contracts. Essex will accept proof of exchange of contracts as proof of your new address. Check with the Essex admissions team but a letter from your solicitor is normally enough.

If you don't exchange contracts in time and end up applying using your existing address you must supply evidence of your new address by 7th February according to Essex, not 11th February. Both Essex and Croydon are part of the Pan-London Co-Ordinated Admissions Scheme so there should not be any problems with exchange of data.

I was told by my London Borough that you had to completed the purchase for the application to be considered at the new address. Exchanging wasn't enough.

Best to call the council direct to double check their policy.

It varies from LA to LA. What matters in this case is the policy adopted by Essex. Their published information suggests they will accept the new address from exchange of contracts rather than waiting until completion.

Check everything with the Essex admissions team and get any responses from them in writing. That will protect you if they say one thing and do another.

Agree with PRH47. Double check directly with Essex what their policies are. We did Surrey to Sussex over the deadline and Sussex had an entirely different policy to Surrey whereby we were given a month's extension on the normal deadline and still treated as an on time application.

The most important things to do here are firstly follow what PRH says as they are correct and secondly keep a written record of everything. If you have a telephone call with admissions in Essex for example, confirm the substance of the telephone conversation by text /email with them. Do not assume they will confirm in writing. You confirm to them. If they think that what you say is wrong, you will hear soon enough in that circumstance.

Occasionally things do go wrong on allocation of schools around this area but if you have a clear trail of written correspondence then you can go to appeal with confidence that the appeal panel will recognise that the application was done correctly and act accordingly.