Primary admissions and change of address

[CocoKev]

We moved back to this country from overseas this time last year and have been renting while we sell our flat in London and look for somewhere in this area to buy. DS1 is due to start reception in September.

We were not offered a place at any of our chosen schools, and have been given one 2.5 miles away. The school we thought we would get into has a considerably smaller last distance offered this year, and 50 out of 90 places have gone to siblings. We are 6 meters further than the last distance offered, so I'm very hopeful that when the waiting list shakes down we'll be very near if not at the top. No grounds for appeal so we're not taking that route.

The complicating factor is that we've just had an offer accepted for a house in the same area but 4 streets further away from our school of choice. It needs a lot of work before we move in, so we'll be at our current address until at least October. At what point are we obliged to inform the school of our purchase of this property? When we complete or when we move in? I'm not trying to play the system but I'm aware that a change of address in October will look very suspicious- and am worried the place could be removed if it looks like we're trying to manipulate our place of residence.

Thanks for your advice.

There is no simple answer to this. It depends on the rules laid down by the admission authority (the LA or the school depending on the type of school). I suggest you ring them and ask.

I agree with PRH. Different LAs will take different approaches so you need to ask them. I would however start the conversation positively by saying that you understand that you have to tell the LA when you move and that you have just bought the house, it needs a lot of work doing to it and you are not expecting to move in till October at the earliest. Can they confirm that you notify them when you move in?
Also worth getting in the conversation if it is sensible to, is when does your rental agreement run out - if that is in October then I would mention that as well as it just reinforces the time scale involved here.

Thank you both, much appreciated. I'll do as you suggest.

And not to put a dampner on your house purchase - but it isn't a done deal until...well, it is a done deal.

I am sure you are allowed to own a house even though you rent and there live permanently somewhere else which is your primary residence. Hence people being able to move for a house, get into a school and move back after a year. We discovered this when we were looking for property to rent and buy in an area with good schools recently. So if you have not got the place by October you could sit tight and rent your house out until you do so you don't move further down the list. Of course you might not want to rent out your newly refurbished house.

I am sure you are allowed to own a house even though you rent and there live permanently somewhere else which is your primary residence

That is wrong. Many LAs state that in this situation they will use the address of the house you own.

Hence people being able to move for a house, get into a school and move back after a year

That is fraud. Most LAs have processes in place to detect this. If they suspect a place has been obtained in this way they can take it away even after the child has started school.