moving in June before starting reception Sept - what to do?

[saltyann]

Hi there
was just wondering if anyone could help me with this...
My DS is meant to start reception in Sept but we are currently looking to move (not yet had an offer accepted though) and it looks likely that we will only end up moving towards the middle of the year now. Which means of course that we will miss the reception admissions deadline in January. What would normally happen in this scenario... would I apply direct to the school as an in-year admission? Am really worried we won't get a reception place, as reception places at good schools seem like hens teeth! Has anyone been in this situation before? is it at the discretion of the school?

The LA will have a policy on late applications and changes after the deadline which should be on the website. Apply where you are now then amend when you have evidence of your move. At that point you can submit a revised application and/or join waiting lists.

thanks LIZS I'll take a look

Apply from current address. You will at least get a school of your preference in case you don't end up moving. Worse case, you have to travel there. Then once you have moved, contact LA and go on wait list for 'new' preferred schools. We are a very oversubscribed big school and at least 3 people I know got in by Sept by applying after Spring house moves

Everything up to Xmas after they start is generally done via LA but call them and check

We were in the same position except that we had accepted an offer on our old house and had an offer accepted on a new house. However, purchase of new house wasn't going well (a legal mess meant we weren't sure we could even get a mortgage to buy it!). Anyway, I phoned the LA who advised to apply under old address but for schools in the new area, with an explanation as to the discrepancy in area. And they asked that as things progressed, we keep them informed. As it happened, the legal mess got sorted although it was touch and go for a while. We didn't exchange until April (so if the purchase had fallen through we'd have had to do a late re-application) and we got confirmation of our school place a week after we moved in! All good in the end but It did add to the whole stress of moving. Can't praise the LA enough - they were very helpful along the way but my guess is that situation arises very often.

Good luck!

Thanks Inkymess and SternlyVoice, I shall give the LA a call. We haven't actually put any offers in yet, but we'd like to move by the middle of this year but are just wondering now if it's perhaps better to move after the mad scrum for reception places. I can imagine this must happen often and they are used to dealing with it hopefully!