Primary application- change of address.

[zippyswife]

At what point does a change of address have an affect on an application. Friend in real life moved away out of catchment after submitting the application. They then phoned to update the council and they were told it was irrelevant now as the places had been allocated in January . I was surprised by this.

It's probably not wrong. Once the application is in with all the correct proof of address etc then that's the application done. People can then move and it's common in our area. I think some LAs say that you should still be at that address in April but definately not by Sept (a year after application). The LA may look it it if they are reported but you may find that there is nothing to stop it etc- check the LA web site carefully.
In our area people do then get caught out with siblings as catchment children are ahead of non catchment siblings and people end up with DC in two schools...

Places won't have been allocated in January but the process will have started. The longer the process goes on the harder it becomes to cope with changes of address.

What happens if there is a change of address after the closing date for applications varies from LA to LA. Most will allow the applicant to stick to the original address for allocations purposes. Some will insist on using the original address. All will treat the application as late if the applicant wants to use their new address but some will allow the applicant to switch to the new address without penalty for a few weeks after the closing date for applications.

In your friend's case places will be allocated based on her address at the closing date for applications. That may not be what she wants, of course, but the LA is entitled to do that. Any place allocated based on her original address can only be withdrawn if the application was fraudulent or deliberately misleading, e.g. she didn't live at the address on the application or had rented a property in catchment temporarily to get a place at her preferred school.