Relocating from Birmingham to Surrey.. Application advice?

[user1473675550]

Hi!! So I currently live in Birmingham with my 6yo and we are relocating to Surrey next July. After looking into the application process for schools in Surrey (he will be going in to year 3(junior) September 2017) I am feeling a bit lost as to the best way to go about things !!
The council requires a council tax ref as proof of address but as we aren't officially moving until July, I have been told he will not be offered a place until then and I am worried that this might be a bit too late. My partner currently lives in Surrey and I have considered the option of adding my name to his council tax bill as. Second residency to provide along with the application OR waiting till we have bought a house in March and providing this evidence then (my partner will be moving in to the house in March- we will be joining him in July once my son has completed the academic year in Birmingham).
Does anybody have any knowledge/experience/advice on what we should do or what you may have done I similar circumstances?? Also I am unsure as to whether the council will accept a secondary residence council tax reference as supporting evidence?

Any help is much appreciated!! Thanks in advance

Have you consider a visit to Citizen's Advice Bureau in the area you will be moving in? I'm sure CAB staff more than likely to give you accurate information.
In my area we have a mixture of Faith, Free schools and Academies; every one of them with different school places application arrangements... i.e Faith School requires an interview and application at the actual school and the LA only doing the confirmation/ decline of the school place.
I also have a friend returned from overseas before her husband and they had a school place offered before arriving in Surrey. However, their circumstances are very different as his work commitments makes them move around quiet a bit but school places are always secured even if they return mid-academic year.
Good luck.

If Surrey is like Essex the earliest you will be able to apply is half a term before you want the place (we moved out year 3 DD for the start of this term). That would mean you could apply for a place in September after the May half term.

I have been told he will not be offered a place until then and I am worried that this might be a bit too late

Why would that be too late? If they offer you a place and you accept the offer your son could lose his place at his current school and you will be expected to take up the new place within a few weeks. If you apply now using your partner's address you will be breaking the rules - you must apply using the address where you actually live. And if they offer you a place now your son will certainly have to take it up this side of Christmas or you will lose it again.

Applying in March once your partner has moved to the new house is still breaking the rules as you won't be living there. If they offer you a place you would probably have to take it up in April or May.

Surrey's rules are that you can apply for an in year place up to 4 weeks before the place is needed. If you apply any earlier they won't process your application until 4 weeks before you need the place.

I know it feels a little nerve wracking but July isn't too late to be sorting it. We were applying for a school place for my DD the third week of July and we were sorted by the end of term. (Although that was partly down the the new school being great and telling us when her name appeared on their system. The council didn't inform us until late August!)