AIBU to think this is the worst possible year to move house for a 2012 DD?

[Elvesandthepoomaker]

DH is in the process of applying for a job outside the SE - great opportunity, significant pay rise, more affordable housing etc. However, we wouldn't know if he had the job until March, so outside the primary application window for September. I know you are limited to whichever schools have places available if you move house at any point during their education, but surely there is less likely to be flexibility in both state schools and prep schools in this particular year? Any advice would be much appreciated.

"Great opportunity, significant pay rise"....

Relax - you'll get a school place.

If you let them know ASAP you will be ok. I would call the council in the place you are moving to and ask what they suggest. They will likely ask you to apply as if you were staying put then they will put through a change at the point you move. Far more kids get places than don't so try not to panic.

If you had a new address by about April you would likely also be moved before the official announcements come out and before appeals etc so you may be able to jump into an appeal straight away if you don't get a place you want straight off. You may also find that places come up as appeals are heard.

Also even if the first year was at a school you didn't love, you can move them in year 2, if you're going to make the move at some point it's always going to be a schooling headache.

meh... it is what it is. It's not as if it's a GCSE or A level year!

Why will there be less flexibility in both state schools and prep schools in this particular year? ???

Move to an area with a number of good schools and you should be OK.

Much much worse would be

• moving in y6 after the secondary application deadline
• moving any time y9/10-11, or y12-y13

I'd say it depends on the council and area as some are heavily oversubscribed but others not so much.
On the flip side though this is the time with most movement in terms of place allocation as one or two choosing to start reception in private school starts a game of place movement.

In my area this year and last year were oversubbed as high birth rates in years the children were born as well as lots of new houses recently.

sorry Helena but that is incorrect.

They will only process your application once you have an address in the borough (exchanged contracts/ signed a contract with LL) then you can apply from that address.

In some circumstances a child can apply from another address. So, if a child is in school in Oxford and family moving to Birmingham, they can apply for the school in Birmingham through Oxford council.
This doesn't help you as your child is not yet in school.

Once you have proof of address you apply to the new council, Listing the schools you want. If there are no places in those schools, then the council is legally obliged to find you a place somewhere, but it may be quite a distance away from home.

Don't forget, school places are a nightmare in London and SE, but in many places outside London, it is much less pressured.

Thank you for all the replies. The job would be a September start and I couldn't see us being able to secure an address in Edgbaston before June. It hadn't even occurred to me that there wouldn't be a place at all available, so thank you for that. We're pretty much guaranteed an outstanding place where we currently are, so plenty to think about.

There are loads of oversubscribed schools in Edgebaston - ring the council and ask for some catchment areas - edgebaston is expensive place to live - you could move further out the city -

You'll struggle in Birmingham and surrounding boroughs in general tbh.