Advice on very late (possibly in year) application to reception please

[SchoolsQuestionNC]

Early days but just looking for advice. DH has been offered a final interview for a job that would mean moving approx 50 miles away. It's a good career move and a town with more reasonable (lower) house prices so if he gets it and the pay is good then we will probably take it.

DS is 4 and we found out last week that he was accepted to our first choice school for reception in September. Obviously if we move that won't happen. So can anyone please tell me:
What happens if we move, is it a 'late' application or something different?
If the school we want in the new area has a space would we simply apply and get in (assuming no religious/whatever criteria?). If the school is full in reception do we go on a waiting list - at the end?
Can we do anything before moving, will we have to complete first?
Does it make much difference if we complete before September?
Um, more questions I'm sure. Obviously if all goes ahead I will contact the relevant authority and schools for a full picture of local policy etc but just need an idea of how it is likely to go. It's Slough area BTW.

Oh, and DS is September born so he will need to start and can't be held back...

Not sure about when to apply but you should go on the waiting list according to distance, so you could be 1st or 20th depending where you live. I'd assume they would give you a school somewhere that isn't full and then you can go on waiting list for others. As someone who didn't get any of her four choices this month if I were you I'd go and live next door to the school you want!! On a plus side there should be lots of movement between now and sept so you could get lucky if you live close enough to be 1st on waiting list.

1st the LEA has to find you a school place but that doesn't have to be at your closest school or at a good school.
Right move now has a school checker that tell you if schools are over or undersubscribed but no necessarily accurate but it's a start.
If you have a preferred school in the new location you can go on the waiting list now with your current address but you will be way down the list. When you move tell them your new address.
When you get to the new area go on every waiting list of schools you are happy to accept.
I don't know where you are moving to but people do move

We moved with a child about to start year 1 and another starting year 3. We were told that we could not apply for a school place until we had completed on our house. Once it was completed we called the local schools we were happy with and asked if they had places. We then applied directly to the one we wanted which had space.

If we hadn't got that place I would have put them into a different school and then put myself on all the waiting lists and moved asap.

Councils vary though so I would advise ringing the council in the area you are moving to and asking about procedure. As soon as we knew we were moving we let the school our kids were currently in know that we would be removing them on X date so they could pass that on to anyone that may have been on their waiting list.

Thanks all, interesting to read about your experiences.

I guess we will just have to see what happens. DS is (so far) NT, not overly academic but popular and relaxed so honestly I'm not that fussy and would actually have been happy with any of the 6 schools on our list in our current borough (live in a very good schools borough). I also have a baby and ideally I'd like a very short walk not drive to the school so I guess I will be using Rightmove school checker extensively.

If it works out that we move in the summer hols (likely) will it be possible to apply to schools or will we have to wait till September I wonder? I'd really like DS to start with the rest of his class, not start part way through the first month as he is on the shy side.

Speak to the LA where you are moving to about the process because some get the schools to handle in-year applications whereas some do it all through the LA.
They will almost for sure not be prepared to offer a school place until you either have exchanged contracts or more likely moved in. Again the LA can advice what is the correct process. Once you have moved to the LA area, then the LA have a legal responsibility to offer you a school place but it could be well away from where you are going to live
As Mary21 says it is possible to go on the waiting list for a school in the new area but with your existing address. You will obviously be (at 50 miles away) bottom of any waiting list and I am not sure what that achieves until you are well on the way to the house move taking place.
You can apply for a school place at any time during the school holidays if you go to the LA but obviously most schools will be shut for the majority of the school holidays. That means that the LA may have trouble confirming what the latest status is of places at the school. You may well have to wait until September to actually hear what schools have places. That might not be as bad as it sounds as many schools have some kind of transition into school which means that all the pupils do not start all at once first week in September.

I think as others have said, it really depends on where you live and what schools you are applying to. In our area, people are transient and spots open up. A lot of people wanted to get into a catholic school my DD was going to and spots opened up...at least 5 by January! My DD transferred and managed to get a spot in a french school and others moved country etc. But in some areas waiting lists don't budge and everyone stays put! Good luck!

I would contact the LA about which schools have availability and base your property search around that.