Moving out of the area

[Hugosmum123]

Hi everyone,

I’m currently living in Kirklees district but relocating to be with my partner right at the other side of the country - East Sussex.

Applied back in September for my son. Had several discussions with Kirklees Council and they said I had to apply via Kirklees and they would deal direct with East Sussex.

I did tell them that the anticipated move was not until May 2018. In fact their reference for me is “MoveMay”.

Today I have received a generic big-standard letter from Kirklees saying that I have to provide evidence of the move ie a minimum of a tenancy agreement with six weeks!!

Well .... I cannot provide this because I’m still in the area and don’t anticipate moving until at the earliest May for a September start.

Left a message for a call back and also emailed them to discuss.

I don’t know what to do - will they possibly see me as exceptional circumstances, give me more time .... or am I basically screwed?

Any help or suggestions would be much appreciated.

Thank you

It is likely that the area you are moving into will not allocate a school without a local address. The area you are currently in will be doing the allocations and will need to give you a place probably.

Without a local address I doubt there is much that the other authority can do. You can put in a late application when you move (I did this).

If you miss the deadline for the application - which is mid-January, then there is not much you can do. As soon as you have proof of your new address, you must send it to the new council, and they will put you on a waiting list/ allocate you a space where there is one.

It depends where in East Sussex you are going to I suppose some schools might be less oversubscribed than others?

I know schools try to keep some places for army families for example, but otherwise, you do end up at the bottom of the list and will be given what is available. They can't hold a place for someone unfortunately, especially if you don't even have an address.

On the plus side, you won't be the only one, people move, circumstances change, people's purchases take longer so there is always movement between the first school allocation and the start of the school year. Just be prepared to be flexible about your school, you won't be able to chose.

Do you think it’s worth explaining to them that I will be living at my partner’s address could I use that address or does my son have to be physically living there for it to be valid?

My partner sold his property last year and is in rented accommodation at the moment. The tenancy is up for renewal come May.

I would explain, you have nothing to lose! They will be able to advise you. If possible, you would be better off applying for schools in your partner's catchment than no school at all.

If I remember, we had to send a copy of our council tax statement with each school acceptation form to prove our address, so in our county we only had to prove our address in April.

They are asking for a minimum of a tenancy agreement and proof that I have no ties with my current address?

I’ve discussed with my partner about me moving down earlier. Deeply inconvenient as I am self employed so the next few months were to tie up loose ends. I do spend half my week at his - wonder if this will count for anything? Guess not.

Thank you very much for all those who who have taken time to contribute on my thread!!

East Sussex won't use the new address unless you can prove it's the child's permanent main residence, which you can't and won't be able to do until May it looks like.

Once you can, they will use that address, but of course allocations will be done by then so you will be offered a place wherever there is space. This may or may not be a school of your choice.

Until then, the application will be processed under your Kirklees address. Unless you have applied to a school that is undersubscribed, you are very unlikely to get a place in the schools you want. If a school has a space you will be offered it, regardless of where you live, but undersubscribed schools are rare unless in very rural areas.