Moving out of catchment during school application

[Cathy1984]

Hi everyone, we are currently looking at moving house. However the house my husband has fallen in love with is outside of the catchment area of my son's current school. Ds 1 is in year one and ds2 is due to start in September. If I apply with our current address but move before they give the decision do I need to inform them? I don't really want to move my son to a new school but equally can't be taking them to two separate schools.

You do need to inform them if you move or they could withdraw your place. However what is their admission criteria? Do siblings get priority? Then you might be ok anyway.

I think it would make a difference, but you'd need to check the admission criteria to see if siblings out of catchment are a low priority. If this is an application for primary school that's not due until January, is it? You may well have moved before the application date.

Thanks both I have a feeling siblings isn't very high up the priority list. Will need to check. I would rather pay more for a slightly smaller house to stay by the school but my husband thinks I'm being ridiculous! My son is quite an anxious boy and he is so happy and settled at his current school 😒

Have a look at the data for previous years (from your council website) and see whether you would have got in from proposed new area.

Check what happens if you:

• move before application deadline
• move after application deadline but before place allocation
• move after allocation date but before start date

or just wait to move for a year?

Thanks both I have a feeling siblings isn't very high up the priority list.

Why don't you just check?

For our LEA, your address on 15th January is what counts - one friend moved after that but before September. She could prove that they had lived in (owned) their old house on that date, so her child was given a place.

There will be a specific date during which you must still live in the catchment area (or rather your old house will be considered your home for the application) and so you can always go ahead with the sale on the basis that you won’t complete until after that date.

Thanks everyone. #titchy I will check! I've literally walked in from work today and my husband has seen a house out if catchment so haven't had a chance yet!