Admissions- is this right?

[Perkyduck131]

Apologies- I posted another thread on this a few weeks ago and now can’t find it!

We are due to move on Thursday to a new borough. Sent tenancy agreement in July and our current borough transferred my daughter’s reception allocation over four weeks ago (we were initially told that current borough not sending documents was cause of delay)
New borough are now saying they won’t process the application until the day we physically move. The admissions contact centre said they had ‘no obligation’ to offer my daughter a place until we are paying council tax.

Is this correct?

Friends from DD’s nursery are also moving to a (different) new borough and have managed to secure a reception place no problem.

May be being completely precious but if we’d known this before we would’ve moved forward our move date to ensure she was able to start in time. DD can be quite anxious and I feel awful not being able to tell her about her new school etc.

Anyone who has navigated these conversations and has any tips or buzz words would be greatly appreciated, feeling very powerless atm!

I dont know what the actual rules are, but many LEA's seem to do things differently.
I hope you yet a reception place sorted promptly after you move (make sure you can find a birth certificate or passport, along with your rental agreement as you move).
It took us one working day from enquiring about school places for our new house to having offers for both boys. It can go quickly once it starts moving.

I'm afraid it's probably correct. We had to move for work reasons, right before school admissions round, and we had to provide council tax reference on the application form for proof of address change. Some authorities may have different processes but I'm guessing that's how they prove you live there. (But how do non-payers get their children in school? by which I mean people that refuse to pay, not exempt)

And they're right about not having to process the application until you're actually resident- that applies across all English authorities as far as I'm aware.

I cant comment on what your borough does specifically but I have worked as a relocation agent if that helps
Generally you CAN apply for a school place from any address but if the school is sought after you are unlikely to get a place until you live close enough to move up to the top of the wait list if there is one. If there is a school place available you should be able to apply for it from any address and be given it.
You often need proof of the new address in the form of a tenancy agreement or similar before your application will be considered.
You are basically doing an in year application as the deadline has passed and places allocated for this September, its not as simple as a transfer

Unfortunately if the school you want us oversubscribed then what they say I'd probably correct.

If it had spaces you could apply from anywhere of course.

If it's full, do you know of any with spaces that you can apply to in your new area?

Yes, totally normal. It’s fine like this in many Local Authorities due to the common practice of people renting a house out to get a school place then never actually moving in.

Hi all,

Thanks for all the responses- as frustrating as it is it’s reassuring to know that this is normal! @RedCatBlueCat that’s reassuring re how quickly the process happened, I’m really hoping it will be the same (although we’ll see given the potential impact of covid!)

Thanks @Hoppinggreen for the info- new council have said that they will process it as a transfer as the delay is on their part. However, I also submitted an in year transfer form just to cover all bases so I’m REALLY hoping there will be no more delays.

God, thought toddlers were hard but it seems the older they get the more you worry!

Thanks again for all responses

Oh interesting @LadyPenelope68 - An estate agent said this was prevalent in the area we are moving to (although more for secondary) - I thought it was something the Daily Mail made up!

I see, They can only process it as a transfer if there is a place though, hopefully there is.
The delay may be because they only have to provide you with a place once you are resident there.
Hope it all works out, its very stressful I know

Moved last summer. Applied for schools mid August (it was a complicated situation). The application was processed by the schools when they reopened in September. DD2 had a place within a couple of weeks. DD1 got a place mid October- we had to go to Appeal for her place. Unfortunately the speed of the process depends on whether there is physically places.

@dalrympy thanks for the reply- there are a couple of schools with places or very short waiting lists, according to the schools though I have to go via the council to apply for a reception place and they’ll allocate. So frustrating as just want to be able to prepare her. I do wonder if we would have been better off moving after October half term and doing an in year transfer but hindsight is a wonderful thing! I can’t imagine how busy admissions depts are atm with everything going on and the back logs etc

@Perkyduck131

Part of the problem is because you’re wanting a reception place as well, as that’s the reason people rent to get a place. When it’s higher up the school it’s clear cut whether there are places or not, so you’d probably encounter less issues if that makes sense.

Oh god @Aroundtheworldin80moves sorry to hear that, sounds so stressful. I know reception can be harder as they can only have 30 in a class. I know some schools did have spaces at the start of August so I’m praying that this remains the case!

@Hoppinggreen thank you 😊 sure it will be worth it in the end- crazy year!

My LA required me to actually call them from my new home on the day I moved in! It's absurd - I could have been on my mobile anywhere, pretending.

They absolutely wouldn't proceed though until I was physically in my new purchased property with my old one sold and all contracts exchanged and completed.

Oh god @middleager that makes no sense! How awkward ‘hi, I’m here ’

Ok definitely reassuring to know I’m not alone here- DH has been in charge of all the financial aspect and sorted it all no issues. This has been my main task and have felt like a huge failure- such a stressful process