Help! Moving & primary school admissions tomorrow

[SunnyChange]

We were going through a house purchase that we've had to pull out of suddenly this week (but that's another thread!) I had a feeling it would happen which is why I didn't put in the school application for the schools we'd chosen for the new area (70 miles away). It's the night before the deadline and I'm stressed, we've got viewings this weekend to find somewhere else in that area to move to before September but I'm concerned and wondered what's the best to do with admissions.

Apply for schools in the new area at the prospect of being rejected from them all due to currently living too far away and they potentially place DC in one of the local school requiring improvement (although maybe not, and possibility of being accepted) making it hard to move schools as she has a place or apply for one in our current area and change it when we move before September (would this be classified as 'in year' and how does this work)?

Apply for schools where you live now. As soon as you exchange/complete, apply for schools in New area. Waiting lists are entirely on criteria, not time on list, so you could be at the top, or near the top. People give up school places for various reasons... Going back a few years we suddenly gave up a school place as DHs job moved abroad unexpectedly for example.

Oh I hope so! When you moved were you on a waiting list for the new school for a couple of weeks on September? Or did they take an application after the cut off and between September?

The LA is required to accept applications at any time. If you apply during or shortly before the summer holidays there is likely to be a delay as the LA won't be able to talk to the schools. If you are able to apply before that you should be offered a place before the summer holidays.

Already having a school place will not make it harder for you to move elsewhere, if you were to apply in the new area and accept where you were given. Rejecting a place is more likely to have a negative impact than accepting it and then trying to move.