In year admissions

[xyzzyx]

Moving house so moving schools because the boroughs are nowhere near each other.

I applied for schools ages ago to where we are moving but was told to reapply later. Later has come and the schools I've selected have no availability for september.

The next nearest schools are about 45 drive but I don't drive and the buses run every 30 mins or so...

What do I do?

It's usually the LA who gives you a school place. You'll need to speak to them. They are able to ask a school to create a place or provide transport. Ultimately they make the decision and you'll need to talk with them to see what your options are.

This happened to me and it was months before my dd got a school place. The LEA kept telling me to ask the individual schools and the schools said I had to apply for a place before they told me of there was a place.

If there really isn't a place anywhere else, rather than there is a place nearer to your house but you don't want it, then they will have to pay for transport.

When do you /did you move?
It's likely that some places will come up in September, as people move over the summer and just don't return to school.

Hold your nerve, contact the LEA as soon as you've moved, and consider any school that is accessible for you (we took places at the least popular school in town, as it was the only one that could take both kids, it's been great - so don't discount places on reputation without seeing them)

PS no school will give you a place now for September. If it's a September place you want, you need to wait til the last 3 weeks of term

Not true in every area - in Essex, for example, mid-year applications for September are accepted from the May half term onwards.

@xyzzyx what is the set-up in the new LA? Do they use a CAF for application to all schools or a mixed system (CAF for community / CoE VC, applying to each individual school for academies / other faith schools etc)?

Once you are actually resident within the new LA, it will be responsible for finding you a school place and may invoke its Fair Access Protocol if there are genuinely no places in the relevant year group within a reasonable distance / travel time.

Later has come and the schools I've selected have no availability for september.

Have you asked / applied to all the closest schools, or just ones you like the look of? If the LA allocates you a school, it will be the nearest one with a place (or if under the FAP, the one which agrees / whose turn it is to take an extra pupil - in either case, you won't get to choose, but you can still appeal for other schools).

Which school year is this for?

They will do neither of these things, unless your child has an EHCP or has been excluded from another school.

Not true. You can apply for an in-year admission at any time regardless as to where you live. However, schools wont hold a place for you for much more than a week or so.

I’ve just done this, for my 3DC. Circumstances of the move totally out of my control (was about to be homeless).

In Year Admissions form, put catchment school as top choice. Primary school was no issue, they went over PAN to accept us immediately.

The secondary - not so much. Y10 place and Y7 place needed. Rejected. Filled in an appeal form, spoke to the Deputy Head of the school. Appeal is mid July.

If there is no school with a place available within 2 miles (primary) or 3 miles (secondary) then the LA must provide transport for the pupil

If there are no places at all within a reasonable travelling time, then the onus is on the LA to come up with a place and this is by invoking the Fair Access Protocol (and it can be done for any pupil without a place) which forces a school to go over numbers and admit. This is however not the parent's choice of school, it is the one the LA considers can best cope with the additional pupil.

I note OP says the schools she's 'selected' - if they are all full, then she will also have to consider others. Councils will not invoke FAP, nor provide transport, if there is a school nearby with a space

I legally have the new property paying rent council tax and bills etc.
But because dc are still in school we are still living where we are until July so they finish their school year.
Two complete different boroughs I might add