Moving schools in Summer holidays

[Panapan]

We are moving house at the beginning of September (2 hours from where we are currently). DS is going into year 1. I’d hoped moving during the summer would be the least disruptive to his schooling. We made an application to our village school via the council but have had no response. I’ve followed up and been told we may not hear until after term starts - up to 15 school days (which seems crazy to me). Have others moved in this time frame and did your child/ren really have no schooling whilst waiting for a place?

This is a common issue unfortunately. Schools are largely shut down in the holidays, so things are often paused. Do you know if the school has a space? If they do, things can hopefully be processed quickly. If there are inset days at the start of term he might be able to start with the others if you are lucky.

It will be trickier if there is no space and they have to look to other schools. That can take several weeks if schools are full. Sometimes they are chasing other children who haven't returned to confirm if they have moved away, so they can offer the place out.

I'd be tempted to ask the LA which schools have spaces, but some are more forthcoming than others with information, and of course it may change in September.

A sympathetic school with space May well let you start prior to the LA paperwork being complete. Ours did. Not all are that amenable.

I spoke to the school before term ended, they explained the paperwork couldn't be done until we exchanged so that was 1 August. The school allowed me to send the kids in the first day of term even through if took a couple of days to do the paperwork

I would not start the old school and wait until I’d heard.

So young, won’t really miss anything and will save him the upheaval

This was actually completely outside of regulations. The child was not on the attendance register.

I did it with dd twice!
1st time I had to leave a relationship quickly and dd would turn 4 before the new school year started.
I contacted the local council and got given the choice of 2 schools (luckily not a big year) so contacted them directly and picked the best one.
2nd time I had to move again in August, so called the council again and they gave me the choice of schools.
As they were closed and no-one answering the phones I wrote a brief letter explaining my circumstances and if it was possible could I view the school.
One lovely headmistress called me back and gave me a tour and answered any questions and I went for that one.
There's often someone in schools during the holidays so if you can contact them directly they can help get the ball rolling before term starts, possibly I was lucky but it's worth a try.

Thank you all this is helpful to hear. I’ve tried to call the school but there doesn’t seem to be anyone in the office. I fear they may be full as it’s a popular school but you never know if someone has moved or if they can make an exception etc. The local authority say they have no live data about spaces. Sounds like I’ll just have to sit tight and get straight onto them after the bank holiday when hopefully someone will be back in the school office.

Have you tried emailing? Someone might pick that up on a visit into school in the holidays. Otherwise yes call them after the bank holiday.

When moved in the summer holidays, one child had a school place within a few days of school starting. Other was end of October. The difference being there was space in one year group we applied for in a school weapllied for, but no spaces for the other child and it went to appeal (they also did find her another place, but that was just before the appeal.

They could start the day after the place was formally offered and accepted.

We also moved in the Easter holidays, and the places were sorted within a few days of applying.