What should I do?

[Dancingmums]

In 2021, DH and I left London to move up north for work reasons. We rented out our home and have been renting in our new town ever since.

Our DC is 3 and starts reception in Sept 25. If, for whatever reason, we are still based here, I recently registered DC at a local prep school as an option should we decide not to enroll DC at the local primary which is a fantastic school.

However, given DH and I have always intended to move back to London, I'm wondering whether it's worth planning on a move at the end of this year, whether we rent or buy, just to obtain a local address to enroll DC into a good school.

I wouldn't want DC to experience joining a new school, adjusting to new surroundings and making new friends after the term has started.

While I feel I've covered my bases here in the north, I don't know how best to ensure a smooth transition for DC when we move back down south.

Our work is geographically mobile and we could move back to London if we wanted to next month.

Given school application deadlines and being oversubscribed, do you think I should look into moving back towards the end of this year just to obtain an address close to an ideal school (we have no plans to move back into our London home which is currently rented) but intend to buy elsewhere (likely Surrey).

This is new to me so any advice appreciated.

Surrey isn't london. Kids adapt quickly to moves but sounds like you just need decide where to live and move there. Renting a property just to get an address is fraud

Agree with pp. you can’t really play the system - it won’t work. Yes in an ideal world you’d be settled before dc goes to school, but I would also say that kids move around quite a bit in reception, yr 1 and yr 2 so I would worry less about deciding quickly and worry more about making a long term move in the next 3 years or so.

by the time you get to year 4 or 5 it gets harder to move, and you need to make secondary choices at the beginning of year 6. You definitely want to be settled at that point as the schools tend to be much more oversubscribed and friendships more important.

I guess you missed "buy 'elsewhere' like Surrey".

Thanks for the advice for Year 1-2 and Year 5-6 etc. We are planning on moving back down south and have no intention of keeping any address where we are here or not really moving. I didn't think moving to a neighbourhood where there's a good school is playing the system. I'm trying to make a well-informed choice and would be happy to move earlier than originally planned if it can help my children get into a good school school. I mentioned renting because, of course, we're not going to buy until the right house comes along.

People are referring to playing the system as your post does read as though you are considering renting somewhere for the address that you don’t then intend to move into.

If you are planning on renting within the catchment area you will buy in then there is merit in moving before applications and starting the school he'll remain at.

But if you dont know or can't guarantee where you'll buy it won't really make a difference when you move. Because you may need to move him schools with the house purchase anyway.

If you're happy to continue renting LT within that catchment without buying if needs be I'd also say moving may have merit.

But I wouldn't worry about moving a child mis school year or mid school cycle (eg during infants)

The only thing you'd really have to consider is what you'd do moving mid year or mid cycle and there not being availability. Would you go private or could you afford to go private then until either a phase move or a space came up. Which could mean you e just done what you're trying to avoid - twice!

If you’re not going to stay up north then yes, worth thinking about where you want to live and moving there before school choices have to be made.

Another thing I would say is that primary school is a community. For me that was when we shifted from being adults with a child to being a family oriented around our child’s social life and activities: play dates, clubs, etc.

Also, the school day is much shorter than the childcare you get in preschool days and then there’s the holidays to factor in, so if you’re both working you will need a local childminder and/ or a good network of other families who help each other out. So all of these are good reasons to move sooner rather than later, everything else being equal. in your shoes that is what I would do.

@Dancingmums your post says 'always intended on moving back to london'. You say you have a house there. Then talk about renting a property to get into a school. Maybe in Surrey. Hence my comment that I think you need to decide where you want to live.

While lots of good schools in London are undersubscribed at the moment, yes I would think it's worth moving back to be able to apply for a reception place in London if that's where you're going to end up.

Much better doing that than moving later and having to take a place at any school that has vacancies.

If you want to relocate, it would be prudent to be in your new home by the end of this year so you have all the evidence of residence before the primary application deadline in January 2025. There are lots of good primary schools in London and the South East and some parts of London, especially inner London have large surpluses because of demographic changes. Having said that, the really sought after schools are usually, but not always, oversubscribed. One caution, if you rent to near your owned property you may face some probing to ensure you are not making a fraudulent application.

It does sound like that if you stopped reading after my third paragraph. If you read my whole post I do try to make it clear that we are flexible enough to move back in the next few months if needed.

I understand your pov and how it can sound confusing. My husband and I each own several properties and while we did live in 'his' property before we moved up north, that property is not somewhere we view as our long term family home. This is why I referenced buying or renting in Surrey. We are not keen to move back into our old home that is now rented.

Thanks for all of your replies. You've all made great points. Thanks also for highlighting things I need to be mindful about and how
certain priorities and specific dynamics will change in a year or so.