Question on Primary vs Secondary school catchment area

[OlivePoster]

Hi there,
Our family have just moved to UK and temporarily settled in Slough with my son and he is in the age of 5.
We are currently thinking of moving to Wokingham / Crowthorne and queries come to mind that should I look for house directly in the catchment area of the desired secondary school despite that the primary school in the same catchment is average which may not our first choice).

Appreciate any advice about school or comment in selecting catchment area. Thanks in advance.

Schools can change a lot in 6years. As can catchment areas. We were in catchment for one school when we bought now it's a different one. I would focus on a house near to the primary school you want so your child can have friends that live close by and doesn't have a difficult journey to school. Worry about secondary school when your kid is in y5.

You will need to look at the policy for the local council but, usually, as you are applying for a primary place in year, catchment areas won’t apply. It will be a case of choosing a school from the schools that have a place available. There may not be a place at your local catchment school, or any of the schools you like, for that matter.

If you aren’t applying for a reception place, primary catchment areas aren’t really relevant. Choose the location based on secondary catchments. Although by the time your DC goes to secondary school, the school may have changed for better or worse.

Totally agree that school and catchment change a lot in 6 years which actually what I think at first. My thought of choosing a living place based on the secondary catchment to avoid searching home again as I found it's a bit complicated in selecting houses in catchment area with right timing.

Thanks for your information. May I know if we will be treated as in-year if we are applying for year 1 which catchment doesn't count but only school availability matters?

Applying for a year 1 place you will be treated as an "in-year" application. So you will be given a place at whichever school has availability at that time. At this point, it's just a case of where has a Year 1 place free. If it is over 2 miles away, your child will get free transport (this may just be a bus pass)

Then, if you wish, you can go on waiting lists for other schools as well, which is where the catchment will come into play as you will be placed on their waiting lists in accordance with the admissions criteria, which may give priority to those living in catchment.

But for your initial allocation when you first apply, you will get a place wherever the LA has one.