So, how much of a pain is it to switch schools mid-year? Is it even possible?

[BayeauxT]

Hi, excuse me as I am a newbie to school-related matters as I'm "foreign" so not sure how it works over here...

Bit of background: DD is starting reception in September, we have lived in our village for two years, renting, hoping to buy but in that time nothing decent has come onto the market! I thought I would just stick it out BUT - just seen a lovely house that has come on the market in another village in the area (with an excellent school) - so I am wondering how much of a PITA is it to switch to a new school in reception year. Is it likely they will even have a place for her, or will I have to wait till the next school year starts? (It's a very good school so I guess they are probably very popular...)

I am just so fed up of renting - just found out I am pg so I think the nesting instinct has kicked in!

It would be luck of the draw as to whether and when a place came up once the initial applications have been dealt with. How far is the house from the school she would start at, is it a feasible school run ?

Children moving into the area after places have been allocated are classed as "exceptions" to the infant class size for the first school year

It varies with the LEA, my dds moved school twice midyear, in yr 1 and yr R and then again in yr 2 and yr 1. The second school was officially full but they were admitted straight away because it was basically the only local school when we moved for the second time. You need to find out what your LEA does for children moving mid-year, some areas are much more helpful on this than others. Find out if it has a policy for this. Ours did and it did make it easy, both times.

I have moved my daughter 6 weeks before the end of the school year very recently. It was very easy tbh but there was a space anyway but even so Lucy has a statement so would get a place regardless. I visited and looked round and spoke at length to head.Then I took Lucy for a visit. Head offered a week of extended visits for Lucy with no obligation on either side.On the last day of that week I filled in a registration form and Lucy started officially the following monday really easy tbh.

Hi, thanks for the replies - I will call the local authority people (yup, I thought as it was sumer hols I wouldn't get an answer till September!) It's not really feasible to commute - probably 40 minutes drive. Going to see the house on Friday anyway and take it from there.

In our LEA they hold places til the end of August for new children moving in, so it's well worth contacting them before that date, we made that mistake, and tried to change in early September but they'd just filled the places. Luckily they encouraged us to appeal and move them anyway but it would definitely have helped to have asked in August.

I've been into school this morning and there is a note to say I'm getting an extra child starting in Sept .... and I'd just printed off my new class lists and labelled all the coat pegs!