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Original poster

Managing exchanging/completion dates v school

32 replies

coffeeneeded · 23/08/2022 18:19

We are the third in a chain of 4 and the only ones with school age children (6 yr old twins) to contend with.

Our buyers and sellers both want swift exchanges/completion, preferably by mid November but our kids are at school until mid December.

The house we are moving to is an hour away from our current house so no chance of commute to school.

We'd rather not rent for financial and wellbeing reasons but I'm wondering if that may be our only choice. I don't think there is anyone we can stay with.

WWYD?

OP posts:
starpatch · 23/08/2022 19:08

I am sorry but I think the usual thing would be to move in November and then just apply for new school straight away. They will prob miss a couple of weeks of school but can’t be helped. You could visit schools now in new area so you are ready to apply as soon as you move. My son had to move in year twice and I don’t really think it makes much difference if mid term or at the beginning of new term. Both times I was surprised there were a good selection of places available.

Original poster
coffeeneeded · 23/08/2022 19:21

I didn't even think that moving mid term would be an option- how did your kids manage it mentally?

OP posts:
Original poster
coffeeneeded · 23/08/2022 19:38

Anyone else bee in a similar situation?

OP posts:
Violettaa · 23/08/2022 19:44

A friend is about to do something similar - they’re completing early September, and will homeschool for a few weeks beforehand.

But crucially, they’ve exchanged so they can be fairly certain that the move will happen.

I’ve heard too many stories of house sales falling through pre-exchange to risk planning schooling around them before that point (sorry). In your circumstances I’d certainly keep them at their current school, in case things don’t work out.

Kids move school mid-term all the time.

Snowdropsarelovely · 23/08/2022 19:46

Speaking as a teacher I don't think it would be a problem for your children to move midterm at all. If anything they will be more settled by the time the new term starts!

VariationsonaTheme · 23/08/2022 19:48

Kids move mid-term all the time, doesn’t seem to make any difference to them.

babysgotthespends · 23/08/2022 19:50

We moved during the first half term last October. We were planning to get the kids to start new schools in the academic year but it didn't work out that way. In the same way there's no way we could have commuted before the move. My dd had just been diagnosed with ASC and started Reception and DS who had just started year 3 had made solid friendships so we were very worried by it all. As it was both children settled really nicely. DD couldn't get a place at DS's school so that was also a concern but they've managed really well and settled nicely.
I know how stressful that all is so I wish you well. Happy to answer any questions should you wish to DM.

cathol · 23/08/2022 19:52

Renting isn't really going to be an option especially not for a month to six weeks. You'd be disrupting the kids for longer, two moves to make, a 6m minimum fixed term if not 12...

babysgotthespends · 23/08/2022 19:53

Also, to prepare mentally we used social stories and spent a couple of weekends in the new area prior to the move so it wasn't a massive shock! We'll be moving into house number 3 next month, it's in the same area and it's the one we've bought so no more moving after that inshallah. They've coped well and we've done lots of exploring together.

cocogoloco · 23/08/2022 20:02

We are relocating in 2 weeks (6th) 2 hours from current town.

My primary age child was offered a place in a school within 2 days of application (which I could only do once we had exchanged contracts). He will start either the Friday or following Monday after term starts.

However, my eldest (y8) does not get have a school place, I have to face facts it could be up to 3 weeks before he has a school
Place (schools have 15 school working days to find a space)
I am bricking it, but they have to find him a school place so know it will work out (praying lol)
I really wanted him to start Asap with his new cohort, I still have to try and have hope!

SheWoreYellow · 23/08/2022 20:04

Ours have twice started about ten days before Christmas and it’s been fine.

Original poster
coffeeneeded · 23/08/2022 20:52

Thank you all. This is very interesting

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RidingMyBike · 23/08/2022 20:55

This happened to another kid at DD's first primary school. The family moved and applied for a school place in new location but had to carry on getting her to the first school until a place came up in new location. They had about a term of 45 min each way for the school run (so 3 hours a day!).

We relocated further (200 miles) so had to go into rental but we timed that to coincide with half term. We had to start the tenancy a month before we needed it in order to have an address for the school place.

Original poster
coffeeneeded · 23/08/2022 21:05

Oh lord. We definitely won't be able to commute. It's from one side of London to the other.

They don't make it easy do they?

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RidingMyBike · 23/08/2022 21:10

Work out your time frames for school places, especially as you'll need two. I don't know if they differ between counties but the county we moved to you could only apply 20 school days before you needed the place and no further ahead than that. So I counted back to when that would be and that told me when they'd need the address. Presumably that would give you the exchange date you need for the address?

Could you go into Air BnB or similar for a week or two to get them started at school?

Original poster
coffeeneeded · 23/08/2022 21:45

I will have to do research on how many days I need to apply for the schools. This is all very new for us so early days yet.

Thank you all so much though

Any other thoughts, please do shout

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cantkeepawayforever · 23/08/2022 21:52

You might want to think about whether the schools you are applying for have a ‘twins’ exception, so that one twin admitted as the 30th child allows the other to join as an ‘excepted child’, even though it breaks the infant class size limit. It may only apply for ‘normal’ admission, not in year, but could widen your chances as you only need to find 1 place.

Children start mid term all the time - places must be filled within a couple of weeks of being offered, so literally anytime is normal. Ds started a new primary 3 weeks before the summer holiday…. He got to know everyone and visited his new classroom, had friends to meet in the park etc and didn’t feel ‘new’ at the start of the next year.

SheWoreYellow · 24/08/2022 09:39

Can you take any time off work - do you need to get them straight in to school? When we moved ours were off for a couple of weeks IIRC. It was a bigger move, but something to bear in mind.
Id just call the school and ask if they have places from mid-end nov.

cantkeepawayforever · 24/08/2022 09:52

The thing is that, in general, once a place is given it must be taken up within a short period - usually a couple of weeks. So it is worth establishing which schools are likely to have spaces (eg currently well under infant class size limits) and then apply formally for them closer to the time, being willing / able to pounce as soon as places are offered. We ended up taking ds to his new school a day before moving day , which was exciting but useful in securing the place.

SheWoreYellow · 24/08/2022 10:15

cantkeepawayforever · 24/08/2022 09:52

The thing is that, in general, once a place is given it must be taken up within a short period - usually a couple of weeks. So it is worth establishing which schools are likely to have spaces (eg currently well under infant class size limits) and then apply formally for them closer to the time, being willing / able to pounce as soon as places are offered. We ended up taking ds to his new school a day before moving day , which was exciting but useful in securing the place.

IME you need proof of address, so solicitor’s letter following exchange. But in advance of that you can ask a school if they have places and if that is likely to change.

mindutopia · 24/08/2022 10:29

Honestly, I applied as an in-year application about a month before we completed. I used the new address. I was never asked for documentation, but I had the draft contract anyway had they wanted to see it. Then they started the Monday after we completed (which was a Friday). It really was no big deal. Children move school all the time in the middle of the term.

mindutopia · 24/08/2022 10:31

And yes, mine settled just fine. Within a week, eldest had joined clubs and she had a whole set of friends and it was like they'd known each other for years. Littlest one was the same.

cantkeepawayforever · 24/08/2022 10:42

IME you need proof of address, so solicitor’s letter following exchange. But in advance of that you can ask a school if they have places and if that is likely to change.

It depends on whether a school has places open (in which case they have to give them to you if you apply BUT you have to take them up promptly) or if you are getting places from a waiting list / leapfrogging those already on a waiting list (in which case proof of exactly where you live will be needed).

DS got a place from 45 miles away, but had to start promptly (before we actually moved, as I said). DD then got a place, after some to-ing and fro-ing, bumped up the waiting list first as a sibling and second when we moved in close to the school. We had to wait a bit longer because another sibling moved in even closer to the school so she moved down the list for a week or two.

Original poster
coffeeneeded · 25/08/2022 08:00

The school can fine me for taking the kids out. Has this happened to any of you?

OP posts:
eurochick · 25/08/2022 08:30

You say your buyers and sellers have a preference for a November date but exchange and completion dates are a negotiation and you have a good reason for a December date so push for that. Ime the dates aimed for early in the process often slip in any case. However, having once moved on 19 December I can fully understand why people would rather be in a few weeks before Christmas!