Relocating for work in year 6/7/8 - when is best?

[hermionegrangerat34]

My head is spinning and i'm hoping some more experienced mums -maybe teachers? - can help me here! I have three children - the eldest is 10 and just going into year 6. My current contract is due to end next summer, but I can have a years extension if I want to. There is unlikely to be a job for me that doesn't mean relocating - though if one comes up i'll go for it, as the local secondary school is excellent.
The problem is that thinking I'll probably have to relocate at some point in the next two years is a nightmare! The school admissions system seems completely oblivious to people moving house as far as i can see. I'll be applying for a place at the outstanding local school, but if I then move next summer it seems that i'll be at the back of the queue for places at local schools in teh new place. Could we end up without a place at all? Would we be better off moving after the new school year has begun? Or would that make friendships etc too difficult?

There's an added complication that my job involves living in tied housing, so commuting isn't an option unfortunately - I'll have to move to where the job is.

So if I do have to relocate, when is best for getting into a decent school in the new place, and for social/academic progress?

I personally would try to avoid moving in year 6 because the window for getting a place at a secondary school is so small. You have to put in your preferences in this term (by end of October), after that you are likely to be allocated to a school which may not be to your liking.
After that in years 7 and 8 you can apply for a secondary school and if they are full, at least be able to appeal on the basis of moving into the area.

Is moving into the area grounds for appeal that means you're likely to get a place? I know nothing about this!

We moved when DS1 was in Year 6. We knew at the beginning of Yr 6 that we would be moving, and so on the advice of someone (prob person at Local Authority where we used to live) when completing the form with choices of schools, we put down names of 2 schools in the area where we wanted to live as first and second choices (knew quite a lot about the area so knew which schools we wanted). Then 3rd and subsequent choices were schools in area where we were living then. We had still not moved by the time the letters allocating places were sent out (Feb or March) but had a moving date so I contacted LA of new place and they advised that I should email with intention of appeal, so that, at the point of moving, if we did not get the school place we could appeal. Fortunately we go the required place without too much hassle.

(This is an approximation of what happened, as it is now 5 years ago and I am unsure of the specifics)

We were keen to move before DS1 went into secondary school as felt it would be difficult to move him once settled in one school - also would be hard for him knowing that he wouldn't be there for long.

5 weeks after moving he did KS2 SATS, and then went on a week long school trip. He coped very well, but it was a difficult time for him.

We moved 100 miles away so really was a big life-changing move for us!