how to find a place in oversubscribed school mid year

[Spanielmad]

Hello, we might be moving house in the coming year - to south Buckinghamshire. My kids are about to start Y6 and Y8. If we move in the middle of the school year how are we supposed to find school places? Pretty much ALL 'good/outstanding' secondary schools and grammar schools are oversubscribed. So even if we find a house near a good school how do I get my kids in??
thanks !!

Erm. You don't, if they are oversubscribed. I'm afraid if the school has no places left that's it. You'll need to find the nearest school with free places, which might not be one you want unfortunately.

uhh. thanks BlessYourCottonSocks... there seems to be no undersubscribed schools except some 'in need of improvement' or 'inadequate'. In Marlow for example, the nearest 'undersubscribed' is over 5 miles away....

Oversubscribed generally just refers to the current year 7. There is often movement in Year as families move.

If you apply and are refused as the school is at capacity then you could appeal. However this takes time and it probably preferable to take whatever place is offered, for short term at least.

tiggy put it all much better and more clearly than I did! I know it's probably not what you were hoping to hear, but actually 5 miles away isn't considered far. My DC go to a school 6 miles from home; admittedly we are rural, but even with the bus they are expected to be able to walk up to 2 miles to catch it. Every parent (generally) wants a Good or Outstanding school for their children and so these tend to be oversubscribed.

Buy a house as close as you can to the school you want, and wait it out, putting them into a less desirable school for a term or two if needs be.

Ideally you need an address in time to apply for secondaries for your younger child in October. Otherwise you may face another struggle getting a place for year 7.

OMG this sounds complicated. There's no way we'll get an address by October - we're more thinking next spring/summer. There is an amazing lack of 'good'/outstanding schools in south bucks it seems. even if we find one it is usually oversubscribed and the next nearest one is 'inadequate'. I suppose waiting lists is the only way to go but I would hate to move my kids 3 times!
Good point SweettheHalls on the oversubscribed referring to Y7.
Once we know more for certain I will make some phone calls to some of these schools but it doesn't sound very promising.... the house hunt will be very limited if we can only look at areas where there is a good school with places....
And if the kids are in separate schools the school run would become rather impossible...LOL... how on earth do people do this?
Thanks everyone for your helpful answers and Tiggytape for your long answer. I don't feel very hopeful..... :(

Secondary school run - the children are expected to make their own way there, so different schools shouldn't be a problem.

Bucks is a bit of a scrap for places, because they have grammars. Are you definitely stuck with Bucks?

Are they not already in different schools? School run is the least of concerns. Have you looked on Bucks .c.c website regarding In Year admissions and, thinking ahead, "late" secondary applications if you will miss October's deadline. You may be able to apply before you physically move but you need to be clear on any key dates and timeline.

I don't know how this will work for your Y6 child, as they will miss sitting the Bucks 11+.

thanks again - really appreciate your answers!
SittingintheSun; good point, I suppose there might be a schoolbus, or perhaps they can walk (as they are now). And no we're not bound by Bucks but that's where DH work will be.... so further out (Berkshire, Surrey) would be a bit of a commute.
Lizs; thanks! we will miss October's deadline (I'll be signing up my youngest to the comp where we are now). You think we can apply without having an address in the catchment yet? mmm
Yes, I imagine they both need to do an immediate mid-year test for a grammar. But if there are no places... :(

there seems to be no undersubscribed schools except some 'in need of improvement' or 'inadequate'

you probably start in one of those, supplement by tutoring or working with kids yourself at home and go on the WL of all the schools you would accept. Once one child is in a school the other usually has sibling priority.

People leave schools all the time - you can ring and ask if there is space in the necessary year - then apply - you may get lucky because once settled they aret going to move from inadequate to good

That said schools ratings change all the time - there is hope

Unfortunately there are some schools tang are judged to be needing improvement. I'm not sure why you think you'd leapfrog all the other families placed in these schools so your kids can go to an outstanding school mid-year?

No need for a school run at secondary level.

thanks all. Greentulips, yes, that's what I"ll do. I will call and see what they say. Then decide which area to focus on....
thanks so much everyone!

They won't hold available places open for 6 months' time though. What is available in September may have been filled by Spring, although movement during year 6 seems less likely. If you live near the border you can look beyond your immediate county.

thanks Lizs. we don't know dates yet but will call a few schools to see what they advise. Who knew moving house would be so complicated... ;)

Bucks has the 11+ for Grammar school entry. Everything else is a secondary modern. Some are better than others, but I'm not sure any are outstanding. You might be better looking at living out of county. I believe Oxfordshire has comprehensive schools.
Those of us living in Bucks, support our kids to get through the 11+, and keep our fingers crossed.
My son did not pass. He has just finished GCSEs at John Colet in Wendover. We have been very happy with the school.

I work at the only outstanding secondary for about 20 miles and we have long waiting lists even for next years Y11. However we do have movement every year and new students joining us, most coming from nearby schools, sometimes independents, having been waiting for a place. I would check admission policies and try and fill as many as possible. Good luck

thank you so much for that info.
Even if we do pass the 11+ (my kids are both very bright but were never tutored or prepared for 11+ as we don’t have grammars around here) we’ll end up on a waiting list I now understand as all grammars are full. I hate to have to put my kids through 3 different secondary schools (current one, one bridging while waiting, grammar) so very much looking for alternative options.
Redsrule - " try and fill as many as possible” you mean waiting lists?
thanks again. Again, I will call some schools and assuming they wil confirm what you all say, I will look how far neighbouring counties are for the commute (and whether they have good schools that are not over subscribed), or perhaps even consider staying put and letting DH live in a hotel during the week.... Thanks!
oh..er...if anyone knows of a grammar/good/outstanding school that is not oversubscribed in the Chesham-Reading-Slough area let me know! ;)

When you look on right move it will give information on oversubscribed - that does relate dto the year 7 intake

They may have less students in he Year you need

Don't give up - I'd suggest youbpfferbon a house and then ask the schools