Applying for secondary school 300 miles away - is this allowed?

[GreenPotatoes]

We have to apply for secondary school in October 2021 for 2022 admissions. We know which secondary school we would like DS to go to but it’s 300 miles away.

The reason for this is we will be moving next year. We have been talking about moving out of the city and back to out roots for a while. DHs mother unfortunately passed away and he has been left the house. So we think it’s a good opportunity to fulfil our ambition.

DS has one year left at primary school and we wanted to keep him there to avoid two moves in two years (plus neither of us have jobs near the new house yet). This means we have to apply for secondary while we are still living here.

So a few questions now I’ve explained a bit

• Can we apply for a secondary 300 miles away? Is this allowed?
• As we have both houses would we be allowed to apply from the address we would be moving to, where DS would be living permanently from July 2022, or does it have to be the address we are at now?
• Do we apply using the new councils secondary school form because we want the school there?
• Are we being crazy and should we just move now and deal with two moves in two years?

@Blueskytoday06

Yes you can apply but when the school review the application to see if a place can be offered you'll find it will be rejected.

If the school has a place available, it must be offered. That is the law. The fact the OP is living 300 miles away is irrelevant. However, if the school is oversubscribed next year it is unlikely the OP will get a place.

@GreenPotatoes

I did some more digging. And I think it’s a bit self explanatory, but I think I just want someone to tell me I’m right (just in case I’m not, then rely on the info and best laid plans go very wrong).

One of the main problems about moving now, other than selling the current house and finding a primary school, is work. Neither DH or myself have a job near to the new house so this is something that we need to get on with. If we can’t find one we can’t move.

I found the attached in the schools admissions policy. Reading it, it sounds like this might buy us some time to find work and the application won’t be considered as late? Meaning we could move anytime before March. Have I understood this correctly? Like I said, I think it’s obvious from reading it, but I just want to make sure I’m reading it right.

yes that's how I read it too op. If you apply before offer day it's considered with other on time applications. That's quite unusual but if the school is never full then I guess that's why. I am assuming it is very rural?

@clary thank you so much. Glad to see I am reading it correctly and this will give us some more time to sort out what we need to. You’ve given me peace of mind.

Yes, very rural. Massive catchment stretching 10 miles in all directions and next nearest school to our new house is 12 miles (25 minutes by car in one direction along some truly horrendous roads), after that its 19 miles, 20 miles and 32 miles, all in different directions.
I agree, the admissions is a bit quirky, but it’s explained in the schools admissions policy that it’s known public transport is limited and going in the car over these distances is not seen as feasible for parents. The schools provide transport but you have to pay out of catchment and it can get quite expensive. It goes on to say it’s done because of the rural nature of the school and catchment so that priority is given to those who really couldn’t be expected to make unreasonably long journeys to other schools regardless of when the application is received (unless it really is oversubscribed - in which case you’re out of luck, but as we won’t be making an in-year application, I’m not concerned about this bit). You probably didn’t really care about all that detail but thought it might explain the strange policy a bit better.

I do firmly believe, if the school was anywhere else, it would be massively oversubscribed, but parents from outside the catchment face the same problems getting to our “to-be” catchment school, in the same way we would have problems getting to out of catchment schools so it keeps the numbers low. At least that’s my theory. DH is backing me up on this so I’m assuming it’s right.

I think rural areas have to keep a bit more capacity in the system because of the distances involved. If someone moves into the area and they can't give them a place in the nearest school, the LA will have to provide transport to wherever they do put them. (You have to pay for your own transport if you choose not to go the catchment school, but not if it's forced on you.)

Firstly, yes, you are allowed to apply. You can apply for any school you want to wherever it is in England. Apply using the address and form for where you live at the time of application.

I think you should be considering moving sooner rather than later. I wouldn’t wait until July 2022 as you might not get the place. Sounds like you have a chance from your current address but I wouldn’t take it for granted, especially if you have to go such long distances to the alternative schools. You seem to have gold dust on your doorstep of the new house so get moving and don’t miss out. If the schools admissions allow you to apply late and be considered with everyone else then use the time but make sure you have moved before March. I wouldn’t be worried about 2 moves. Year 6 isn’t the be all and end all. Secondary is more important.

Whilst the admission criteria would appear to be working in your favour, I personally given your circumstances would not be leaving it that long. I would be looking to move jobs now, so that you can move preferably over the summer holidays 2021.
The data would suggest that you will not have an issue but admissions is always a bit quirky and you would be kicking yourself if next year is the year that everybody recognises the quality of the school and you miss out on distance

We applied for secondary school from 8000 miles away! - and we got a place. If there are spaces they will offer them to you.

UPDATE: decision made

We will be moving over the summer holidays.

DH has asked at work. They are happy (have agreed) to move him to an office in a northern city. It’s still a couple of hours away from new house but with the working from home arrangements (which the company has decided will stay forever) he can quite happily work from home and go to the office when needed one or two days a week.

I can get a job and will be starting to look and apply this week. Fingers crossed I will get one by September but all isn’t lost if I don’t. Cost of living up there is a lot less so we can cope with one wage for a few months if needed.

DD happy to move, DS a bit sad he won’t finish primary with the same people he’s been with since year R but he’s looking forward to the move and excited about it so it should work out alright.

Contacted the council and primary schools. The nearest primary school to the house has a place for DD but DS can’t have a place because the Y5/6 class he would go into has a big Y5 group which takes up some of the Y6 spaces. The next nearest can offer both DS and DD a space but it’s tiny - would only be 4 DC in DD year group and 3 in DS year group! So we’re going to put DS in that school and DD in the local one. The council even apologised and offered school transport for DS because it’s the closest school they can give us. I’ve decided I like this council. I didn’t even have to argue (not that it would have mattered, it wouldn’t have crossed my mind if they hadn’t mentioned it). This way DS can make some friends before secondary and we have moved house before the October deadline putting us in the catchment for secondary and applied on time.

Thanks everyone for the help and advice and for making us see sense. Feeling a lot better about things now.

Make sure your DS is on the waiting list for the bigger school, and beat in mind that you can appeal (if you wanted to) - lots of good advice about that on these boards. But pleased it has come together for you!