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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Original poster

admissions

9 replies

Leediyah · 02/10/2023 14:38

Hello, please I would like suggestions or advice. My son is currently in year 6. However we may be moving houses next year by July. I'm a bit worried on where to fill for secondary schools. Can I put down schools in my current area and some schools from the new area? This is to have a safety net if we end up staying back in our current city. Our rent expires in June. I don't want him to do in-year applications as most times its hard to get a good or outstanding secondary school this way if you are new to an area. At least I assume this is so with the long waiting lists.
Thank you for taking the time to read this to help me.

OP posts:
FallingAutumnLeaf · 02/10/2023 14:50

What are the chances of you getting a place (on distance?) to schools in the new area from your old address?

I'd hazard a guess that you won't, so it's a waste of an application.
So, apply as if you aren't moving. When you move, apply in year.

clary · 02/10/2023 15:01

Hi op, you can’t have a safety net anyway, as in holding two school places in case you don’t move.

You’ll be allocated one school place, hopefully one of your preferences - if so, it will be the one you place highest with an available space.

The calculation (it’s basically distance) will be based on where you live when you apply, so depending on where you plan to move to (is it far?) it’s likely you’ll be offered your local school if you put it down.

I'd put down my best local banker somewhere on the form. You can put schools local to your new home if you have that detail, but you are unlikely to be offered them unless they are under subscribed.

LIZS · 02/10/2023 15:18

The distance criteria will be based on your current address until such time as you have moved. So only undersubscribed schools in new area are likely to be offered now if the distance is significant. Better to apply local now and deal with the change if and when it happens,

catndogslife · 02/10/2023 16:33

In most areas you can only list 3 preferences on your application form. So even if you can find an under subscribed school in your new area, it would be a waste of time to apply anywhere else until you definitely know that you are moving.
If you move before national offers day in March 2024 then it would be possible to make a late application for a year 7 place in the new area. The chances of a place with a late application are likely to be higher than an in-year application.

Phos · 02/10/2023 16:36

Unless you know your new address already you’ll need to apply from your current one. If it’s a fair distance from where you are, you’ll pretty much be at the bottom of the pile for admission’s so you won’t get an outstanding school anyway.

Slothlikemum · 02/10/2023 17:27

catndogslife · 02/10/2023 16:33

In most areas you can only list 3 preferences on your application form. So even if you can find an under subscribed school in your new area, it would be a waste of time to apply anywhere else until you definitely know that you are moving.
If you move before national offers day in March 2024 then it would be possible to make a late application for a year 7 place in the new area. The chances of a place with a late application are likely to be higher than an in-year application.

A lot of areas do more than 3 (it's 6 where we are) but it's still a waste of time

Nonameoclue · 02/10/2023 19:17

Phos · 02/10/2023 16:36

Unless you know your new address already you’ll need to apply from your current one. If it’s a fair distance from where you are, you’ll pretty much be at the bottom of the pile for admission’s so you won’t get an outstanding school anyway.

Knowing your new address won't help, you need to be able to prove that you are living there (& usually have to prove you have no connection with the old one).

MarchingFrogs · 02/10/2023 19:31

Do you know more or less where you are moving to and which schools are be a reasonable bet from there? If you put a school / schools local to the intended new address first on your CAF, then make sure you have a 'banker' school In your current area amongst the rest (three preference slots is the legal minimum that must be allowed, but you may have more), then...

  1. If you haven't moved, and the new area schools are not undersubscribed, you won't get one of them on March 1st, but you will already be on the waiting lists there and will move up them as soon as you have a confirmed address in that locality and
  2. you should get a place in the first instance at a currently local school, so you're okay if the move doesn't come off at all.

Admittedly, you do run the risk that one of the 'new area' schools you apply for is undersubscribed and you are offered it before the move is confirmed, with no currently local place if it falls through, but that can also be dealt with by change of preference / late or mid-year application.

Assuming that you are in England, can name any state school, in or out of on your current LA's CAF.

Original poster
Leediyah · 03/10/2023 02:33

Thank you all so much. I'll think on everything and let you know how it goes. But from the general gist it seems I'd best apply locally first. I know where we are relocating to. We have family there already, but it's about 3 cities away from our current location.

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