Advice re moving house post application deadline

[JacqJac]

Hello everyone
I'm wondering if anyone is, or has been, in a similar situation.

We're due to move house, completely different area (from South London to Dorset!) We're aiming to move around Christmas, but of course I will have missed the 31st Oct application deadline.
I will have to apply for London schools now as we don't yet have the address in Dorset.

My query is my daughter is currently in Year 6 and will need to find a primary school first for 6 months. So I won't be doing an In Year transfer fornfor secondary (which I'll have to do for my year 4 daughter) and I heard that you can't apply for secondary schools again until after April or May, so basically once all the spaces have been allocated, which means my daughter will be bottom of the pile.
I'm so upset about all this. It's tough enough moving areas but to probably end up in a school nowhere near by or a school that isn't regarded as very good school at all, is all quite worrying.

I understand much is to do with the Local councils and I have been in touch with them but the secondary school advice was incredibly vague.

Sorry for the long post! I know there are so many about schools at the moment!

Thanks for any advice

You need to apply using your London address, and then as soon as you move, update the application with your new address - there is normally a date that LAs will take as counting as "on time" if for a good reason. I can't find it very clearly on Dorset LAs site so ask them - you would need proof of address.

One approach if you are very sure you are moving and where to, would be to put Dorset schools as your top choices with a London school as last choice. If you are moving somewhere where schools are generally undersubscribed, you might get a place anyway even with your London address.

Some areas of Dorset run a 3 tiered school model where the change point would be Years 5 and 9, so check that depending on where you are moving to.

I agree with that approach as it would put you v low down in the waitlist and then when you move you could move up the waitlist

Thanks @PatriciaHolm and @Tiswa
Apologies if I'm missing something here. My london borough application will only allow me to select schools within any other London Borough, not out of area.
If I made made an application via the BCP council, I wouldn't be able to without a an address or council tax account number.
So are you suggesting I apply via bcp council with my london details (if it will allow)?
Apols if I'm really not understanding what you mean. Thanks for taking the time to respond

Really wish we'd moved years ago.

You may have to ask for a paper form to list an out of area school

You submit your Y7 now/by 31st with the current address so that it will be treated as on time. Do the in year primary application as soon as the move is confirmed.

You then update the address for the Y7 the moment you move - that way, she is more likely to be offered a place somewhere and you can immediately go onto the waiting lists where you actually want her to go (and start the appeal process) from National Offer Day, rather than be treated as a late application.

I'd also chuck in a banker school in London just in case the purchase falls through and you don't move by September. You've got six preferences, after all - you can spare one for an insurance application.

All out of borough applications must be made through your LA. It's the Law for Y7s.

As @TickingAlongNicely says, the application may well need to be on paper in this case, contact your LA to ask how to do it. You need to apply through your local LA (not Devon), but you are allowed to apply for any school in England.

I think you apply via Dorset County Council rather than BCP borough council - see https://www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/education-and-training/schools-and-learning/apply-for-a-school-place or contact them (which as PP have said you may have to do to get the paper form) via https://www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/w/contact-school-admissions-team

I don't THINK there's anything to stop you applying for London schools via your current borough (to make sure you have something if the moving plans fall through), and then separately for Dorset schools via DCC (using your London address for now, and then updating once you have a Dorset address). This would mean you'd need to be pretty sure of where you're moving to though.

I don't know about Dorset specifically (I live in a neighbouring county) but in general there is less pressure on school places in rural areas, so it may all work out ok.

X-post! Listen to @PatriciaHolm - she's much more knowledgeable than me!

When I moved in my local authority there was an extended deadline for house moves - mid-December to be classed on time. May
Be worth speaking to someone in your local admissions service (where you are now) about the process and any extended deadlines - they can also tell you about how to apply for schools out of area. My local admissions service were really helpful but I know different in different areas.