Applying for school for child who is undiagnosed and we're also moving

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Slightly complicated story here and I was wondering if anyone could help.
Since June I have been trying to get a referral for my son, his nursery have identified he possibly has autism and speech and language delay.
Hes not where other children are at all and he is definitely going to need help in September at school as at this point he's not even really going to understand the concept of school and will not sit and listen and follow instructions.
The GP totally messed up his referral and it was not made until November, the clinic has a really big backlog because of the pandemic and they are not even able to give me a time frame.
To also add we are currently moving homes. We have not even exchanged yet, also to the delay they're have been delays also down to the pandemic and school admissions close in a few weeks.
I want him to go to a school that will be the closest to the house and is an outstanding school , its one of the reasons we chose the house.
I was wondering if the school would consider our application in the best interest of my son without a current statement (this could take years) and the exchange on the house so we can start to form a plan for his needs for the September term. I will be pushing for the school to be named on his statement when the time comes.
I am worried that he is going to end up at some random school that can't meet his needs with little notice because the schools would of filled up their quota by later next year when we do recieve confirmation of the exchange, and then disrupting him again when we finally are able to move him.
I am currently a 15 minute drive away from the school but am going to be a long way away as the crow flies compared to most of the other applicants as its in the next town along from where I currently am.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated and I hope my rambling makes sense somewhat.

You don't have to wait for a diagnosis to apply for a statement (are you in Wales?). You can apply yourself now.

Without a statement DS will be considered under the normal admission criteria. Unless the school has a medical and social needs category additional needs won't be considered at all. Even when a school does have a social and medical needs category the bar to be considered in that category is very high.

You could apply and appeal if you don't get a place but if it is an ICS appeal it is unlikely to be successful.

Once you have moved DS will move up the waiting list (depending on the admission criteria).

Whatever you do make sure you include a school you will definitely get a place at. A rubbish school close by is better than a rubbish school miles away.

If you're in England, the statement of need has been replaced by a EHCP (Education Health Care Plan), might be helpful if your trying to look up info, if you live elsewhere, just ignore.

You don't technically need a diagnosis, just for a need to be identified, which it has been by the nursery. DS is in a nursery connected to the school he will be attending next year, and has been waiting on a formal diagnosis since February, due to covid delays. The nursery have still been able to get LA funding for additional support by documenting his needs (from their observations). We're also gathering evidence (speech and language / education psychologist reports) and planning to put in the EHCP application by the spring half team, with or without a diagnosis as it takes 20 weeks to process, which would take us to September. He may get his diagnosis as part of the EHCP, as the pediatrician will be asked to contribute.

The house move makes it trickier as even if the school wanted to help, they can't. The LA allocate places based on the published criteria, so without a EHCP, it will go on distance. By all means apply, but make sure you have a backup school near your current address as one of your options. If you don't get in you can ask to go on the waiting list, which is also orded by entrance criteria (distance), so once you move you will go to the top of the list. It will probably come down to moving ASAP and hoping someone doesn't take up their place at the school.

Forever don't wait to submit an EHCNA request, do it ASAP. It takes 20 weeks if you don't need to appeal at least once and many parents do needs to appeal. You don't need EP/SALT reports that is what the EHCNA is for.

Just to point out not all admission criteria are based on distance, and if a school has a medical and social needs category some with additional needs may get a place under that criteria. Also, moving won't necessarily mean you will go to the top of the waiting list even if the admissions criteria are based on distance. It depends who else applies and doesn't get a place and also if anyone higher up the criteria who didn't originally apply asks to go on the waiting list.

Apparently the school want time to document that they cannot meet his needs without the funds. They also wanted the ed phyc and speech and communication people to observed him in nursery, which happened just before Christmas. Their plan is to implement their advice for 6 weeks so they can prove they've done everything they can under 'early help', then apply just before half term (20 weeks before September). We're already to late to fit in a failed application and an appeal before he starts reception so the SENCo thinks getting more evidence then a more watertight first application is best shot at getting it sorted in time.

Although they could just be fobbing me off, I'm inclined to trust them for now, as they do seem to be on the ball with what they've done so far. He only started with them in October, and they managed to get extra funding for a 1:1 (1.5h out of 3h) sorted within a few weeks. Unfortunately the funding they currently get is from a early years schem, so we need the EHCP to replace it. Just included our time scale to show the op still has just enough time to apply, as our DC will be starting at the same time.

Meant to @10brokengreenbottles for that ^

Forever, expert advice would be to apply ASAP, waiting just delays matters. The legal threshold for an EHCNA is has or may have SEN and may need SEN provision to be made via an EHCP. You meet that criteria.

EP and SALT assessments aren't necessary, they will form part of the EHCNA.

You could just about fit one appeal in with tribunal times of 12 ish weeks. 20 weeks before Sept would see you to mid April. But not if you have to appeal refusal to assess and issue or content unless the LA concede early on. If you wait until April to apply and have to appeal more than once it could easily be the end of reception before an EHCP is finalised.

While the currently funding may be early years funding there is high needs top up funding that can be sought for additional help in reception.

@tenbrokengreenbottles - thanks for the advice, we've got our next meeting just after school go back, so I'll push them to get on it. Also good to hear about the high needs funding, that could be a great backup plan.

OP- sorry, I seem to have derailed you
Thread a bit. I think your best bet is talking to the school you want, if nothing else they will be able to comfirm where in their entrance criteria you will fit, and give an idea of chances. If you do have to go onto the waiting list once you move, I think there's often movement just after places are allocated (people might have applied, but then gone private or move so not need place) so try to get moved and update them with your new address by March. Good luck

Sorry for derailing your thread OP.

Forever you don't have to wait for a meeting you can submit an EHCNA request now. IPSEA have a model letter you can use.