September 19, 2026
Plan school questions, housing and daily routines together, with a practical approach to applications and the first weeks.
A family move is not just a home search with more bedrooms. School arrangements, working hours, childcare, journeys and familiar routines can all shape the decisions you need to make.
Begin with the household’s day-to-day needs, then investigate the school and housing options together. Keep preferences separate from confirmed arrangements.
For each child, record their age, current school stage, intended move date and the practical support you need to discuss with future providers. Include care outside school hours and the time adults will have available during the transition.
Ask which aspects of the current routine you would most like to preserve. That could be access to outdoor space, an activity, time together after school or a manageable journey. These priorities help you compare options without pretending there is one best London area for all families.
Check whether you are applying through the normal admissions round or for an in-year place. Use the official application guidance, then confirm the process with the relevant council or admission authority. Independent schools have their own arrangements, which you should confirm directly.
Give the child’s date of birth and current educational stage, rather than translating a year or grade label yourself. Ask which documents are required, the relevant deadlines and how changes in arrival timing should be reported.
English admissions authorities must consider applications from families moving from overseas; they cannot require a permanent UK address as a condition of processing an application. Address evidence and how it affects priority still need checking. Parents are responsible for checking the child’s immigration position; a school application does not confer permission to enter or live in the UK.
Read the Department for Education’s overseas application guidance. It does not guarantee a preferred place or mean every child follows the same route.
Schools have their own admissions criteria. These can include factors such as distance, siblings or other priorities; consult the published arrangements for the specific school and year.
A home near a school is not a place offer. Before making a school-dependent housing decision, ask:
Use the official admissions-criteria guidance alongside the school or authority’s current rules. Keep written responses rather than relying on an informal assumption.
A route can look short on a map and still be difficult alongside working hours. Walk through the morning, collection time and arrangements for days when plans change.
Confirm any wraparound care, nursery or club availability directly. Ask about hours, fees, start dates and collection rules before building them into the budget. Eligibility for financial support needs its own check; do not assume it from a school place or employment status.
Use how to choose where to live to compare the household’s complete routine, including more than one adult’s journey.
Ask the current school which records can support a transfer, including recent reports and information about learning support where appropriate. Share sensitive records only with the relevant verified school, authority or professional.
For healthcare, discuss continuity with your clinician and keep relevant records accessible. NHS guidance explains GP registration; additional information may be requested when registering a child to establish the parent or guardian relationship. Confirm any specific ongoing care arrangements directly with healthcare professionals.
Give children information that fits their age and the certainty of your plans. A simple calendar can distinguish a confirmed travel day from a hoped-for school start. Avoid presenting uncertain outcomes as promises.
Offer choices that are genuinely theirs: what to keep accessible during travel, how to arrange familiar belongings or which local activity to investigate. Leave legal, financial and housing responsibilities with the adults.
Keep some room in the first days for rest and ordinary routines. You do not need to fill the transition with activities to make it successful.
Hypothetical: a family finds a home near its preferred school, but the place is not confirmed. One parent also faces a long journey to work.
Before committing, they compare the home against alternatives if that school is unavailable. They ask admissions for the relevant process, test other school-day routes and examine collection responsibilities. The property may still be suitable, but the decision should not depend entirely on one unconfirmed outcome.
Relocation Ready can help you organise the connected questions around your family move. Admissions decisions remain with the relevant authorities, and specialist educational or clinical advice belongs with the appropriate professionals.
Explore family relocation support, or Talk to Us about a free one-hour consultation. Your free personalised pack follows the conversation; additional paid support is optional.
Investigate both together. Confirm how the admissions process and address rules affect your options before committing to a home because of one school preference.
Sources checked: 22 September 2026.
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