Get your address right
It is the address on the day they decide, not the day you apply
What this is
Distance is measured from where your child normally lives. Councils check it, and they do check. If you are moving, or if the child lives in two homes, that needs handling properly rather than guessed at.
What to do
- Use the address where your child actually sleeps most nights.
- If you are moving before offers, ring the council and ask what proof they want and when.
- If your child lives in two homes, ask the council which address they will use.
- Keep a council tax bill or tenancy agreement to hand.
How you know it worked
The address on the form is one you can prove with a document.
Easy to get wrong
- Using a relative's address to get nearer a school. Councils withdraw places for this, sometimes after the child has started.
- Not telling the council about a move, then losing the place.
If that does not work
If your address changes after you apply, tell the council straight away in writing.
Last updated 7 October 2026. Written against the School Admissions Code 2021. Your council sets its own rules and dates, and its page is always the final word. This is information, not legal advice.