Moving Home During the School Term

A parent’s guide to moving home without disrupting the school term

I’ve been asked to write a blog about moving home without disrupting the school term, and my joke at the time was ‘Move in the summer holidays. End of blog.’ I was being glib, as if ONLY it were that easy. I usually approach these things (blogs) with a degree of light-heartedness and indeed with a view to entertaining the reader, but I am actually going to be really serious for a moment, if you’ll allow.

When schools close for the holidays, any holidays, not just over the summer. The admin staff is also on holiday, so it is IMPERATIVE (yes, I shouted at you) to contact the school prior to its closure if you are going to be changing catchment so you have a firm understanding of their individual rules so you may prepare accordingly. I have had so many clients caught unawares, and, in some cases, literally not knowing which school their child is going to attend until the day before (yes really). Apart from the stress of this for you and your child, the last-minute rush for a uniform – not fun. So please. As we are preparing to list your property, call the school in the area you wish to move to, if it is in a different catchment, to avoid a stressful scenario.

Apart from the important practicalities of the above, we always suggest a bit of emotional preparation with children when it comes to a house move. We never underestimate that it is a big event and you as an adult will have a certain number of anxieties and concerns that we will be able to assist you with, but your child will look to you to ease theirs. Here are some top tips we have collated from dealing with thousands of clients over the years.

• Prioritise their bedroom. This is their safe space. Involve and consult them with packing, and ask your removal team to pack their boxes into the van last so they are unpacked first in your new home, making a new space more familiar with all their things.
• Keep favourite toys, comforters, a change of clothing, and all-important snacks in a separate bag, and keep it with you/them. There might be some time between moving out and moving in, so handy to have these things to hand. If your kids are of a certain age, make sure iPads/phones are fully charged!
• Stick to routines as well as possible for as long as possible. You might have the oddest-looking dinners as you start to empty the freezer (spring rolls and fish fingers spring to mind), but sticking to the same mealtimes keeps some reassurance amid the chaos.

We have guided families through this many times, and so if you have any questions reading any of the above, our teams are here to help. Indeed, if you have any other tips, we would love to hear them so we may pass onto future clients. The main takeaway is that a bit of preparation and embracing a bit of upheaval make for smoother sailing. Happy packing!

The information and opinions contained in this blog are for information only.  They are not intended to constitute advice and should not be relied upon or considered as a replacement for advice.  Before acting on any information contained in this blog, please seek solicitor’s advice from Gilson Gray.