Moving back to UK/schools advice

I am back in the UK now so if I can help you in any way please just shout. you don't say what area you are coming back to but if you go onto this website and put in your postcode (if you know where you are returning to) and it will bring up the correct rules and regs for applying from abroad for a school place.https://www.gov.uk/apply-for-primary-school-place we are in surrey and I've just taken a look and our council stipulates applying 4 weeks in advance - I think most are 6 weeks but it is all dependent on your local authority rulings. For your younger child it might be a good idea to get him/her placed earlier say June time so he/she has time to meet some children and have some friends for the summer break. If the school was a feeder school for a secondary school this might well work for your older child and it would mean moving into senior school with a group of new friends. however, if it's not a feeder school you may well struggle to get a place in senior. Places do however come up through people moving areas, deciding to go into the private system - all manner of reasons. My son moved into year 7 in September and already 4 boys have moved and 4 boys have joined the school - this is a private school but 1 of the boys joining has come from a very good state school so someone would have been given his place - so places do come up. I found the education department at our council really helpful when we were getting ready to come back. Worth calling and asking all your questions. hopefully they will be able to help you. just be aware that 'in rounds' places have only recently been sent out - some people are very happy with their allocated school and others aren't..... it might be worth a trip over to visit the schools and meet with their admissions people. sometimes the admissions people at the schools are really really helpful and know their way around the systems - as Blimey says. Good luck and if I can help you - let me know..... <em>edited by Clairehdp on 30/04/2015</em>

Unfortunately for you, you are looking to move into the busiest year ( 7) places have already been allocated and appeals registered. I would suggest coming back earlier to sort it out before September. <em>edited by ladymary on 28/04/2015</em>

I don't have any recent experience but one of the reasons we came to Dubai 10 years ago was because we couldn't confirm school places with the education authorities in the UK until the kids were actually living there! Chicken and egg...... sorry I can't be more helpful but I still remember the nightmare experience. We planned to move back a few years ago, but they had just changed the rules to block applications from overseas. We had to have our kids in a local primary school from the Oct before application if we wanted to go through the normal process for secondary school admissions. Our chances of getting a place in the local schools was close to zero. The nearest (failing) school with places, was in a town around 40 minutes drive away and we would not be in a position to refuse. We ended up staying in Dubai. The whole thing was very stressful It is very dependent on where you want to live. I have had friends return to more rural areas with no problem at all, but London catchment is not easy :( Good luck!

I have no idea re private schools but state schools will only take applications six weeks before your return date. You apply to the local education authority and must evidence that you are returning to UK ie mortgage statements , copy of notice given to tenants etc. Children moving from year 6 to year 7 ie into secondary school may be different in some LEA's. It is possible they will be allowed to apply in October for admission the following September. As you have missed this, then in guess the six week rule will apply although my LEA said I could apply from the 11th May but you can do this online. LEA must allocate a school but this could be a long way from where you live. The best thing would be to contact your LEA and ask them what they advise and whether it would be of any benefit to move back earlier. My LEA said it wouldn't make much difference. From speaking to others, it appears that it can take a few weeks to sort so kids often don't get places till October or so. I know that OP kids are not year 8 or 9 but for others reading be aware that it is better to return for start of year 9 rather than year 10. If you return for start of year 10 it is much more difficult for your child to be given their GCSE choices as these are likely to have been allocated.

It is a legal requirement to have your child in school in the UK, so if you don't want to go down the private school route the local authority must find you a place in a state school. Most of the children, if not all of them, on waiting lists will already have school places in the UK and so I would think your children would have a greater priority. I do know that class sizes, especially in secondary school are more flexible than a rigid maximum of 30. I imagine I will have the same issue in a couple of years when I return to the UK. My plan is to contact the local education authority, explain the situation and keep my fingers crossed that they can squeeze them in somewhere! Good luck with the move back.

We moved to UK a couple of weeks before Christmas. Our preferred schools have no place available but the admin staff of those schools were very helpful. Two of the schools' gave me good advice on what to do next. Another actually forwarded our information to the Council. The Council contacted us directly and let us know which schools have availability. We managed to get a place right before Christmas. DD's school is not within walking distance but less than 10 minutes drive. And rated Good too. I don't know about Secondary though. Where I am, top 11+ mark is required for Grammar schools. HTH. Good luck.

In my childs' class there are two families moving back to UK and both of them took their children out of school for a week/2 to go back to UK for a short trip and apply,interview and tour schools. Apparently they are not that interested in online applications. They want to see you in person for a place at their school however both of them found places in private schools for the next year... Both families also got very decent schools.

I don't have any recent experience but one of the reasons we came to Dubai 10 years ago was because we couldn't confirm school places with the education authorities in the UK until the kids were actually living there! Chicken and egg...... sorry I can't be more helpful but I still remember the nightmare experience.