getting son into a senior school in the UK

[crazymaisie]

I plan to return back to the UK at the end of August in preparation of son starting a new senior school in Septemberr. However I completed the relevant form that the city council suggested for the area I am moving to temporarily staying with family. I am a little confused as the City council have emailed requesting some evidence that myself and my son will be staying at this family members home. They have suggested either a medical card in my sons name showing the family members address or they want to see a copy of the child benefit in my sons name again addressed to the family members home. Obviously both of these items are difficult to obtain when I have not yet moved to the UK and unlikely to obtain such items in time for the start of the school term. Does anyone have any experience with this situation or can advise me as to what I can do to get round this?

[Joppa]

Originally Posted by crazymaisie

I plan to return back to the UK at the end of August in preparation of son starting a new senior school in Septemberr. However I completed the relevant form that the city council suggested for the area I am moving to temporarily staying with family. I am a little confused as the City council have emailed requesting some evidence that myself and my son will be staying at this family members home. They have suggested either a medical card in my sons name showing the family members address or they want to see a copy of the child benefit in my sons name again addressed to the family members home. Obviously both of these items are difficult to obtain when I have not yet moved to the UK and unlikely to obtain such items in time for the start of the school term. Does anyone have any experience with this situation or can advise me as to what I can do to get round this?

You can apply for a school place - very late now as the deadline for application was last Oct/Nov - without having a proof of address, but you may be asked to show it after you've moved and before your child starts school. Just tell the council you'll produce documentary evidence when available after your move. At this late stage, just contact each school in the local authority area and ask if they have a place. If they do and you otherwise fulfil their entry criteria (some have a catchment area or you may need to be baptised/confirmed and a churchgoer if it's a church school, for example), you must be offered a place, unless it's a competitive-entry grammar school, in which case you have academic criteria to fulfil as well.

[crazymaisie]

Originally Posted by Joppa

You can apply for a school place - very late now as the deadline for application was last Oct/Nov - without having a proof of address, but you may be asked to show it after you've moved and before your child starts school. Just tell the council you'll produce documentary evidence when available after your move. At this late stage, just contact each school in the local authority area and ask if they have a place. If they do and you otherwise fulfil their entry criteria (some have a catchment area or you may need to be baptised/confirmed and a churchgoer if it's a church school, for example), you must be offered a place, unless it's a competitive-entry grammar school, in which case you have academic criteria to fulfil as well.

It appears the city council are still saying they can't process my application until I arrive in the UK and suggested I sign up to a local doctor as I can request a medical card which supposedly they will print off. Perhaps I will give the school a ring just to check if its likely I will get a space. It appears there is not much else I can do.

[Joppa]

Originally Posted by crazymaisie

It appears the city council are still saying they can't process my application until I arrive in the UK and suggested I sign up to a local doctor as I can request a medical card which supposedly they will print off. Perhaps I will give the school a ring just to check if its likely I will get a space. It appears there is not much else I can do.

Admission other than at normal time and entry point (i.e. for Year 7 as a transition from primary) is in the hands of individual schools - local council only deals with the former. So just phone each school and ask if they have a vacancy in the relevant year for your son.

[jojo]

Originally Posted by Joppa

Admission other than at normal time and entry point (i.e. for Year 7 as a transition from primary) is in the hands of individual schools - local council only deals with the former. So just phone each school and ask if they have a vacancy in the relevant year for your son.

Its different in our UK area. You phone the education authority and they tell you which schools have vacancies, altho apparently all schools have to keep an allocation of emergency admission places available (well they're supposed to??) We did this a while ago and the schools just gave us "County Halls" phone number and they then told us which schools had places!

Jo xxx

[Joppa]

Originally Posted by jojo

Its different in our UK area. You phone the education authority and they tell you which schools have vacancies, altho apparently all schools have to keep an allocation of emergency admission places available (well they're supposed to??) We did this a while ago and the schools just gave us "County Halls" phone number and they then told us which schools had places!

Jo xxx

LA involvement differs with regard to casual vacancies and admissions other than at normal times, which is now controlled by a code - School Admissions Code 2010 is the latest, but will probably be thrown out by the new government! Where a school retains control of admission, such as aided church schools, you need to meet the school's (governors') criteria. Most successful/popular schools have waiting list for each year, and unless there are special circumstances when the head or governors can overrule (e.g. looked after children, clergy children for church schools), you just go on the bottom of the list.

[jojo]

Originally Posted by Joppa

LA involvement differs with regard to casual vacancies and admissions other than at normal times, which is now controlled by a code - School Admissions Code 2010 is the latest, but will probably be thrown out by the new government! Where a school retains control of admission, such as aided church schools, you need to meet the school's (governors') criteria. Most successful/popular schools have waiting list for each year, and unless there are special circumstances when the head or governors can overrule (e.g. looked after children, clergy children for church schools), you just go on the bottom of the list.

Yes, we did have to contact the RC aided school in our area and they wanted to see our children before they would make a decision - I suspect they only wanted them if they were going to help enhance their league table!!!!!! We were toying with returning to the UK a while ago, hence my tiny bit of knowledge!!

Jo xxx