Apply for a place at a secondary school-latest date to be settle in UK

[Ruudi]

Hi Everyone,

I am living in Asia now and planning to move back to UK next year. My son born at 2011 Aug and planning to back to UK for Y7 application. I only consider non-selective school so will not take the 11-plus exam.

I know the Y7 application deadline should be at the end of Oct 2021 (to apply 2022 Y7), but when should I move back to UK and register to the council? Should I residing in the catchment area few month before the application? As below post said that need to move to catchment area in Jan (9 months before the application deadline)?

Thanks for everyone help.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/primary/1599844-Farnham-or-Guildford

[UselessTrees]

The post you linked to relates to primary application dates, which are in January. As long as you are living at your new address by the application deadline that will be sufficient.

[meditrina]

You need to be residing in the UK by the date of application.

Given that it can take a while to get your admin sorted (house bought/ lease signed and moved in; registered for council tax etc, all utilities, everything to do with work, and just funding your feet) even if school application is right at the top of your 'to do' list, I think it would be prudent to aim to be in about a month before.

Remember you will need to do a separate application on arrival for a year 6 place to cover schooling for that year.

Some councils like to see evidence that you have been in a property for a length of time, but this is normally to prevent people flipping their UK address to one closer to desirable school. If your previous address is in another country, you can hardly say the move was solely to get a school place.

Do be aware that moving into catchment area is not in itself sufficient to be sure if a place (that's only the case in Scotland). If the number of applicants exceeds the number of places, then the tiebreaker is usually distance from the school gates (sometimes lottery). So if there are more DC living in the catchment than there are places, those further away from the school may need to go elsewhere

[TW2013]

Although they might look at previous residence if you moved in the week before, as you are coming from Asia it would not be considered in any way fraudulent so as long as you keep any evidence of your move to the UK then it would be fine. What they are wanting to reduce is people renting out their family house, moving two miles down the road into rented accommodation in a better school catchment and then moving back again once they have a place. The only other factor to consider is if you might want to apply to a faith school (generally either Anglican or Catholic but might also prioritise those of other faiths over none) then they might ask for two to three years of attendance as evidenced by a local priest/ vicar and sometimes baptism.

[Ruudi]

so what is the necessary doc I need to provide when I apply the Y7?

House rent contact
gistered for council tax
all utilities

I need to provide all of them or only one of above doc??

1 more question,
before the application deadline, is it a must for my boy to have a Y6 place? (you know it might take few weeks time for my boy to apply a Y6 place in this potential lock down period...I am afriad before the deadline, my boy still under no school place status)

[FelicityPike]

I’d aim to move as soon as you can to be honest.
Do you know which schools you are going to applying for?

[doctorhamster]

If you look on the local authority website for the area you are moving to, you will find the information you need.

[meditrina]

Your council shouid be able to tell you what is acceptable proof (can vary between areas)

The main one, usually, is council tax - as that is part of their own records and because applying you give then consent to,cross-check their databases. So you (probably) do not need to send it in. But they may ask for other proof - but it will be the sort of documents that residents have, so nothing to worry about.

You will also need copy of DC's birth certificate (or passport) to prove their age.

If you want your DC to go to school between during his Y6 (Sept/Oct when you apply until end of school year the following July) then apply straight away. It won't matter if you're waiting for a place (can take a couple of weeks to arrange at the best of times, Covid is having little impact on school applications as it's computer based, office work at the local educational authority (they kept working, main allocations were all on time even at height of pandemic)


If he is not attending school, the council might wonder if you are really living there, and that stall the processing of your application.

[JoJoSM2]

1 more question, before the application deadline, is it a must for my boy to have a Y6 place?

Not at all. You’ll probably apply for both when you move over.

However, given the thread you linked, are you looking at Farnham? Weydon operates a feeder school system so you need to be at a specific primary to get a place there. I would think that it’s very unlikely you’d have a chance.

[Ruudi]

@JoJoSM2

1 more question, before the application deadline, is it a must for my boy to have a Y6 place?

Not at all. You’ll probably apply for both when you move over.

However, given the thread you linked, are you looking at Farnham? Weydon operates a feeder school system so you need to be at a specific primary to get a place there. I would think that it’s very unlikely you’d have a chance.

WA....yes...actually I am looking at Farnham....Weydon is my choice but I still not yet deeply study its admission policy. Thanks for your reminder. If they have feeder system I might need to look at other place :(

[JoJoSM2]

Yes, sounds like might like to look at other places.

www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk/

You can see what schools there are in the area you’re interested in and choose which ones you like. I suggest googling their admissions policy to make sure you have a chance. They’re always publish on the schools’ websites.

[Ruudi]

@JoJoSM2

Yes, sounds like might like to look at other places.

www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk/

You can see what schools there are in the area you’re interested in and choose which ones you like. I suggest googling their admissions policy to make sure you have a chance. They’re always publish on the schools’ websites.

Thanks. I am targeting Guildford County School.