I’m coming home and I’m so happy

Check what the rules are where you want to live. When we came back to England, we wanted to live in either Nottinghamshire or Derbyshire. We couldn't apply for a school in Notts till we were resident and we weren't guaranteed there'd be a place available when we had moved. In Derbyshire, we only had to have a signed rental agreement, so we managed to get a place in our preferred school before we even came back. The headteacher had told us there was space, so we signed rental contact and applied immediately. Think we applied in May and came back beginning July.

I came back to the UK 21 years ago, after 10 years away. I didn't have as much advance notice as you - I literally decided in June and came back in August. None of the state schools I applied to had spaces so I ended up going private for primary. I was really ready to leave where I was (and I was a sole parent working full time) but it was still a culture shock. And poor DD, nearly six - I naively thought I'd prepared her but I still remember her crying the first night "I want to go HOME!"

She's nearly 27 and extremely happy.

Can I trade with you? Where I live is an absolute state, it's all litter and drug dealers and rain 😂 if Amazon delivers there I don't care about UK shopping.

Welcome home OP! I'm happy for you x

I came home today OP! Ireland though … not UK.

We lived abroad for 7 years and echoing previous posters I longed to understand everything, to be able to talk to anyone, to go to cinema without having to wait for the original version (in English) shows.

I too was sick of being other. It’s so good to be home.

It’s raining here in Surrey today x welcome home! The trees are mental this year, it’s like living in a forest

You need an address to apply for school, I'm assuming England. Do you have a house here?

Check the admissions pages on your local authority website.

For a Reception place applications will be by mid Jan (for England).

They may or may not accept an application if you are not resident. But they might if you have a property that is not rented out.

If not you will need to make a late application. They will have an obligation to find a place for your Dc, but it might not be the school of your choice. Is your property on the doorstep of a lovely school? Are schools in your area over or undersubscribed? Are all the local schools fine?

good luck and welcome back for when you arrive!

It can really make a difference to your wellbeing just being able to understand everything around you. I really loved the other country but it felt like I was living outside myself if you see what I mean.

I was tired of being ‘other’, constantly the one having to adapt. I was tired of traveling (took 20 planes in a year with gran’s illness, death and aftermath), wanted to buy a house, wanted to go to church in my denomination, wanted to speak my own language sometimes.

I wish you all the very best.

This is so true. I love being home in my country because I understand my own language inside out. I lived in Greece for five years and did learn the language to a limited extent, but could never converse at a complex level.

Google your local authorities school application dates although I think England all have the same final date.

I can only remember the secondary school dates (final application is 31st October) but from memory primary applications are later?

Will you be picking a school without visiting?

Sorry should have added this is reception only, any other year and I think you’ll be reliant on what has space when you come back.

Oh this is so lovely to read.

I couldn't live abroad as despite its problems there's noting quite like the UK. I'd also miss London and the seasons too much.

Good luck OP!

I lived in Qatar for 3 years, I was so bloody glad to come home permanently I cried when I boarded the plane.

Welcome home! I lived abroad for a few years and since returning to the UK have never wanted to live anywhere else. The UK has its downsides but I missed this place so much and coming home was wonderful.

I lived abroad once. I’d love to go back but it’s too expensive. The thing I liked best about coming back was understanding everything verbal and written, it can be really isolating when you only have limited understanding of the language. I’d go back in a heartbeat though ( and learn the language properly this time).

Where I live primary school applications for Reception are open September-January for kids to start the following Sept, and it's done on the local council website. I think kids joining any other year group doesn't have such a strict deadline but I would look up your local council and they should have info. You'll need a UK address to make a school application

If you have an address in the uk you should apply for schools now (I think the deadline is January). If not you will just need to wait until you get here and take what’s available. If it’s not ideal you can go on waitlists for other schools. Especially in the south east there is a lot of movement in early years of primary.

How old will she be? Will she be starting school in reception or joining older? And when you say you’ve sorted house and jobs, does that mean you’ve got an address you can put on school applications?

We moved back after 10 years in SE Asia. I remember beginning to get organised about the children's school quite early on. Good luck OP

@Rememberthesummerofninetyfive are you talking about next summer??? Sorry to be dense but schools have just started back after the summer holidays x