Expat children returning mid year

Hello @Sassy1973 ! Sorry to hear about your quandry!

I would email three prospective schools' Heads of Sixth Form, be implicitly definitive about coming and ask for their help. How would they help you make it work?

And I would also email three universities' Admissions offices and ask what they expect and what they accept. What do they advise? They have a lot of experience of how this sort of thing plays out in Years 12 and 13.

What qualification is your son doing in his current school? And what does he want to do as a career. He could start an apprenticeship mid year.

What country are you in now? Is there a chance your son could board at his existing school to the end of his education in his current country? You also need to be aware of what university education he wants post end of school. If UK I think there are restrictions based on number of years have been in the UK (even if UK passport holder) and what fees would need to pay at university )but you would need to check this)

Have you got citizenship of another country? You could also look at schooling and university options in that country (boarding for secondary).

Some countries also don't have same school year as UK (eg Australia) and don't have same number of years to attend ( eg 12 Vs 13). That could give you a different set of options to play with.

Expat implies British does it not?

she hasn't told us enough to know that
we dont know her or their nationality for example.

They are not all eligible
This is an issue every single year

But won't be for OP and her ds.

Op, I’ve come across this situation before and people got round it by boarding their child with another family, even one of their teachers, so they could finish the school year.

They are not all eligible
This is an issue every single year

Post 16 Funding has different rules nothing about academy or not - it is about status and habitual residence
colleges tend to more lenient to unfunded pupils but must schools can’t afford to take them

We were long time expats too and have come across this on a number of occasions. Often if year 11 or sixformers were affected they would stay with friends until year end. Is that an option for you?

They can't help it if the dh hasn't got a job and can't remain there without a work visa. It sounds unfair on everyone but that is life.

If he is planning university he might need more time out in order to qualify for home fee status too. Worth looking into.

Have briefly read the link - I'd have thought most of the criteria in paragraph 40 would apply, and only one needs to for him to be eligible, so definitely not a problem.

It's a different funding stream, same stream as school so should be OK.

@ManefesationofConciousness that was far to many tiny words in that document. Sorry 🤣
Seriously he would be entitled to a 6th Form/Further Education College. Everyone is.
Also starting Year 12/college a year late is really normal and fairly common.

@titchy aren’t academies funded by ESFA so if the sixth form is within an Academy this guidance would apply

That guidance linked to is applicable to FE colleges funded by ESFA. Sixth form colleges and school sixth forms have different funding rules so he should be OK from that point of view.

If state schools are sniffy about restarting year 12 next September (they shouldn't be but you never know...) private school should be fine, but might be worth sounding a few out now.

Possibly depends where you have lived for past three years, within EEA no issue, in other overseas areas potentially an issue. However a British passport and residency is likely to qualify for level 2/3 education.

@ManefesationofConciousness you don't have to be British to attend a state school? Nor living in the UK for a certain amount of time?
Apologies if I am wrong. Will read the link as I am curious.

Have you looked at the guidance that I linked to?
They are not all entitled. He has not been habitually resident and we also don't know of his or the OPs nationality or status.

@ManefesationofConciousness why wouldn't he be funded post 16? All (in England anyway) children are entitled to state education up until age 19.

Are you sure that he os eligible for state funded post 16 education?

assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1105843/16_to_19_funding_guidance_Regulations_2022_to_2023-Version_1a_FINAL_PUBLISHED.pdf

@Harrysutton
No external exams in year 12 unless AS level, which is not as prevalent now. However a new school may have already started any studies or coursework elements.

Wow your poor ds. What does he want to do? By Easter he will have finished the syllabus. Start looking now for exam centres that will enter him as an external candidate and he can self study from feb to the exam.

He will definitely be able to start Y12 again next September. That will be no problem at all. However he will need to start contacting potential colleges/schools to find out their application process. He might be able to get a confirmed place before you move as he will already have his GCSEs.

But finding somewhere to take him during Y12 in Feb will be impossible I would have thought.

@Sassy1973 it's incorrect that education for 16-18 year olds is mandatory. It isn't. In England 16-18 years olds are 'meant' to be in education or an apprenticeship or studying while working.
However there is no follow up if a person drops out and does nothing.
The only thing that happens is any benefits such as Child Benefit that the parents recieve stop and I believe the under 18 cannot claim benefits such as Job Seekers Allowance.
Anyway....
6th Form/College is actually funded for 3 years (16-19). My recommendation would be to restart Year 12 next September. He will still be funded for that 'extra' year and will finish Year 13 at age 19 instead of 18. Loads of teens do this so he won't be unusual.
He could stay home until September and do a bit of independent study in advance or he could maybe fill his time by doing some volunteer work.