How long can state state schools hold a place when it becomes available during the academic year?

Although there is a school census coming up, the "numbers on roll" for funding is in October for the whole academic year.

I think admissions here say that it can drag out for four weeks which includes the time you submit the application and then accept. At very best you might be able to do until May half term.

They will want her (or someone) on roll in that available place by Summer census which is 16th May as that determines the next tranche of funding, they want the school as full as possible.

Whether they will hold the place that long I don't know. Usually you would get a week or so to decide and then a few more days to arrange uniforms ahead of start date and to come in for any academic ability tests that are required. So two weeks I would say for a confirmed start date.

If this is the school you want, I would accept now and move, as PP are right - this will let the school get to know your DD and get her in the right classes for the next academic year & she will get to know a few people before the summer.

Just accept the place and get her settled into her new school straight away. Schools are funded based on number on roll. At the moment she is not on roll in the new school. It is also unfair to other children who could be out of school and not receiving any education at all to delay their offer of a school place while your child has a place and you want to ‘bank’ another place for the next academic year.

Ok.. but quite an odd thing to post on a short thread without that disclaimer, then. Especially as your second paragraph directly addressed the op.

anyway, I’ll leave it there - enough people have explained the situation to the OP.

I didn't say the OP had.

When we moved area, we could only apply once we had exchanged house contracts, and then we had 4 weeks to take the place. It was stressful and we ended up on a waiting list with no school place at all. If you've been offered a place, just take it!

I'm always slightly frustrated when parents say that their child's independent school "won't let them leave" when what they mean is that they've paid the fees and want to get their money's worth.

OP didn’t say the former phrase, or anything that was equivalent

Depends on the County, but in mine it's four school weeks. I'm always slightly frustrated when parents say that their child's independent school "won't let them leave" when what they mean is that they've paid the fees and want to get their money's worth.

The fees are collateral damage - just take the place when it's offered and write the fees off, otherwise you risk not getting into the maintained school.

No they wouldn't keep a place that long. It's unfair to others on the waitlist

If you don’t accept the place and move her the chances are that there won’t be a place in the school you want in September. You will then have to accept a place in any school with a space in her year group, so you might end up with a school you don’t like and a miserable journey to get there.

Another point, the new school will slot her into class ability groups that have spaces even if they aren’t working at an appropriate level for her, because they are unlikely to rejig classes to accommodate her at this point of the year, which isn’t wonderful but if she starts this term then they will be able to assess her ability and make sure she is in the right ability classes for the new Academic year. If she starts in September there might be issues getting her into appropriate level classes if they are already full.

Move her now. Round here think it's 10 days they'll hold a place for you.

Unfortunately for you they won't hold the place that long. You can take a week or two to accept and then have probably 2 to 3 weeks to start. You might make it to half term that way, but not to July.

You could ask if there are others on the WL and risk declining the place and reapplying or just move her in a few weeks.

Move them now. The fees are money spent now regardless of which school she is at.

They won’t be sympathetic re the fees…

I suppose you choose between accepting the place and moving her now, or hang on until the end of the summer term and hope there’s a place in any school, anywhere near you.

Yes, I'd just take the place OP.

Move them now. The fees money is gone anyway. Gives them time to make new friends for the holidays and now have the worry over summer.

Plus, unless it’s a very undersubscribed school, it just fundamentally isn’t fair or right to hold onto a place for nearly 4 months and not use it.

I'd move them straight away and not to do with fees tbh. It's so much easier in sept if they've had the fun of summer term to settle in and make some friends. The days are longer and it's overall much easier. The summer drags when they know they're moving schools.

These are the rules for in-year secondary places in Surrey, as one example.

You must respond to any offer of a place within two weeks. Your offer letter will explain how to accept or decline the place. The offer may be withdrawn if you fail to accept the place in time.

• AcceptingWe recommend you accept the offer unless you have made alternative arrangements for your child.
• Accepting an offer does not affect your child's position on any waiting lists or any appeal for a higher preference school.
• Schools will normally arrange to admit a child within 10 school days of you formally accepting the place. Please contact the school directly to make arrangements for your child to take up the place as soon as it is offered. If there is a good reason for deferring take up, the maximum deferral period is usually four weeks but if there is no good reason, your child must start on the date the school gives. The place may be withdrawn if they do not start then.

It's a breach of the Admissions Code to hold the place, as it prevents it being offered to somebody who actively needs one now.

It’s unlikely they will hold it even until half term, let alone until July.

The school and LA will want you to take it up ASAP because they will want to offer it to the next on the waiting list or to anyone moving into area rather than leave it empty for most of a term.

It varies, but it's usually no more than a couple of weeks.

Agree with PPs that the fees are a sunk cost and you need to be thinking forwards not back to that bill

they won’t give you long, a week perhaps? There will be other kids waiting so if you want the place you will have to take the place now.