Moving to the U.K. for a year? What do I need to know?

[hummmuna]

Posting here for traffic.
My job has asked me to move to the U.K. for the year. We were hoping for a September move to coincide with a new school year. My dh is ok with this and he has had permission from his job (in Ireland) to work from home, from the U.K.

So we have started to look for somewhere to rent and near schools so dh can collect dc. And then we won't need childcare. What do I need to know about bills in the U.K.? Our only bill is here electricity and mortgage. We don't have water bills. What is the average water bill for a 3 bed house? What else do I need to know?

We have 2 dc and one will be in what I can see as year2 as she is in her 2nd year of schooling here now so if she starts there in September it will be year2. The youngest will go straight to reception. Eldest is just turned 7 now and the youngest is 5 in July.

What else do I need to do/be aware of? Thank you

Hi Op, I’m sorry I’m slow. Most schools have their own admissions policy. It might say:
no. 1 is cared for children (in foster care etc),
no. 2 siblings of children in the school,
no. 3: children who are in the boundary (maybe north part of the county and west of the dual carriageway running next to the school).
If there are more children in 3 than places, then based on something like “furthest distance to an alternative school”.
So you could live opposite the school but be on the wrong side of the boundary. Or you could be quite near the school, but another child who lives further away would otherwise have further to travel...

Yes, the council will have a table of rates which will depend on the band the house sits. Houses are banded A to E or F?
So you'll get an idea. Where I live, generally flats and 2 beds fall in A to B band so your likely going to fall from C onwards.

With regard to council tax, it isn't as simple as looking up a local council. Different sized houses pay different amounts. If you look up a property, e.g. on rightmove, it usually gives you the rateable value (a letter A to F or G or something like that - can you tell I haven't moved house in years?!) You could then look up what the council tax would be for that particular property on the local council website.

Utilities:
Gas - most homes have gas central heating.
Electric
Water - depends on whether metered or mot. If not, the bill is based on 1992 rateable value of property so it depends on the property you rent.

Oh dear this is looking trickier than we thought.
It's the experience in a particular area/dept they want me to gain before I move up in position again. I may have to re think this. Maybe I could go solo and fly home every 2nd weekend??

@LIZS so typically what do they do in year 1...is it play based? Do they do their letters and cvc words in year1?

It's alot of upheaval for a year!

Reception is play based ( part of Early Years) year 1 is more formal learning. Literacy does start in R but spelling less so. Given current lack of schooling there will be catching up to do for many.

@ShandlersWig it's looking like it. Unfortunately I really want/need the experience and it would benefit me hugely for the role I'm being "primed" for so to speak.
I may have to talk to ppl tomorrow and see if there's another way we can broach this?!

Water bill will depend where you move to. South West Water have the highest rates, not sure how other water boards compare.

@hummmuna

Oh dear this is looking trickier than we thought. It's the experience in a particular area/dept they want me to gain before I move up in position again. I may have to re think this. Maybe I could go solo and fly home every 2nd weekend??

Honestly, I think this would be your best option.

Gas possibly , electric , council tax, water rates - these vary a lot , cheaper in london than where I am in Sw, tv licence, all these are mandatory.
Council tax based on area and property size but you can look up and estate agents would advise cost on house and potentially give you estimate for other bills.

Now I'm thinking it may be easier for all of us if I go over and come home at the weekends?

I don't think you need to worry as much as you are about the year your children will be going into. E.g., if your youngest doesn't know letter sounds, they won't be the only child in year 1 who does not. Whatever their knowledge and skills, a good teacher will teach them at whatever level they are at (speaking as a former primary school teacher).

With regard to council tax, it sounds complicated, but the reality is you would probably be in a lower band, and the difference between band A and band D isn't that much. I've just looked up my own council. Band A is about £1300 a year, and Band D is £2400. Divide that into 10 monthly payments (March and April are non payment months.)

I know a child that came from an eu country and he was put in year below so worth speaking to schools

<a class="break-all" href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=www.foundationyears.org.uk/files/2012/03/Development-Matters-FINAL-PRINT-AMENDED.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwi-1_bVvbXuAhXRN8AKHcNvAR4QFjAAegQIAxAB&usg=AOvVaw0R5oovm-RVqmvRgVzimeIO" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=www.foundationyears.org.uk/files/2012/03/Development-Matters-FINAL-PRINT-AMENDED.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwi-1_bVvbXuAhXRN8AKHcNvAR4QFjAAegQIAxAB&usg=AOvVaw0R5oovm-RVqmvRgVzimeIO

This is the English birth to five curriculum, so what children are expected to know by the end of their reception year.

Worth seeing if there are other options available. Sounds like a great opportunity to take.
Your family could pop over once a month too for long weekends.
You could also ask to work a 9 day fortnight, getting a 3 day weekend twice a month.

Maybe email an estate agent in area you would look at and ask prices for a property size you would look and estimate all the bills and if schools are full etc , this will vary so much from one area to another .

fly home every weekend. My oh used to work long days - Monday to Thursday then fly home Thursday night and out again Sunday night. Book flights well in advance

Year 1 usually they can already read basic books, know 1-3/4 phase phonics and it is more formalised lessons. Mine started weekly spelling tests in year one cvcc and phase 3 words.

With all that has gone on this year I expect the class levels will be all over the place though.

I agree though it's a lot of upheaval for one year - especially in a pandemic, it's not like you'll necessarily be able to enjoy the best of the place you're in.

Don't worry about the school systems there is not much of a jump between reception and year one and if they are behind they will help them catch up

Find your local Facebook group for the area your going too and ask questions they will be able to help you better

If you know where you would be moving to, you could call up the school as a starting point. They would be able to answer your questions or point you in the right direction.

If you Google you can see expectations for the years from many schools. Also a number of schools will have homeschooling on website for different years so can see what covering.
Example of expectations:
brunswickparkprimary.co.uk/end-of-year-expectations/

@Fairydustrust I know the area where the company is. I haven't even looked at schools yet, I might find a house and see what schools are in that catchment? Also I might see if a private school might be easier/better. BUT I am veering towards just going solo right this moment. Talks in work during the week might smooth out things for me though.

As your daughter is summer born you can apply for her to start reception at compulsory school age (the term after they turn five). She doesn't automatically have to go in to year one, you just need to be prepared to fight your case.