what to do with 7 y.o. while waiting for a school place

[mosteff]

I'll be moving from abroad to London in a few weeks for a new job and have a child entering Year 3. As his school application won't be reviewed until first day of school, he will be out until we have a placement. What should I do with him until we can arrange for him to start? I'm just looking for some ideas/direction. As it will be my first time living in the country, I won't have someone I know that can stay with him. Thanks.

Could he stay with his dad until a place is open for him? Is that possible? I don't know what we'd do without before/after school care!

If you have a flat now, then you should be able to use that address for an application now, putting down your six schools that are nearest/easiest to get to, even if they aren't all in the same borough.

Year 3 is the first year where classes can be forced to take an extra child even if it takes them over 30 pupils, so should be easier than with a younger child.

Offering someone you know in Italy the chance to stay with you and look after your son might be the best bet.

If you are over here in school holidays, have a look and see what holiday play scheme's are available as well. Many are run from schools and will provide activities throughout the day. (I say this with no experience if them though).

An Aupair could be a good idea.

When I moved back to the uk one of my dc was out of school for three months despite me applying days after landing. It was an absolute nightmare. Not only did it stop me working but dd (9) was really unsettled as she knew she was supposed to be in school and lonely as she had no friends.

Admissions were spectacularly unhelpful. They told me it was my responsibility to find a place. They kept telling me there was a place in such-and -such school so I would apply and they two weeks later I'd get a letter saying she didn't have a place and the whole thing started again. In the end I appealed for my catchment school and got a place. Pushing their numbers to 33 in her class.

The LA are legally obliged to offer a school place within a reasonable time, and with a reasonable commute. If it is more than 2 miles for under 8s or 3 miles for over 8s they have to provide free transport, unfortunately in London that is covered by the Oyster card etc.
Reasonable time is shorter than 2 years but can definitely extend longer than 2 weeks. In that time they have to contact schools to see if they have space (and this can be in another borough), if none close enough do they then have to decide the best one to force to take an extra pupil.
Reasonable distance tends to mean less than 45 minute journey.

So an Au Pair or temporary Nanny will probably be a solution. I would contact your employer and see if the can offer any help; child care vouchers, emergency child care schemes etc.

Thank you for all of this information. Much appreciated. I will look into having someone with me for a time and also speak to employer about it. We are not in the position of having an Au Pair for any extended amount of time but trying to get a cousin or young person to come help out is something I'm working on.

Otherwise, I don't believe I can actually apply, even with an address, until we have further proof that my child is actually in the country, that is with either a national ins card or testament from a solicitor.

Update: So I ended up getting some info out of the LA - there were 3 schools that "could" have openings - 2 look abysmal and one looks acceptable - quite nice actually. How would I incorporate that into my application listing? I put the schools I really love first, even if oversubscribed, and then have a space for the one where there could be a spot?

The plan should be to arrive, enroll DS in ins plan asap and then do application? Want to ensure maximum expediency on my end at least.

Would registering him with a GP (what we call family doctors in UK) prove he was living here?
I would suggest you accept any place they offer in the short term, and get on the waiting list for the school you like the look of.
You cannot go off OFSTED reports alone, I'm afraid. There are hundreds of MNers that will tell you about appalling outstanding rated schools, and conversely wonderful 'satisfactory" schools.

Mummy time- how appalling that 2 years is an "acceptable" time for a child to be out of school. Imagine the disruption

MachiKoro: his dad is staying behind until he wraps up his work in Italy - it could be up to a year so little help there beyond the few weeks when we arrive. We're in for a big transition.

I realize the internet is going to be only so useful - some Ofsted reports make the school look appalling. Other times the website is wonderful and you feel like the school must be well-established, thriving and so on. But it can be false and the only thing to do is visit the school...Thank you for the advice.

2 years is not acceptable and long before then I personally would be speaking to the local MP etc.
I woul also say accept what you are offered. Most "abysmal" schools are not that bad for every child. And I was very surprised that one school near where I live which everyone avoids, was actually wonderful when I did some work there AND I seriously considered transferring one of mine from their Oversubscribed very highly thought of school (the commute as opposed to being on the doorstep put me off). So you might be surprised.
However if he is in year 3 and above you can also appeal for a more desirable school with some chance of succeeding.

Your son will not get an NI number, you don't get those until 16. Council tax is the usual way to prove residence where I live. Child benefit can help if you are eligible.

mummytime: this is really great information - and also very much a relief to hear. If I'm just moving into the country, I should probably just register him for some GP immediately? I don't believe we'll have paid Council tax just coming into the country, but we should have some proof that he is also changing residency from Italy to UK when we go to the Consulate.

Do you know if your target schools were oversubscribed in the past?

Regarding childcare, you might find an after school childminder who doesn't have kids during the day willing to earn a bit extra for a short term all day placement.

I would post in Primary education also regarding the finding of a school for him.

Do you already have a tenancy agreement for the flat you are renting?

You will have to be registered for council tax for where ever you live (unless you live with friends/family) it is not included in rent.

JacquettaWoodville: I will post in Primary ed board - tx!

I have secured a flat. I will be living in Herne Hill.

If you have an address, and proof of that e.g. rental agreement, then you can - and should - apply now with that proof.

You would also be suprised how often school staff work over the summer. Have you rung / e-mailed your preferred schools? The headteacher is more likely to pick up mail than the receptionist / administrator, as IME heads work most of the summer while receptionists are definitely term-time only, so if you can find a 'head@' address for your preferred schools, it is always worth an e-mail to say 'Moving, have an address here, need a place for the start of September, do you have a space?' that isn't how you can actually GET the place, but if the head says 'yes we have a place', then you can apply through the LA with more confidence.

i used to work at a school with very high in-year enrolment - we'd get children turning up on the doorstep at 8.30 who were in class dressed in our uniform by 9!

I got a place for DS at a school with a place when we lived a couple of hours away, because if you apply, and they have space, then the space is yours.

Herne Hill is lovely nowadays. Assuming you're in Lambeth, they are used to schools having huge turnover so it shouldn't take long to sort out. if you join a local Facebook group for Herne Hill then you may find local childminders with space for an older child.
Go to the council website and register and let them know you will be living there from $date, and they'll send a council tax bill. They're remarkably efficient about asking for money...
Registering for a GP for your son may be only possible once he's in the country - ask them.
Lambeth's schools are pretty good nowadays though some bad rreputations linger.

NotCitrus and Teacherwith2kids, incredibly helpful info -tx.

I'm realizing now in doing the research that we're on the border of Lambeth and Southwark and some of the schools near our house are actually in both boroughs. Could/Should I do two applications or just put all the schools I'm hoping for on my list despite where they are. I'm actually in the catchment for some of the Southwark schools.

You apply to the borough you live in but can choose schools in another borough (or even another city if you wanted). The LA will see if any have places and you are top of those seeking a space. But if none do then they will have to see if other schools have a place; and then they can force somewhere to give your DC a place.