Moving back to the UK

[Nass]

Hi Everyone.. I have joined this site today and wish to share my current situation with you.

I & my daughter (British Citizen) have been living on the Costa del Sol for the past 7yrs. My daughter is now at an age (14) that I feel is the right time for us to move back to the UK in order for her to finish her education.

My daughter for the past 7yrs has attendend an International school in Southern Spain. She has excellent reports and excells in sport.

I know the area that we wish to move to in the UK. I have contacted the Local authority regarding school places but because I do not have a current UK address, they will not consider my application.

I am at a catch 22 here as I need to give a full term's notice to the current school otherwise the deposit will be lost. I can then take a gamble give notice and move back to the UK get an address...But what if a school place is not offered and indeed the school of our choice? And how much schooling will my child lose in the process of this changeover?

I wonder if other members have experienced similar and could offer some advise on the matter.

I have looked at the Fair Access Protocol and it looks as if we were asylum seekers we could get seen to straight away, however Brits seem to have little support.. Is this right?

Brits do have support. The Fair Access Protocol is required to cover a range of situations including children moving into the area when there is a shortage of places. That is potentially your situation. It makes absolutely no difference whether you are moving from Spain or Guildford as far as the Fair Access Protocol is concerned.

Once you are in the UK and apply to the LA they are required to find a place for your daughter. They cannot simply wash their hands of the problem. However, that doesn't mean you will get the school of your choice.

How quick the process will be depends on whether there are places available at your preferred school or other schools in the area.

If you want to secure a place at a particular school in the UK, you will need to look at private schools.

14 BTW seems a bit late for this. My DS has already sat some GCSE papers, and he is in UK year 10. He sat some last year in year 9. In some schools they will be sitting a third of their GCSEs in year 9.

If the school seems to have room then your child will probably get a place. If they do not your child will not, but you can still appeal if you have a good reason to want a particular school.

Nass- I am in the same position as you and not afraid to try.Either way it will be a good experience for the children.

I take education seriously and my children also do and have been well prepared to study academically for the past 9 yrs in another country.My only concern is partly the language issue,but there seems to be a lot of support in the classrooms so we'll give it a shot.

Get your UK address and you'll be fine.

Unless you absolutely have to move back, I'd let her finish school where she is.
Even if you don't have an address yet, they can still tell you which schools have, or are most likely to have a place for your daughter.

Why are you moving her? What is wrong with the school there?

You could easily end up in the least popular school in the area (least popular for a reason). You could appeal to get the school of your choice but your chances of success will vary a lot according to each school, their circumstances and your circumstances.