How on earth does it all work? Help on England Education system from backwards foreigner!

[Jennlx]

I am not from the UK ( from Australia) and am struggling to get my head around how the education system here works. I have a son in a day nursery (he's 2). I have been looking at different local authority webpages, but not too sure what the next steps are. Am I correct in thinking that there are nursery schools which provide education for 3 year olds (infant schools?)? Are these only for 15 hours a week? Do you pay for these? What is the benefit of removing my son from nursery for this (apart from cost, of course)? Also, what is the difference between junior and primary schools? I live in Sutton and have been advised that you need to put your name down for schools two years beforehand - is this the case for education across England? I must admit, bit shellshocked by it all - seems very complicated and much as I want my children to have the best education possible, a LOT of hard work seems needed! Any assistance much appreciated!

Sorry- are you looking at state-maintained sector or fee-paying?
The process is very different for each...

Pre-schools take children from age three, or your child can stay in nursey.
Some (most) nurseries also provide an educational element.
Every child is entitled to fifteen hours a week free education from the age of three, but it is not compulsory and so they do not have to attend at all, or you can pay for them to attend for additional hours. Also the 'free' element has a fixed value, so if you choose a private pre-school it is possible that you will still have to pay the difference between the published fees and the fixed value for the first fifteen hours.

Children normally start school in the September following their fourth birthday, regardless of when in the year they are born, but some schools allow chidren with later birthdays (April to August) to delay until the January after their fourth birthday.

Children either start in a primary school which has children aged between four and eleven, or an infant school which has children from four to seven who then transfer to a middle (junior) school at age seven until age eleven.

The different systems operate in different areas of the country and, in some towns, both systems may be in operation depending on which school you choose!

Secondary schools in the state system are for children aged 11 to 18, although in the independent sector the system is different again, as follows:

Pre-Prep, aged 2 to 4, Prep aged 4 to 13, Senior School aged 13 to 18.

Hope this helps, good luck.

Do not know where you are but this is a good resource page
www3.hants.gov.uk/education/parents-info

Private pre-school = Pre-Prep. I hope this makes sense.

15 hours is free at age 3. State run nursery schools will give you just 15 hours. Private ones will give you many more hours (up to 8-6pm 5 days per week) and you can pay the top up after your free 15 hours.

Primary = age 4-11
Some split into infants (4-7) and junior (7-11)

In the UK children are required to attend full time school from the term after they turn 5. In most areas, they will eligible for a full time place (possibly with part time for the first few weeks) from the September after they turn 4. Nearly all parents take up the place from when they're eligible, unless they're sending their kids to private schools instead.

You've been advised wrong in terms of applications if you mean state schools (ie free taxpayer funded schools) - you need to apply by about the Jan/Feb before the September when your child would start. (private schools may do all sorts of diffferent things - but unlikely to involve applying 2 years in advance)

Most Local Education Authorities (LEAs) are very friendly and will talk you through how the whole system works if you ring them up and ask them.

Good luck!

purpleroses- for some fee-paying schools, you need to get names down at birth!

I think it's worth mentioning that 93% (and higher at primary school age) attend state schools. You can get a distorted picture on MN (and looking at the current Cabinet) that's it's more 50-50 than that. Not saying that's what you should do or judging you if you don't, but I overheard a woman in pret explaining to an American that the only way to get an education in the UK was to go private, faith or grammar. Gosh it was hard not to interrupt.

is Sutton under Surrey LEA? If so, then you need to apply in the Oct/Nov of the year before they are due to start (Surrey seems to have a much earlier application cut-off than everywhere else).

Stae schools:

1.Pre-school / nursery stage.
Each child is entitled to a place in a state nursery school for 15 hours a week when they are 3. You can apply for a place according to your borough's admissions procedure here. ALTERNATIVELY you can receive the equivalent provision as 15 hours at your private day care nursery, which is in effect an excellent subsidy. Ask your daycare nursery about this. State nursery schools are usually attached to Primary schools, as 'the nursery', and offer a place every day, morning or afternoon session.

1. Primary Admissions. Children start school the year they turn 5. You apply according to your borough's admissions procedure. Primary school goes from Reception to yr 6 (age 11). It is divided into 3 educational stages : Foundation (reception class) Key Stage 1 (years 1-2) KS2 Yr3-6. SOME boroughs have schools which are 'Infant schools' (Nursery and KS1) and Junior schools (KS2).

1. Secondary School - you apply through a pan-London system and may apply for any selective schools in your area - in Sutton you have the option of putting your child in for the 11+ test, from which the top children go to selective 'grammar schools' - or else to comprehensive schools which take children of all abilities, but teach them in streamed ability groups.

State schools and nurseries have 'Admissions criteria' which explain how they allocate places. You need to be aware that your best chance of a place is in the school closest to your home, and that people who live on the outer margins of the 'catchment' for a schools can find it hard to get a place. This is the cause of most of the education angst in the UK. It doesn't affect everyone.

Sutton is reputed to have excellent state schools - good luck.

This: Education in England explain things quite clearly.

Surrey's cut off has moved and is now January, pretty much the same as everywhere else. But I think Sutton is a London Borough?

"Also the 'free' element has a fixed value, so if you choose a private pre-school it is possible that you will still have to pay the difference between the published fees and the fixed value for the first fifteen hours"

This is now contrary to the terms of the scheme - the 15 free hours must be free. You will be billed for hours in addition to the 15.

OP: you might find that the day nursery your DC is already in will offer the free hours - no need to move him, and a bit off your bill. Ask the nursery management if they are registered to provide free hours and when your DC will qualify to receive it (age at three qualifying dates, roughly termly).