Estate primary and secondary schools in Cambridge for French kids

[SophieFrenchMum]

Hello, we will move from Paris to Cambridge in August 2014. My three kids (10, 7, 2) don't speak English - except few words (the olders take English lessons). I have to find for September 2014, a secondary (year 7) and a primary school (year 4)... And if I am lucky, a prems. We can not pay an independant school. We will have our address in Cambridge in July...I guess it is very late for admissions in estate school ? Maybe I can make admissions in catholic shools before arriving ? I am looking for a piece of advice because I am completly lost. Thank you for your help.

Hi, You will find all of the information about Admissions in Cambridgeshire state schools on this page - www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/childrenandfamilies/education/ There is information about applying for primary and secondary here. I'm pretty sure that without an address you won't be able to make an application, so they will be late applications which will certainly limit your choices. Do you know what area you will be hoping to move to? On those pages you will find booklets called "First Steps" which is the primary admissions booklet and "Next Steps" which is for secondary schools. These list all of the state schools in Cambridgeshire and you can see the allocation for last year for each school which will give you an idea of whether they are usually over or under subscribed. Hope that helps you.

Many of the schools in Cambridge will be experienced in looking after overseas student with little English as they are used to the children of visiting academics. You will need a UK address in order to make an application.

just so you know, estate is a faux ami of etat...we call them state schools here in the UK!

etat = state

estate = HLM (in some contexts)

You will probably find a Catholic private school as unaffordable as any other private school.

And Catholic state school have essentiall the same admission procedures as another state schools (other than priority to those of the faith, which you need to demonstrate on an additional form, plus get priest's counter-signature; info on this form, called a SIF shoo ll e on the schools' websites). What they cannot do is break the Admissions Code by considering entry based on a future address (unless you are a British Forces or diplomatic family).

To reassure you, if you apply to any of the City schools you will find that they are very used to children arriving from overseas, sometimes with very little English. The University and the technology/science parks ensure that there is a very international feel in the city schools.
For most state schools, yes, you will need a definite address in order to apply. It might be different for the Catholic schools. For primary there is St Alban's and St Laurence's, and for secondary I think Catholic kids tend to go to St Bede's. You could contact them and ask
You might want to consider the Cambridge International School. It is fee-paying, but I have no idea how expensive.

Bon courage!

Thank you very much for your answers. I have understood I can not expect an admission before having an address. State schools in Cambridge seem to be good - so maybe the best is to stop to be nervous about that. As we will be staying only one year (Sabbatical of my husband at the Sanger Institute, Hinxton) the level of the schools should be not the top priority, unless if you consider there are some schools to strongly avoid ?