Are we potentially screwing up DS's education by staying here another year?

[Mrsfrumble]

The facts. DS was born November 2010, due to start school September 2015. We were living in Islington, regular congregation members of a church that was a feeder for a good CofE primary. DH had an amazing offer from his work to come and spend 2 years in the US starting a branch of the office. He accepted, and we were due to move in December 2012, but visas took longer to sort out than expected and we finally arrived over here last March. This means that if DH fulfills his 24 month contract, we won't arrive back in the UK until March 2015... 2 months after we need to apply for DS's school place.

From what I gather, Islington would be obliged to provide a school place under these circumstances, but we wouldn't have any say as to which school it is at.

Now DH thinks it is likely that he'll be asked to stay longer than 24 months, so we will potentially be in the US until 2016 and then facing coming back to Islington and trying to get DS into Reception part way through the school year, once again at the mercy of Islington council. He also thinks that if he told his employers that he needed come back early so that we could be in the borough for January 2014 then they would be understanding.

The problem is that we just don't know how important it will be! With hindsight, we really should have done more research into Primary schools in the area but DS was only just 2 when we left and school seemed so far off. Does anyone have any experience with moving to a London borough (Islington in particular) after the applications deadline of part-way through a school year? Would we be totally irresponsible to stay here in the US and leave things to chance when we return? DS is our PFB so we have no previous experience of the whole school admissions process.

There is a poster here who regularly quotes the education department, and apparently Islington is a part of London which is not short of school places.

I am less sanguine. The borough counted bulge class places in that, and announced that those expansions would be needed again this year (well before allocations). And of course, Islington is active in lobbying for more money to boroughs given the projected large rise in London pupil numbers, which does suggest they are concerned.

But the bottom line is that, whichever version of the school place situation in that area you prefer, the Borough has to find you a place somewhere. This may not be a school you particularly like, and the commute might not be convenient. But yes, they have to find you a place.

Hi mrs frumble, we've just moved out of islington and from my experience we found that the recepti

Good thing about moving to London is there is lots of churn.

Oops - posted too soon!

Reception applications are very oversubscribed for the good schools so not being there at application time would mean you didn't get In to the school you wanted - also there is no guarantee you'd get the school you wanted even if you were there as catchments are very tight and variable - we missed out on the school we wanted by 100m despite the past 3 years data showing we'd have got in in the previous 3 yrs.
But the good news is that there is a lot of movement after that so you would probably get the school you wanted for yr 1 or 2.

Our dc moved schools a far bit and despite my fears have coped brilliantly (move within the borough and then move out of London) . So I wouldn't stress too much - reception is about getting used to school and basic skills, so a year or so at somewhere less that your ideal really wouldn't make too much difference in the long run.

I would see how things pan out move wise - take whete you can when you get back (and you can always home school or look wider afield , eg city or soho/central depending I where you are) and then keep applying for yr 1 to the schools you want. I don't know of any people that didn't get the school that wanted by the end of yr 1
Good luck with it all - it is hugely stressful at the time but with the benefit if hindsight I can look back on the whole process a bit more calmly and focus on The big picture and realise that that first year isn't everything - it is just the first little step and you can take many more after that.

Thank you, replies have been very helpful!

If we'd stayed in London, or even been back in time for applications DS would have had a good chance of getting a place at the local CofE (according to our vicar), and the primary closest to our old flat (which we may return to) is rated 'outstanding'. I suppose we'll just have to get on the waiting list for both when we return and keep our fingers crossed.

I'm most worried about being allocated a place at the wrong end of the borough, and the possible effects of DS having to move school 3 times in a year (if we stay until in the US until January 2016 he could start pre-K here in August 2015), and he's not the most adaptable child...

Still, I was half expecting a flaming for being so irresponsible as to even contemplate staying and leaving his school place to chance!

I think if anything you are being a little up tight about it. Those first few years really aren't that crucial in the long term. I would be also far less worried about primary school than secondary. Most primary schools are okay (whatever Ofsted rating).

Small children are far more adaptable than you may think, and I have observed them adjust very well even when thrown into schools speaking a pretty much unknown language. He is still very little and they grow up/change a lot in a short amount of time at that age. On the other hand some find a change from normal timetable to dressing up day just as hard as a change of schools and country.

I think whole family happiness is far far more important than getting too wound up about primary schools. I am sure the experiences he is getting now count far more. Young children generally move schools pretty easily and I agree that even schools 'requiring improvement' are rarely that bad. Learning at home, encouragement to read, going to places to experience new things are far more important. School at this stage is only one part of the jigsaw.

We have taken a real gamble with the education of our children at primary level by moving - since re-locating overseas a year ago DS has already had to change schools once. We will also move back to goodness knows what (similar situation to you that we will be at the mercy of the local authority as not applying at conventional times).

But I would say the whole family happiness is definitely more important. If you are all having a lovely time make the most of it and work out schools when you get back. If you may not even go back to your old flat anything else might change by 2016, you might change area or even end up on a different project in a different country - just relax and enjoy!

I wouldn't have said either of my children were particularly adaptable but they clearly are given they are both doing really well in new schools (DS his second new school in a year!) and I think primary school age is a key age for building skills of resilience and flexibility, which my children have now adopted and are all the stronger for it!

Also support at home is most important at this age (over school IMO). I am far more aware and involved in the education of my children following our move as I kind of feel I need to monitor how things are going - a positive change for all of us (although a bit time consuming for me!)

nlondondad is the resident expert on Islington school places, you might want to PM him.

I am too uptight, aren't I? I've managed to get caught up in the London schools admissions madness a year early and from 5000 miles away

We thought we'd timed things perfectly before the visa hold-up, as I was adamant that I wanted DS to start school in the UK. The public (state) school system in our state has a terrible reputation, but since we've been here I've learned that early years programs are actually quite good, and we could afford to go private if necessary because the cost of living is so much cheaper than London.

That are some other pros and cons to choosing to stay longer that we'll have to think through, but I know it's what DH really wants as he's really getting his teeth into some big projects out here.

We live in Islington and my children go to a school that is now very oversubscribed. There are always places coming up - London and especially inner London, is incredibly transient. Families move abroad, out to the country, get re-housed, etc, etc. In fact, you may have your pick of schools when you get back as it's all very different post the reception madness, especially since you've got a choice of religious and community schools.

Please try not to worry.

I also would doubt that in all school districts the public school system is totally dreadful. It seems to vary so much in the US by where you live.