Mom from abroad... Where to live, which schools and how to apply to school

[MacaLoPou]

Hi! We a Chilean family moving to London as expats. We have 3 kids (9,7&5) ... Can you recomend us good boroughs with goods schools (non paid) to raise our kids? We will arrive in Jan 2016, can you recomend us how to apply to schools? Thanks

Hi Maca, it depends what sort of things you like, what size of house/flat, how urban and what is your budget. Also where you ideally need to commute into for work as crossing London can take longer than getting into it. Are you looking at state schools (free) or independent (fee paying)? Let us know a bit more and I am sure lots of suggestions will follow.

Sorry just saw comment about non-paid!

Hi! Thanks! We are looking for a state school, and willing to live in a house.
Work is near Green Park tube station and from door to door we would like to spend no more than 40 minutes. We have received the following recomendation: Fulham, Richmond, Kew, Hampstead Heath... Regarding school.. If we arrive in January, will my kids be able to attend classes? How we need to apply to each school, is directly to each bourough Office? I trully appreciate your help!! Thanks!

Hi. I am not familiar with those Boroughs but you can get to London Victoria from Petts Wood which is suburban and leafy and train journey is 30 mins. The Green Park is a walk or one stop on the tube from Victoria. In our area you'd a three bed semi for £500k. But sounds like with three children you need more space so a townhouse in Crofton would be £400k or a five bed detached in Petts Wood £1m to £1.25m. You would need to apply to wherever you live for an 'in-year' application. Most schools in London are full so it will be a challenge to be able to find places for all in the same school. The Local Authority is the first place to start each one will need a different level of proof about residency. They may co-ordinate the application for you or just advise which schools have places and who to contact. Each school will have its own admissions criteria unless under Local Authority control. Many will be based on proximity to the school so the closer you are the better. That way you jump ahead of the queue as it is not a case of order of application but who most closely fits the application criteria. You may have to wait for a preferred school and may decide to accept a place at a school that has spaces and then go on waiting list for your preferred school. There is huge demand for school places in London so it is not easy. Good luck!

Thanks a lot !! It seems we will have a LOT of work!

You may find it is easier to get your children into school than you may think. In some areas of SW London , Fulham, Putney etc a lot of children leave the state ( non-paid) schools at around 7 or 8 as parents move out of London or they move to private ( paid) schools. In particular a lot of schools round us would have space for your 9 year old and then your other children will usually go to the top of the waiting lists for their years.
Richmond and Fulham are nice - the state schools are not so great in Fulham though I believe. Putney, just across the river is nice with good state schools.

From these boroughs Kew is definitely the best (for me at least) but quite expensive . You can try to look for houses on rightmove to see if you can afford them
They have quite a few private schools and I assume they have good state ones but not sure
Look also in Ealing
Food luck x

Haha meant good luck thinking of food all the freaking time

My advice would be to look at the Tube map and follow it out.

Jubilee Line: Stammore, Canons Park. These are in Harrow, good schools.

I'm not too familiar with ones further in.

Piccadilly Line: Lots of stations in Ealing very good schools.

Also you good look at getting trains into Victoria or Waterloo which would allow a 40 minute commute. So South London, Bromley, Surrey.

thank you so much to all of you!, I will follow each of your advises!

You may wish to consider a faith school for your DCs. (Assuming as you are coming from Chile that you have a catholic background - apologies if this is an incorrect assumption). Faith schools in London often perform better in the league tables - and if you are Catholic you will go to the top of the waiting list. Not sure how long you will stay in London but do also think about secondary options for your oldest DC.

in case you are interested, there is also a Spanish school in London, near Portobello, west part of London. You don't mention whether your children have been in international school till now, so if there is a language barrier, it could be interesting
www.educacion.gob.es/exterior/centros/canadablanch/es/home/index.shtml

Thanks again! We are not RC, though we are Christian. We will stay at least 3 years... I would prefer not a Spanish school.. I think is a good opportunity for them! Bit thanks a lot forma your ideas.... I will start searching for the In Year Admissions.... !! Muchas gracias!

I sent you a PM.

Definitely SW. If you can afford it Fulham is a great area to live in as well as Hammersmith. Otherwise Wandsworth is very affordable and you could have access to very good schools. More specific areas in Wandworth:

Southfields: nice safe cheaper area, though not very posh (good access to Central London by District Line)
Earlsfield: ditto
Putney: Wealthier so obviously more expensive- very good if wanted to take up rowing (even better access to CL)

My dd is going into Sixth Form most probably at Lady Margaret. It is a smallish CofE school in Parsons Green. It's been highly recommended to both me and my dd. Other good schools in the area are Putney High (although I don't know much about it), The Oratory, Tiffin, Nonsuch, Grey Coat.

PS: I've been house hunting recently so if I can be of further help let me know. Good luck!