Moving back to England-State School Places

[London2019]

Hi Fellow Mums! We are planning a move back to England either in June 2019 or June 2020 once the school year ends. We are looking at moving to North London- Muswell Hill where we hear state schools are almost all oversubscribed. Kids would be going into Y6 and Y4 in Sept 2019 and Y7 and Y5 in Sept 2020

Any tips, advice, suggestions on when we'd have to be back in the UK with a local address to increase chances of getting a state school place. My worst nightmare would be to move back from abroad buy or rent in Muswell Hill only for the kids to get a place in a crap school or not the school we moved to the neighbourhood for. My husband seems to think we'd have to pull them out of school and move mid year to have any remote chance. Help please!!!! Any tips or advice would be gratefully appreciated!!!

The worst thing would be to move after the deadline for secondary places as then you would be a late admission. Any other time would be a mid year transfer and then it’s just chance really. If they do offer you a place and you don’t want it because you not think it’s good enough, they don’t have to find you another place. If there is a place they have to give it to you though.

I had an absolute nightmare when we moved back to the uk as there wasn’t a place anywhere for my year 4 dd and they didn’t quite know what to do about it. I imagine that is pretty rare though!

The best time would be June 19 rather than 20, because that way you would be here with a local address to make an on-time application for secondary for year 7 for your eldest. (Applications would done in Oct 19)

Otherwise, and for your youngest either way, you would be reliant on an in-year application and will get a place at whatever local school has a space in the relevant year. This may not be a school of your choice I'm afraid if they are full in the relevant year.

Bear in mind though that in London there is a fair amount of mobility. People do move even in Y6 to be in position for that secondary place so it's not impossible. Agree better to move this year than next though.