Moving to Cheltenham after the schools application window has closed

[duluoz1]

Hi all,

My husband has been offered a decent job in Cheltenham, we're currently living in London. My son is at nursery at the moment, starting school in September this year. We have applied for places in London, and are likely to get a place at the same school he currently attends for nursery.

If we were to move, it would probably be in July. We would be making a late application to primary schools. Is there any hope at all of getting a place at a decent school? Like many others on here, we'd be looking at Leckhampton/Charlton Kings, or open to other suggestions.

I just don't know what to do. Our lives down there would be a higher quality, but I don't know how much of a risk we are taking in terms of schools. I hear all the time that Cheltenham schools are over-subscribed, and we are pretty much guaranteed a place at the local (outstanding) school in London.

I suppose I'm just asking others if they've had similar experiences, or could offer some idea of how much of a risk we would be taking.

Thanks in advance.

Honestly? No, I think you'd find it very difficult to get a place at Leckhampton or in Charlton Kings.

However, if you wanted to spread your search to Hatherley direction there are a whole pile of good schools close together: Warden Hill, Greatfield Park, Lakeside, Benhall. You'd probably get a place somewhere I would have thought.

Don't place too much emphasis on OFSTED reports around here. A lot of the 'outstanding' schools haven't been inspected since 2008 or so. That makes the reception kids now in y7 and the y6's doing their A levels!!

Hi duluoz1,
I just saw your message from April that you are moving to Cheltenham in July. We are in the same situation but we are moving from Australia. I am wondering if you have contact any of the government schools in Charlton Kings or Leckhampton and whether they have any spaces in the reception year. At the moment we are not sure where to move but I really loved what I saw of Cheltenham when we went there a couple of years ago.
Thanks in advance.