moving to london mid year?

[katy36]

Hi, can anyone help with a query?

My daughter is about to turn 4 and we're living in Scotland at the moment. If we stay here she's not due to start school until Sep 2012. There is a chance though that we might want to move back to London next year - and she'll be halfway through reception year. Does anyone know what we'd have to do to get her into a local primary school - as she's obviously missed applying this year. Could she start halfway through the year - or would she have to wait until September 2012? And would she get any choice of school for year 1 or would we get stuck with wherever had a place?

If anyone has any info I'd be v.grateful....

Thanks

You just have to read some of the posts on here from people who have just heard about the outcome of their Sept 2012 applications to see that London has a shortage of primary places.

You can start school mid-year and this is called an in-year admission. You apply directly to the council. They have an obligation to educate your DD, but, of course, you may not get the school that you want/ is close to you.

Do you know where you are going to move to? It might be worth doing some research and avoid the worst places. Lewisham and Kingston sound particularly bad this year.

Where abouts in London roughly? London schools are heaving in lots of areas.

Nothing decided as to areas - if we do move I guess we'll try and get somewhere with reasonable schools.

Do any primary schools have more places for year 1 or do they all get filled at reception class now?

All the ones here get filled at Reception year, no extra space in year1

Thought that might be the case.. thanks anyway - just another thing to worry about if we move!

ps. nickname just changed!

Lots of areas in london have movement in reception/year 1 as people move out of london. Pick an area with lots of good schools so you will be happy with whichever ends up with space (this means it will be an oversubscribed area). as your daughter is little you could put her into nursery or home ed.while you are waiting for a space to come up

Thanks mebaasmum - that has cheered me up a bit! My other half is very keen on home ed (esp if he gets to do it while I go out to work!) so that might work for us.

I agree with meba, although less people seem to be paicking and moving out than did when my DC were small.

we live on the very edge of sw london. My DS is in Y6 and every year from Reception, a child has left his year - snd some years he had a child join. There is a lot of movement in this area as the schools are fantastic but people move abroad with work, or are here from abroad for a few years. Currently at his school there are vacancies in most years and there usually are in most of the schools once the flurry of reception is over.
It does just really depend on the year though...no fixed patterns. Good idea would be to contact admissions depts of boroughs you are interested in and ask them for a list of all their current vacancies. Should help you build up a picture.

We have 4 spaces in our Y1 class at the moment but Reception is full.

Thanks everyone. That's all really useful. Its comforting to think we might be able to get her into a reasonable school if we do move back.