primary faith school, but different borough of london. can I get in??

[cheapandchic]

We have been going to a lovely church (C of E) since we lived in this particular area of London and it has a great school.

Unfortunately we have had to move to another borough.(15 min drive) We are trying to move back by the time my daughter starts reception, but saving money for a house is very difficult right now.

The schools main criteria is "are you a member of the church", which we are...however we no longer live in the same borough, so would it be impossible to get in? How does that work?

If I got her into a C of E school in the borough where I am currently, is it possible to transfer later say in year 1 or 2, if we move back that way? Is it hard to get into a good London school in year 1,2 or 3??

Are there linked parishes? For you can be on the Church electoral role at any Church you attend irrespective of whether you live in the Parish. If you worship in the Linked Parish, you should qualify in that category (if there is one) but if that category is oversubscribed then you might miss out. If there are no linked Parishes, then it is very likely you'll miss out because of distance.

Priority on distance is normally given by stated criteria (as crow flies or shortest safe walking). I've never heard of crossing between Boroughs being a consideration in this.

London schools always have some churn, but it's impossible to predict if there will be a vacancy at the right time in the right year group when you move. But if you move near the school you should be high on the waiting list and stand a good chance.

Judging by the criteria of the CofE school just round the corner from me, you shouldn't have a problem - you will take priority even over a family who live next door.

You would need to be going to THAT church though. If you attend another, then you will need to live in the immediate area.

I would check the actual admissions details (should be on the school website).

I would phone the school and ask them directly. Explain the situation and that you are genuinely a churchgoer and very interested in the school. They should be quite happy to advise and give you the relevant admissions information and criteria.

(i.e. ask if they can give more detail on the criteria as you're not sure how/if it applies to your particular situation).

It all depends on what the admission criteria of the school says. If the admission criteria says regular worship in the church and you can justify getting any appropriate signature then you have a chance of gaining admission. If it says you must live in the parish and worship at the church then you obviously do not fit that criteria but will fit a lower criteria which will be worshiping at a church but not living in the parish.
It is however not unknown for the school to over-subscribed on regular worshipers alone and then other criteria will come into play, with siblings getting priority probably and then distance.
You need to look very carefully at the admission criteria and speak to the school as to how normally the admission process works.

the criteria is 1st to be a worshipper, then after that if you live within a mile.

getting in is one thing but my second question is...how hard is it to get into a school after reception, say year 1 or 2?

if I get in for reception, should I send my daughter there even though it is a terribly long bus ride, and just hope to move closer. or go to a school closer to home and then when we move transfer..

The borough is irrelevant, only the printed criteria matter.

Normally in London there is sufficient churn that you have a decent chance of a place if you're attending the church, but if it's a very small and oversubscribed school it may not be enough - the admissions office will be able to give you a clue if you ask nicely (and not too close to admissions day when they're swamped).

If you get a place in Reception but send your child to a different school you will lose that place. If you subsequently try to transfer into Y1 or Y2, or even Reception later in the year, you may well find that the school is full up and it is impossible to get a place.

Oh, just reread my post and was hopelessly unclear - I meant often a good chance of getting a place starting in yr 1/2/3. Chance often good, but talk to school for guidance.

so better chance at year 1 or worse??

Y1 and Y2 are generally very hard to get in. The school will already be full up in those years. Unless someone leaves and you are at the head of the waiting list you won't get a place.

Definitely more difficult to get a place in yr 1/2/3 than at reception, but, given the amount of movement in London probably not impossible - there will probably be a single place coming up each year, and I'd be very surprised if there are several other children with years of attending the church waiting to take a place. However, it depends how large and how popular the school is - admissions will be able to help.