Stressed - Moving Schools and Area just before Daughter starts Senior School

[Nonnag01]

Hi I'm wondering if anyone out there can help me with my dilemma. My daughter has always attended an independent school and really loves school. In 2010 the family hit hard times and we had no alternative but to change schools to a state school Some 6 weeks and 3 near nervous breakdowns later between us, (her myself and my husband) ended up returning to her into the original school.

We are not a cash rich family but education is really HIGH on my agenda. Admittedly I put a premium on it before anything else if I'm honest (I guess your feeling horrified reading this!) I am NOT a pushy parent but I have a really highly stimulated child.
In the latter part of last year 2011, we took another hit again and the business finally went on its knees leaving us to start all over again. My income alone is insufficent to cover all our expenses. We are really positive people in our capability to turn things around and have made the decision to relocate back to London where we once made some real life changes and it feels like the right time to move, however, I am really at a loss regarding the feelings that crop up when I think about the future educational changes again.
I would do almost anything to keep her education levels to what they are now but knowing that we just cannot affod school fees. She is excited about the move but doesnt really have an understanding of the switch again!
I am faced with potentially moving her twice as she is currently in Year 5. I need to find a Primary school with a Year 6 place and potentially she will move again to Senior School after being at the school for just 1 year.
I would like to know if anyone has had any similar experiences in moving at this age not just schools but city and sector of schools?

a) I am trying to find a place in a local primary state school North London but we live in the North of England and the schools are all saying that there's no places ...
b) Even if we stayed here there are NO PLACES...
C) She's been identified as gifted and talented do you think that I should still approach schools for a bursary at a independent school.
What would you do?
My husband has no clue on the education system (he's foreign and its not as high on his personal agenda) I feel quite alone with this?
Your comments/and feedback would be greatly appreciated

Do you have to move to London itself? Can you get your DD to do the Kent test (for the Kent grammar schools) at the beginning of Y6?

I don't understand the 'no places' thing... Applications haven't even been opened yet for senior school?

Or do you mean no places for September? They won't be able to give you a place at the mo, anyway, as far as I can tell you don't have sn address, and they can only hold a place for 6 weeks, even with an address. Have you just been cold calling schools and then planning to find somewhere to love nearby? With an address, they will offer you a place. It might not be the one you want, but she will have a place.

As far as the rest goes, yep, my kids move schools all the time. We are (were, actually) a military family. Dd1 is in her 7th (I think) school in yr7. We moved here in the summer and she started y7. Sometimes she spends a year in a school, sometimes two. All three are gifted, and manage the moves v well. We ordinarily don't have a choice of school, tbh. They are bright enough to thrive wherever we are. In only one instance were we advised that the schools wouldn't be a good fit, but we found an alternative state school within a couple of miles. Education is really high on my agenda, too.

If you have had testing done and she is hg, or pg or whatever, you could tout her esults around and apply for scholarships etc - and I assume you have already been refused bursary help at her current school? Tbh if her current school have refused a bursary, I would imagine there is little chance of anyone else offering one, but you could try.

Sometimes you have to accept that you can't afford an indie, and get on with it. We can't afford to pay for three lots, so none of them go. You can use the extra to pay for extension activities etc.

I don't know about applying to schools or anything (eldest DC is 17mo), but I went to 8 schools between the ages of 7 and 17, it didn't affect me, tbh it made me slightly more confident (until I met stbx-h, but that's another story).

The only thing I wouls suggest is ...... NEVER move schools between years 10 and 11, my mum did this to me and I had to start ALL of my GCSEs from scratch, I did Law, Psychology, Drama, Business Studies and the core subjects (science, maths, english). I was predicted all A's and A*'s ....... I got all C's

we did exactly the same as you. We moved our dd1 from an independent school at the end of y5, to a state school in N London for y6. We felt we had to do this then to apply for secondary school in October of y6.

She has loved loved loved this. she loves her new school, settled in really quickly, felt engaged with the choice of secondary schools, and is really excited about starting there in Sept. There was a place in a really good primary school for her (and in fact we had a choice because there were places in more than one school) - and because we were moving to London, we could rent a place in a teeny catchment of a fantastic secondary school for her.

I would phone around - don't know which Loc Auth you are looking at, but my experience was that there were spaces - I started in May last year and we moved over the summer. she started school in London in Sept.

oh I should say, because of the needing an address thing, we did start renting our flat at the beginning of June. It was a bit messy really, but as madwomanintheattic says, you need an address before the LEA will talk to you. You can talk to the schools before then though as they often have a better idea about spaces.

Why have you picked north London? It's terribly competitive and materialistic and the senior schools are patchy (depending on your religion). In your financial/education situation, there can be few worse places to be thinking of living. I'd suggest you give some serious thought to living outside London. I know they don't get a lot of press on Mumsnet - but counties well outside London have fantastic schools where finding a place is a lot less stressful. Housing is cheaper, way of life is cheaper ... and there are lots of trains into London if that's where you need to be for work.

Op tbh it depends what part of north London you are in. We live in north London and there are a couple of good grammar schools if you are looking to go down that route?

My DCs are at 2 different grammars and they both went to state primary.

Pm if you want any more info, if you would prefer not to say exactly where you are moving to'

Crouch end- Thanks but Kent is way outside of where we need to be.

Hi I laugh at myself now as I've beean rackinhg my brain trying to work out what and 'Indie' is Ive got there now and I think that your point is as clear as my husbands really its about acceptance things could well change in the future. But your right realistically I need to get grounded and accept that State it is for now. That was a real burn to read your comment but I came form someone othert than people who know me and therefore sometimes its easier to swallow!
x

You could always look at Christ's hospital for secondary education. They offer burseries to most of their pupils.

Thank you. I shall f/up.

Sorry if I havenet responded individually to each of your helpful messages but I'm just getting the hang of using this forum.
Ive decided to do a general response to some questions.
A) Plan is for Crouch End - Reason- Family and Support Network and we Love the place.
B) Existing school did offer a bursary until end of Term but most schools dont offer a bursary in Junior years so guess I cold try again in year 6 if situation is same and not happy with Selected Primary school.
C) The 'no places thing' is propbably beasue I havent had the address, so point taken and I will sort that ASAP (Thanks xxx)
D) Can't live o/side London... both need to be near M1 For sick parents (feel bad enough leaving them!!)
E) Have anyone used the services of the Education Consultants for the Good School Guide and did nthey get value for money?
F) I guess my Dd isnt going to die for crying out loud... I jusy need to get real and its been good to typle out how I feel (LOL)
G) I dare say that the move alone is exciting enough for the little one and its down to my reaction to her transition isnt it? Going by the last move to her change of school I didn't really handle it or her well) so thanks all for your feedback x
Nonnag01