Moving to London in the fall, need a primary school

[Agador18]

Hello, I just found out that we are moving to London in the fall from the US. I have no experience with the UK education system and desperately need to find a good school for my 8 yo twins. We are thinking of Hampstead/St. John's Wood area but have not found a place yet. Please help!

I'm afraid you won't be able to get a place at a state school until you have a confirmed address in the UK and possibly not until you have actually arrived. Once you are here you will have to ask local schools to see if any of them has a place available. If none do you can ask the local authority to find a place for you.

Are you thinking of state or private school?

If state school then you will need proof of your new address (council tax bill etc) before you can register for a place, you then state your 3 preferred schools and are given one with a place that you meet the admission criteria for.

If private, then I have no idea, sorry!

You will be looking for an in-year admission place, so assuming you are looking at state schools and not fee paying ones, it will be a question of where has a space at the point at which you arrive in the UK.

Generally our admissions are done by distance from the school (with some priority categories like siblings). So, roughly speaking, the closer you are to a school you like, the more chance you will have of getting in if a place comes up.

When you say you are moving in Autumn, when in Autumn? And will they be going into year 3? There does tend to be some movement at that point as it marks the break between infant and junior schooling (most schools have both in one school, some are split). If you could move during the summer you might find that there was more movement and possible spaces.

Mavis - Just to be clear, you meant you state preferences and will be allocated a school with a place - which might or might not be one on your list? It reads a bit as if you are guaranteed one of the three, which I know is not what you meant.

Yes that's what I meant .

If there's any possibility you might be paying, you could email schools now as private schools are more likely to have places/be able to discuss them in advance. Private schools in west London may have other American pupils, if that is relevant.

State schools in the uk will be run by local councils. Hampstead is in the London borough of Camden. Camden

St Johns wood is Westminster. Westminster

You should find useful info here. UK state schools are inspected by Ofsted and googling this and school names will help you find inspection reports.

Lots of schools have websites too which will give you a feel.

Private schools are also known as public schools (total opposite of the states) or independent schools. There are lots in the area you are talking about. www.isc.co.uk/ would be a good place to start.

Welcome! London's a great place to live and the areas you're thinking about are lovely.

www.goodschoolsguide.co.uk/

This may be useful.

If you are looking at private then you would possibly choose the American school in London.

Otherwise there is a huge choice of private schools (not that this necessarily means a huge choice of places), you need to consider what you are looking for, eg single sex? Religious? Highly academic, or not so much . Then you can make an initial list to go at....

Many private schools will require your DC's to sit an exam to assess them, to go into year 3 this would typically be done in December with places being allocated in January, so it may be tricky to find a place this late. If however they are going into to year 4 there at be more chance due to general movement rather than the large intake there is in yr 3. Will your DT's turn 9 between Sept 13 and August 14? If so then they will be year 4....

Thank you all for your help. The process and research is overwhelming. We are open to state schools or independent schools, what matters the most is the easiest transition for our children. It sounds like getting into a state school may be an uphill battle - would they possibly place two siblings in two different schools?

There is a possibility that might happen, yes, however you could put the sibling at the least preferred school (or not yet in school) on a waiting list to move as soon as a space became available. Priority is usually given to siblings so you should be pretty high on the waiting list and hopefully a place would come up pretty quickly.....

Just for info, private school fees in the area will range from approx £13k per year up to £20k (£20k being for The American School ...amazing facilities apparently).

They will turn 9 in March so I guess that would make them year 4 but is that the appropriate grade for them academically? My understanding is that they start school earlier in the UK.

Yup, year 4. It is incredibly rare for children to be placed out of year group. it is all done on birth date and not other factors.

If you are seriously looking at independent schools then you can presumably afford to pay for them or you are being moved by a company that will contribute. In either case I recommend a consultation with Gabbitas who know an awful lot about UK independents and can talk you through the options and even help with placement. They won't tell you much that you couldn't find out for yourself, but they will make the process much quicker and easier at a time when you sound as though you have a lot to think about already.

Thanks for the suggestions. As for affording independent schools - that would only be possible with the company contribution which we haven't gotten a final answer on. It sounds like getting into a state school may be extremely difficult.

Friends have suggested some schools to look into in the Hampstead area but not so much in St. John's Wood. Any recommendations there? Thanks

if you can swing the company contribution go for the American School.

You will get a place at state school. The councils have to get you one (I understand). The challenge comes with getting the school you want, at least initially.

Well yes the local authority does have to find you a place but how oversubscribed are in the schools in those boroughs? In the outer London borough where I live, we consistently have more children than places...

I live in a V oversubscribed London Borough and managed to get into our 2nd choice for an in year admission at the beginning of year 4. The school we were allocated was our catchment school and we are very happy with it. Our first choice was just a cheeky 'if you don't ask then you don't get' punt.

You really need to confirm the company contribution before the move. You may struggle to get state school places and are unlikely to get places in a popular/well-rated school. If you are looking at St. Johns Wood/ Hampstead then your best choices are the American School -a great school with a curriculum that your kids are used to- but very very pricey or Southbank International School in Hampstead. Both often have places available as children move frequently. Other private schools may have places, but don't have the movement of international schools. There are several private schools in St Johns Wood, some boys only. Are your twins boys/girls? If you have one of each and want them in the same (private) school, that also limits your choices.

Lots for you to consider. I second the recommendation of a consultation with Gabbitas and also a pre-move visit (soon!) if possible to look at decide on schools.

And really push the company on paying for school fees...it will make a huge difference to your time in London.

If you are looking at good state primaries in the area then Fitzjohns would probably have to be top of the list. Barrow Hill pretty good too. Plenty of great primaries in Camden. St Paul's in Primrose Hill is also good (Primrose Hill/Hampstead nicer place to live with a family IMHO)

In response to Phiney's question, Camden primary schools are oversubscribed, but, OP, priority in the queue (after special needs cases), is given according to your home's proximity to school, so you could jump to the top of any waiting list if your address is closer than others on the list.

Oh and yes, visit soon, private schools have only a few weeks of term left before summer holidays, it won't be the same looking around a school empty of children !