Late application

[Nesime]

Hi,

We live abroad and have a 5,5 year old daughter. She will be 6 by August. We will be back in UK for her education. But the problem is that we won't be able to move to UK before July. Without having an residental address we couldn't apply for the primary public schools before 15 January. Is there any chance for our daughter to get in a public school for 2014?

Thanks in advance :)

Depends where you are moving to OP. You could get a place at my dcs' school tomorrow. But in some parts of the South East it will be much trickier but not impossible, especially if you are prepared to be flexible on which school.

Try googling the name of the county and 'in year admissions' and you should be able to find out which schools currently have places (no guarantee that will be the case in the summer but it will give you an idea) I'd also try to get back before the summer holidays start as once they do it will be v hard to get hold of anyone.

You wouldn't apply for her year group (Year 2 in September in England) using the same Admissions Process as for Reception entry (or sometimes year 3) anyway so the January deadline does not apply. For what are called "In Year" admissions , you just make them as and when, so in your case once you move to UK. However you may find you have a very limited choice as in Year 2 maximum class size is 30 and these will usually be already taken up in majority of schools so she would be allocated a place wherever there was a vacancy at the time. You can look up the application process for In Year admission on the LA/Council website of where you plan to live.

Your daughter would I think be in Year 1 now so the fact that you missed 15 Jan is irrelevant I think.

Public schools mean fee-paying ones in UK. I think you mean state schools.

As your DD is not reception class age, the 15 January deadline is irrelevant to you. You will need to apply,once you have an address, as an in-year application for Year 1 (if still in the summer term April-July) or Year 2 (for September, if you arrive a bit later).

The Local Education Authority (LEA) has to find a state school place for you. So even if the schools you list as preferences on your application form are all full, they have to come up with a place somewhere and this would normally be the nearest school with a vacancy in the right year group.

The application deadline is for people applying for a reception place for 2014 - your daughter is past the age for reception, so that date is irrelevant to you.

If your daughter turns 6 by August, you need a place in year 2 from September. What you need to do is contact the local council in the area you are moving to, and ask if any schools near your new address have a place available in year 2. You can start asking for information before you move, but they cannot give you a place until you have actually moved to the UK and have proof of your address.

The local authority is obliged to find you a school place, but it may not be at the closest school or at a school you choose - it can be quite some distance away from your new home, at an unpopular school - but you can put your name on the waiting list at at any schools you like and wait for a place to come up.

You may also need to contact schools directly for up-to-date information on places. It will help if you move back in early July, before the end of term, as schools close from late July - early September and you may not be able to get any information.

Lots of x-posting!

Lots of replies in such a short time! You're so helpful. Thank you all :)

You can contact schools directly as well, we did this before we moved house with my husband's job. Both schools offered us a place and confirmed it in writing without us having to contact the local education authority (though both were church schools so not sure that this made a difference).

You can contact schools directly as well

Depends on the LA. Some LAs will expect you to deal direct with schools an only go to the LA if you can't find a place. Others will expect you to deal with the LA. Your LA's policy should be on their website. Look for "In year admissions".