anyone know what happens your (state) school place if you go abroad for 2 years?

[abusybee]

do you give it up completely or is it 'reserved' for your return - and the child taking your child's place only has it until you get back?

DH muttering again about being relocated and if we had to go private on our return this could have a severe impact on the decision!

As far as I know you lose it. Perhaps you can apply for it to be held, but think that'll be unlikely. Sorry!

When we went abroad we were told that they couldn't hold a place open for dd, but if no-one came alomg in the meanwhile, on our return she could go back. I would hardly expect someone to be ousted from the class on your child's return, hardly fair.

Unfortunately I think you will lose it. They don't have to hold you a place for your child if there are others waiting.

cheers thanks for prompt replies - was as I was thinking.

It's probably worth seeing what your local authority's position is on children moving into the area. With ours, they guarantee primary school children a place in one of their two closest schools, even if both schools are officially full. So you'd know where you would end up if you did go away for a couple of years, or move house. Other areas have different policies.

We have thought about this, but really I think you should go abroad anyway and hope things work out on the schools on your return. It would be a shame to not go when quite likely things would be OK somehow when you get back.

You can't keep it open for more than the same academic year. We went abroad when ds was 3, applied for a school place at Reception (as we still had a local address and intended to return the following year) but in the event stayed longer and had to cancel it as we wouldn't return by the summer term. The school couldn't guarantee a Year 1 place would be available, should we have returned then, but expected that they could accommodate him. In the event we stayed a further 2 years (4 in total) and he went to different (private) school altogether on our return ! However even putting him on their waiitng list at 3 only got him a place at 7 so no guarantees there either.

I agree with others that you wouldn't have a right to reclaim the school place on your return, but it is worth considering whether there is really a problem. Look at class sizes in that school in the year group to which your child would be returning. Many primary schools in London (including the one that my DS2 and DS3 attend) have smaller class sizes in the older age groups because of families moving out when their children approach secondary age.

you'd lose it

but if you then went back on the waiting list when you got back, you might be quite high up on the list if someone leaves/moves etc, but its a gamble