taking child out of school mid term

[Billie123]

I need advice,

I'm a single mum who has moved from Birmingham to Devon 4 years ago due to my mom who lives in Devon having a illness and to care for her, I moved to Devon with my then 3 year old daughter who was just starting nursery so it was fine but since moving to devon I miss my old friends in Birmingham, I have found it hard finding a job and now my sister in Birmingham has offered me a room at hers in Birmingham and a new job which pays well if I want it but my problem is my daughter is now 7 and in year 3 and I don't obviously want to pull my daughter out of school, I know its wrong and could affect her but my daughter has said she don't mind moving back and going to a new school. I can't apply for a school place in Birmingham from Devon and have been advised I would have to be living with my sister first for a school place in Birmingham. I am so stressed out but im jobless here In devon going to food banks, applying for jobs everywhere but no luck so far. I really want to move back to my home city but its just down to the school. So my question is to all you other mothers. How would I do this? Shall I just take the move and hope a school place comes up or Do I need to go speak to my daughters current head teacher for acceptance to leave (even though she has no current future school place) but ask anyway. I really don't know the laws? I don't want to ruin my daughters schooling so please don't think I'm making a brash decision as I'm trying to make the best decision and I would really like that new job as I'm so poor now and finding it hard to cover for rent at the moment. Please can someone give me advice.

The local authority you move to will have to find you a school place when you have moved. I don't know how over subscribed schools are in the area you want to move to but you may not get any choice about where the place is.

As I understand the system, you can apply for a place before you move, but you will be low down the priority list until you live closer. Also if you are offered a place before you have moved and can't take it up immediately then you are at risk of losing the place.

In terms of your daughter's current school. You don't need to ask their permission but it is generally polite to talk to them so they know what is happening.

In regards to your worries about your daughter's education. It is generally agreed that moving schools can adversely affect a child however many people do it for many reasons and it certainly doesn't make you a bad parent. You are looking at the long term which is where you can settle and work which will be a benefit to your daughter. Parenting is never easy is it!

Have you talked to the local authority where you are intending to move? They will be best to advise you on what steps you need to take.

Hi. I feel so sorry for you. Yes. Move home. Your daughter will adapt. Happy mum happy child. I don't know exactly how it works in Birmingham but here where I love the process is to call the school admissions authority (la). They can tell you where there are places. Then fill in the form - get your head to sign it. Move and submit the application....it can take anywhere from 15 days upwards. Then if the school's you listed are full you can go on the waitlist in case they get a space. -however it would make sense for you to select a school that currently has places to minimise the break in her schooling. Good luck.

Thank you DeadZed, I know its not easy at all. I just want me and my daughter to be happy that's all as were not at the moment with me being jobless I hate sitting around I want to be working and being offered a perfect job elsewhere is just what I need right now but I just want to make sure my daughter doesn't loose out and I move and school places just don't come up and I end up going to court or something but I don't want to loose this job opportunity just a hard decision. I will apply for a school place even though I am not close and at least it shows I am in the process and then I will talk to her current head teacher and explain the reasons and hopefully will get some good advice of her. :) thanks for your message

Go and visit the schools near your sister, explain the situation to the Head sometimes they can find space. Would it be possible to go near the holidays then she won’t miss as much schooling. Keep up her reading and there are plenty of good sites for Maths etc on line. Take her to any free exhibitions at Art galleries or museums in Birmingham.

Go visit all the local schools. Talk with the school. Your new local authority will have to help you find a school place for your child.

What are the local schools like?
Have you read the inspection reports?
Once you have moved you need to submit a application. Don’t delay your application too much. Good luck with your property search- the market in our area is officially in a slump. Seriously.

I can't comment on the ease of finding a school place but I recently moved with 3 primary aged children to a very oversubscribed place and managed to get them all spots even though 1 was in a different school. I very much doubt moving in year 3 will have any detrimental effect on your daughters schooling. The most important thing for her is having a happy mum who will support her through any changes (which you obviously will). You will get a school,depending on how oversubscribed the area is it may not be your first choice, but with one child to place in KS2 (where they can go over the 30 class size limit that can't be breached in KS1) I can't see it being a major problem. If you talk about it as something exciting, new school, new friends, her aunty close by she will see it as something good too. I wish you luck with it as I remember what a stressful time it was but children tend to take things much more in their stride than we do! Sounds like a perfect opportunity for you. Good luck

Thank you so much for the replys everyone. Thank you LoveBlackpool you have made me feel much better about it. I will defiantly go with a positive approach. Moving to devon was lovely its a gorgeous place but its just the job side of things and being in my 20's where I want a fun job I think I'm in the wrong place. Birminghams very hustle and bustle but with a job waiting for me I just can't wait It excites me. Thank you everyone again. I will talk to my daughters headteacher give her a heads up and ask if she thinks the summer holidays are a good time to leave as I don't want to interrupt anything but if the job can't hold till then then i'll explain that and make my way there. I have a lot of hard work ahead, I'm going to have to sell everything in my house except the things ill be taking for the move so its going to be hard but worth it! xxx

I’d go sooner rather than later, then your daughter will make new friends before the summer holidays :-)
Far better than spending the summer worrying about starting a new school in Sept.
I moved my twins 3 weeks before end of Yr 1 so we could do some summer playdates and it made the start of Yr 2 so much easier...

Moving in the summer holiday may seem the right thing to do but it has disadvantages. Firstly and most important is that the schools are on holiday, so there will be no movement to find a school place for your daughter till September. You could then be left with a daughter with no school place. She might think this is great for a while but you need to be thinking what do you do with a 7 year old daughter during the day if you are working.
I would just arrange to move ASAP and apply for school places in the midlands saying you are moving temporally to your sister' s address. The school in Devon will understand, it will be happening all the time.

I agree with PP you'd be better moving sooner rather than later. It will be a nightmare getting a school place over the summer when all the schools are shut and your DD will know no one to have over and will probably spend all summer worried. She's in Y3 so it's not like she'll be changing GCSE syllabus or anything. She's still young enough to integrate very quickly.

Thank you everyone I agree This is what I plan to do. My last question is let’s say I pack up and leave and move into my sisters (which is the plan) My daughter will be out of school while I apply for a new school place can I get into trouble that she will be at home until a school place is given to her? Will I be fined. I think that’s my only worry. I have spoken to Birmingham school admissions and have said until I’m living in Birmingham My daughter cannot he accepted for a school place as she needs to be Living in a Birmingham address. So yep I will leave earlier then school holidays but I just worry about getting in to trouble or will it be fine as long as I apply as soon as I move there. Thanks everyone!! Xxx

The answer is no you will not get fined as long as you inform by email the LA that you are moving on a set date, preferably giving them at least a week's notice.
Ask them for a place at the school(s) that you prefer. Not sure who at Birmingham LA said you cannot request a school until you have moved that is incorrect. You can apply for any school from anywhere in the UK. I can understand that the LA does not want to start any work on finding a school place until they know that it is definite move but you have a definite plan and an address so there should not be an issue. Obviously there is a big difference between requesting a place and being offered a place and being realistic there will be a time delay.

Please do not worry kids are very resilient and adaptable my 7 year old had only been in an European system of education in another language. We moved back to start year 3 in the U.K. and she is thriving and doing really well.

Do what you need to do for you and your daughter a happy settled mommy will create a happy settled daughter.