Different primary school for one term

[Mumonthemove10]

Ive been offered a temporary job(I work freelance) for the length of one school term back in my home country. My husband and I have been going round in circles trying to decide if a move back home is the right thing to do for our family.
This seems like a good solution to test it out without the commitment of selling up and hoping it all works out.
We’ve been really unhappy with many aspect of our kids current school, not least that there currently will be no HT come September(no applicants to advertised post and temp p/t head will be returning full time to their other school). I really want to see how the kids do in a different environment.
Is this madness??? Children will be y6, y4 and reception. My husband also works freelance so jobs wise moving isn’t a big deal

No, it sounds like a good idea.
Mine went from primary school- 2 years in Oz- one term in China- back to original school. Strong and fond memories of all schools and in touch with friends from all of them.

Sorry that was all about me- the point is like you, we took a break without committing and the children got a lot out of it.

But (assuming it's the state system under consideration here) the school cannot 'hold' places for a whole term - except for incoming Reception DC, if their birthday allows them to have their start at the school deferred - so you were lucky to get your DC back in and the OP may not be so fortunate when she reapplied for spaces in three different year groups, whether back in the current school or elsewhere..

Also, if this is for the coming autumn term, there is the issue of the secondary school application for the year 6 DC to consider?

Yes, we were very lucky. Private school and they waved us off and welcomed us back smoothly, no penalties.
But it sounds as if op could well stay and even if they come back there are benefits.

@Mumonthemove10 If you came back at Christmas it looks like you’d be away for the secondary admissions dates. That’s definitely something to factor in.

Agree , you need to look into secondary application deadlines. Your youngest may struggle to get a local place on return due to .infant Class Size restrictions. Would it be an English speaking school or do they know the local language , as ime a term may not be long enough to integrate and learn to communicate otherwise.

I agree with others secondary admission would be the main worry, and getting places at school for all of them on your return as places won’t be held.

if it was for a longer period of time then I would see it as a good thing but realistically one term is going to be more disruptive than beneficial surely? By the time they settle in they will be leaving again

IF you come back, there is no guarantee of getting your places back - and could end up with 3 different schools.
Your oldest secondary application is due October. So you potentially end up with a dubious secondary place.
I was all set to say go for it until I saw the age of your oldest.

FWIW, we returned just before the start of Y6 to secure a secondary place - but we live right on the border of decent schools to the left and sink schools to the right - so all the good schools are full straight after offers day. We got the worst primary, but the right secondary, and both kids are flying.

As mentioned upthread, the school cannot hold places for your children so you would be taking a risk they could gain a place on your return. If your eldest is Yr. 6 in AY 23/24 then if you are not resident by the deadline for secondary applications in the Autumn term they will be classed as a late applicant and may lose out. Do you know if the school currently has many vacant places in each of your children’s year groups?

It will be difficult for secondary applications if you have to put your temporary address. I don’t know whether you can use your house as your residence if you aren’t living there. When (if) you return, presumably you’ll look for a different primary if you’re unhappy with the current one. That may well depend on whichever one has spaces and might not be one you’d choose.

No problem as long as you assume that the current school won't have space for them when you get back and you'll apply as someone new to the area. You'll have to make sure you fit the criteria for secondary application at the appropriate time in terms of residence.

For a term I wouldn’t at those stages. As others have said secondary admissions would be awkward but I’d also be worried about getting the other two back into the same school.