Surrey state school openings

[usa2ukay]

Hello! We are doing something maybe crazy and moving from the US to Surrey area on short notice (we will arrive in August). Are there state primary schools in Surrey that tend to have in -year openings? We will need year 4 and year 6 openings in a non-selective school. I asked the Kingston area and got a list from them that showed pretty much every school without an opening, which didn't seem very promising! We have a large dog and would really like to live somewhere with bigger lots/ yards- and will basically move to where there is a school opening.

There are lots of movements in schools because & rolls in general are falling. But it's hard to get an accurate picture until you actually move & have a new address. When was your list from Kingston? If you moved to Kingston you can also look at schools in neighbouring boroughs.

Try Surrey admissions rather than Kingston. Also contact these 2 primary schools close to Esher / Claygate train stations to see if they currently have spaces:
Cranmere primary school - Esher
Claygate primary school - Claygate

Otherwise try a couple of schools in Walton / Weybridge like Cleves.

As the other poster says there is lots of movement over the summer as people move house, move to private schools etc.

You will get a place somewhere, but not necessarily at the same school for both girls. You need to choose secondary school for your year 6 girl by 31st October this year, so I would think about basing yourself for the secondary you want not the primary.

I would think about basing yourself for the secondary you want not the primary.

good point, plus most primaries are good.

Esher has a state secondary called Esher Church of England high school that has a large catchment, there shouldn't be a problem getting a secondary place. There are also 2 state secondaries in Walton and Weybridge called Heathside that again have a large catchment .

You would need a good budget to have somewhere with a large garden in Kingston or London boroughs nearby. Maybe look at Epsom/Ewell which has a range of accommodation and school options if you want to be in that area. What is driving the location? Surrey LA would have to offer a space somewhere but possibly not at the same school or close to wherever you eventually live. They do allow applications from abroad but only about four weeks ahead of arrival. See section 4 for information on timings and evidence required https://www.surreycc.gov.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/5105/Guidance-on-admission-of-children-from-overseas-V3.pdf

Thanks very much for all of your replies, very helpful- delayed response, but just an update that we have settled on an address in Weybridge- have not yet applied for a place but will this week (needed one more item for address documentation) and will update on what happens- we also ended up giving up on a large yard for our massive dog but are close to the metro for en easier commute.