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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

going abroad potentially for 2 terms will school hold place for son

26 replies

foxy1 · 05/03/2010 10:13

hello

my husband has been offered job abroad for 1 year. he will go in may and we would go in august when their school year starts. we would be back april 2011. my son is in reception at the moment and will miss 2 terms of year 1. Do you think the school will keep the place for him to return later in the year (year 1)?

My husband would not cope going on his own he would miss us to much i think so we either all go or he does not go. i don't want to loose his place at the school as its really nice little school.

any advice? thank you

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Bonsoir · 05/03/2010 10:14

No, schools do not have to keep places for children who are away albeit temporarily.

spitandpolish · 05/03/2010 10:17

Someone in ds's class did this and the school would not hold the place. There were only 24 in the class so it wasn't a problem but if it had been a class of 30 with a waiting list then he would have not been able to get back in.

Original poster

foxy1 · 05/03/2010 10:25

what would you do in this situation? would you go and risk it or make husband do trip and plan lots of visits?

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exexpat · 05/03/2010 10:25

I think they only hold places for a maximum of six or eight weeks. You may be lucky enough to get the place back when you return, but you may not - depends what the level of demand for places at the school is. I know a few people who have been in that position.

Bonsoir · 05/03/2010 10:26

Where would your son go to school abroad?

Original poster

foxy1 · 05/03/2010 10:28

placement is in india dehli so would look at british embassy school.

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Bonsoir · 05/03/2010 10:29

Have you actually secured a place?

I wouldn't dream of taking my DC out of school without ensuring they had a decent school to go to in the other country.

paisleyleaf · 05/03/2010 10:29

I'd probably go, and get on a waiting list on returning.

Original poster

foxy1 · 05/03/2010 10:35

we have applied for the british embassy school and are number 7 on waiting list so may or maynot get in. will apply for American embassy school as well. obviously if did not get place then i would not go.

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Original poster

foxy1 · 05/03/2010 10:36

british embassy shool is number 7 schools in all of india i think so would be a good school.

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Original poster

foxy1 · 05/03/2010 10:37

excuse spelling mistakes - typing with a small child on lap

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Dumbledoresgirl · 05/03/2010 10:40

They definitely won't hold a place open for you, sorry. How many children are in your son's class? If it is something like 24, I would go and not worry about it as it is unlikely 6 places would fill up over 2 terms. If the class now has 30 children, I think you will have to accept you may lose the place entirely.

Original poster

foxy1 · 05/03/2010 11:44

hello - in reception there are 23 but i think they mix the classes in the 1st year - year 1 and some from year 2 - so not sure of numbers.

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somanyboyssolittletime · 05/03/2010 11:52

Our school held a space for one term only, during which time the Mum home-educated. He returned for the second term and lived with his grandma - very tough!

ineedapoo · 05/03/2010 11:56

Gosh a hard one I would talk to the school and see what they say maybe a compromise would be one term out so go out august to December and then back for spring term

GrungeBlobPrimpants · 05/03/2010 11:56

They certainly won't hold his UK place open. When you return you'll be searching for a place from scratch - you MAY be lucky and get a place at your old school, but most likely be offered whatever is available, which could be some way away.

madcows · 05/03/2010 16:24

We went away for a year (to india, in fact!) and although officially they didn't hold our place we did get back in. We talked to the (acting) head before we went, saying how much we loved the school etc etc, and altho' he said that officially they couldn't keep his place, he did say he would do what he could. In fact they allocated him a class, and kept his name on the registry (don't ask me how!). We were also lucky that 2 (or 3) children left during the year, so there was no issue of whether there was a place. But I think we were lucky on lots of counts.
Happy to tell more if you need... we were also away for his first year (after he;d finished reception). It was a good time to go in lots of ways (altho' we were very glad he could read before he left, otherwise it would have been much tougher for him).
madcows

cece · 05/03/2010 16:27

No they under no obligation to keep his palce but you should talk to the Head.

spiderpig8 · 05/03/2010 16:37

If it's a maintained school then they won't be able to hold a place whatever the HT might think
But at his age, I would chance it.Living abroad for a year will be a good experience for him

kitkatsforbreakfast · 05/03/2010 17:52

Our school was prepared to hold spaces for both my dc when we were going to go to Australia for a term. They were in Yr 1 and Nursery at the time. In the end we didn't go, and they moved schools anyway, but that's by the by.

We had to write a letter to the governors as it was their decision. The Council said that while a school would stop getting funding for my dc, they may well decide it was better to fund their places themselves rather than lose my boys. I was rather chuffed that they were prepared to keep their places.

This is for a very over-subscribed maintained school. I know other parents, at other schools, who have done this too with no difficulty, but it is up to the school. It's worth asking, or you won't know.

spiderpig8 · 05/03/2010 18:51

Kitkatsforbreakfast -
I thought funding for a school was calculated for the year on the basis of the number of children on the roll on a certain date in the previous year.
The school would have either had to mark your kids as unauthorised absence every day or remove them from the roll.

NonnoMum · 05/03/2010 18:56

How exciting! What an opportunity. There are plenty of good schools abroad, and I am sure your DC would relish the opportunity.

From what I know about schools, there is a cut off point where you lose the place, but it is worth approaching the Head/Governors.

Will you still be at the same address when you get back (i.e would you rent out your home and then move back in?)

Good luck.

Goblinchild · 05/03/2010 18:58

My school will hold a place for a term, after that you take a place on the list with everyone else.

tilbatilba · 05/03/2010 19:07

The important thing is to be together as a family. Your ds is only in reception. It won't make a bit of difference. What a fabulous experience you will all have living in Delhi for a year. It might end up being more than a year.....you might go somewhere else. My advice is to stick together.

I went to both schools.....a long time ago though! I really loved the American school, very vibrant and great teachers.

Acinonyx · 05/03/2010 19:11

Dehli for a year! I wish - I'd be there in a heartbeat.

Embassy and international schools are fine. I would chat with his school - sounds like he would probably get back in.

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