How does a child get into a state boarding school?

[BarkisIsWilling]

Is it easy? Do you just write a statement and have the child interviewed or is there any other criteria/hoop? If the parents live in the UK is that good or bad?

This is for an actual Y7 boarding place, not to be a day student. Thanks for the replies.

A State Boarding School is still a State school so it has to abide by the usual requirements to be fair and impartial. It has to abide by its own selection criteria or it will have appeals coming out of its ears, but different schools have different criteria.
Our school has its admissions rules on the website. It explains cutoff dates for applications and stresses that you must put the school on the CAF form.
Whether the parents being in the UK is a good thing or not depends on the school. A lot of our parents live in the UK, some live within walking distance!
I'm not totally sure of the current application process - it's a while since we did it - but there is an interview (to get a handle of child's character), an application form (a chance to show that the child won't spend all its time skulking in the dorm - it has been, which implies also will be, participating in sport, music, drama etc) and a HT's reference.

DD currently attends a state boarding school (as a full boarder)
We applied when we were living abroad. I seem to recall we applied in approximately the November before we wanted her to go, she had an interview in the February and was offered a place immediately to start that September. I know other parents who also applied (the following year) but they didn't get an offer immediately, they had to wait a few weeks before they found out.

At DD's school it is easier to get in as a full boarder than a day (flexi) boarder as the catchment area for flexi boarders is tiny.

You need to look at the admissions criteria for the individual school and see how well you match it, the same as any other state school. AFAIK most include as the top critiera, 'a demonstrable need to board' e.g. forces parents, looked after etc.

Thank you all so much :) Your responses have helped clarify things.

Are there any in particular you are considering?

Applied July 11 for ds to start in September 12 for sixth form. Interview October, heard in November. Needed predicted grades and reference from current school.

Through the door, same as the rest

Lol, Hollygully.

MOSagain, I'm considering a range of mixed and boys-only schools in Kent as I live in London.