New American in Barnet - advice for state school application?

[jongleur7]

Hello all, I am an American who moved to the Barnet area last September after getting my degree at Oxford. I have a two-year post study work visa, and will bring my 15 year old daughter over in September. Terrible timing I know, but we'll make the best of it, having to do this at last minute with the visa having taken so long to come through.

I'm currently devouring all the information I can find on the council web site, trying to set up an in-person visit with the council, and generally trying to give myself a crash course in the (complex!) British system for school applications.

We're looking for a non fee-paying school, and that's why we chose to live in Barnet (on the rationale that even the "last choice" secondary in Barnet won't be that bad). My daughter is extremely bright across all subjects, so if tests are involved she'll do well.

I guess I am looking for pointers for someone new to all of this - good threads to read, good online guides, and in the best case, someone willing to give me a few specific pointers about the Barnet area - schools to avoid, advice on applications for Year 10, etc. At this stage any advice is good - I am here to learn.

One particular question is about "vacancies" as listed by the individual school web sites. Some schools say they are full, but there seem to be extra places that get allocated later. Other schools don't say whether they have vacancies at all. Should I just ask the council and that's it? Is it worth contacting each school? How fluid is the vacancy situation (especially for non Year 7s) at this stage?

Thank you very much for your help,
Chris

Can't help on the applications but 15 is really a very bad time to move to a different system. GCSE courses are two year courses taken from age 14 so dd may be comming in half way through the courses. although you mention year 10 so that would be the start of the courses.

Have you considered the American High School? It is fee paying but with financial assistance available. I'm assuming that after two years you will return to the US and she will be back in a US school.

www.asl.org

Worth checking out this thread on the 11 Plus forums.

Hi Jongleur7
I think you will have to speak to Barnet council ASAP. I don't think any state schools would post vacancies on their website that refer to yr 10.
There is not a great deal of movement at this point due to the timing of GCSE but there is some, I took my DC out of state school in yr 9 for him to do his GCSEs in private school and someone moved into his place straight away.
You stand less chance with the grammar schools, but there is a variety of schools in Barnet, I do live in the borough but have always used Haringey schools ( you don't have to stay in borough).
The standard admission criteria will still apply to you, so distance to school will be a factor if they have people on the waiting list and some people choose to stay on waiting lists for a long time.
Some Barnet schools have banding based on ability, so it really is worth reading the Barnet admission booklet to find out which ones. There are also single sex schools and faith schools.
I have limited knowledge but know that the following schools are popular, The Compton, Mill Hill County, QE Girls. I doubt you would stand any chance of getting in to HB.
The council will have an obligation to find you a school place but it may not be a school near you or one you want.
Do you live near any schools? As it is good if you can get into a local school.

Given that the placement is only for 2 years and that your DD has been in another school system, it would seem sensible for the to ask for entry to Y10 (even if that is the wrong year for her DOB) so that she can do 2 year GCSE courses. At this stage, I suggest you go to school admissions at the council and see where there are places and start from there.

I don't live in the area, but my recollection is that there are lot of religon-affliated schools in Barnet. There are also grammar schools which will have an entrance test. Obviously the middle of the holidays is a tricky time, but staff will be in school over the next 2 weeks for exam results (the next 2 Thursdays), so it may be worth approaching the schools directly - as long as you are prepared for them to be preoccupied with exam results!

Also the places are only allocated by the council, so even if a school says it has a place it can not give it to you, it has to be given by the council, so there is no point ring around all the schools.
The council should be able to tell you all/ any schools that have places but some councils aren't as helpful as they could be!
Once/if they give you the names of schools with vacancies, post on here again asking about the specific school and you will probably get some help.
As the poster above said above it is a slitghtly tricky time re her age, but it should be fine once you find her a place. Good luck.