In-Year Applications for Bedfordshire Middle Schools

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First posting here so please be kind

My family and I are returning to the UK from Cyprus in June 2014 when my son finishes primary school (he is at an international school following the UK curriculum).

We are moving to Bedfordshire and this will involve an in-year application as it is a 3 tier system. My question is, does anyone have experience of this and how easy/hard it is? We are in a catch 22 situation as we cannot apply until we live in the area but can't move until school finishes here in mid June.

We will be either renting for a couple of years or buying (depending on finding the right place). We have short listed the upper schools we want him to end up at so have an idea of areas but I am concerned that if he doesn't get a place at the middle school of our choice he could end up in the one no one wants as it's probably the only one with places!

Any advice or experiences to share would be very much appreciated!

My experience of in year app for year 8 was fine. We are in leighton buzzard. Applications for upper schools are based on catchment, then attending any middle school in the town (this helps those that have come across from bucks in year 7). Good schools, places available as long as you are in catchment

Thanks for that Greenfolder - it's so stressful, not only moving country but finding the right school and then not being able to apply until so late! I did find an allocation list for Central Beds schools which seemed to indicate that most were under their allocation for September 2012 so hopefully this will continue and we won't have to worry!