Expat children returning mid year

[Sassy1973]

Has anyone recently returned from overseas and navigated school admissions mid year? We will be forced to return in February and my son is in year 12. It seems like it might be an impossible task getting him into a college/sixth form mid way through let alone finding one that offers the 3 subjects he is studying. I have three kids in school and it seems likely they may all be placed in separate schools?? Anyone been through this?

Is there any way to change the timing? Mid Y12 will be potentially disastrous for your son.

What subjects? You might be ok if they are relatively mainstream. Probably choosing a large sixth form college rather than a smaller school will help. What exam boards is he doing - that also has a bearing. Is he a self- starter? If so he may be able to manage a switch in exam boards at that stage, but not in subjects I wouldn’t have thought.

Can you come back sooner (like now?) even if it's just the year 12 child.
Finding a school that does the 3 same exam boards and teach things in the same order will be difficult. If he's doing A-levels have you considered Home Educating and repeating year 12 in September 2023 ?

Any chance someone can come back with him now?

The chances of finding a space somewhere which happens to be offering the same a levels, with the same boards, is remote. The earlier he starts again if he needs to, the better. It could take a few weeks to find a spot as well, depending on where you come back to and how full the local schools are.

And yes your 3 children may well be in separate schools, as you will be offered places where there are spaces in their year.

It's likely he will have to start again. Different exam boards etc

He needs to come back early or could he stay there to complete his education?

We need to stay until February as there’s a chance my husband will still get a job where we live now. I don’t want to
uproot kids now and take them out of their amazing school until we absolutely have to. Could my son opt out for a few months and re-apply for year 12 in September? I understand that education for 16-18 year olds is mandatory though so not sure how that works?

When is his birthday? If summer born, that is more likely to be accepted, but it would be down to the individual admissions authority; there is no right to choose it. Talk to the admissions authorities of relevant local schools/colleges asap - do you know where you would be returning to?

He may have to repeat the year. A friends ds left our school after gcse and went to a college, hated it and asked to come back at Christmas. School said no too late but we’d love to have you back next September. He got a job and saved up to buy a car.

He’s just started sixth form and is really settled and making new friends in yr12. A year behind where he should have been but not a complete disaster.

We've been returning expats with dc at short notice so you have my sympathies.

I would’ve doing any and everything to stick around until a better time for my children. That would be my focus

Actually also coming from overseas would strengthen his case for deferral too. But do talk to the admissions authorities as early as you can.

He’s an April birthday. I am completely lost in how best to prepare for this. Maybe I can ‘home school’ him if that’s allowed and then he starts year 12 again??

Talk to schools that would be within travelling distance of your UK base.

It's very very unlikely that any would accept a yr12 in February. Even if they offered the same subject with the same exam boards, the chances of them having covered the units in the same order is miniscule.

However I think most would be open to him starting yr12 in Sept 2023. He could get a job/volunteering from march-sept then start 6th form afresh in Sept. 16-18 yr old are meant to be in training or education in the UK but in practise, no one ever checks up on them.

Thanks so much - I was hoping he could work for a few months and start again if it comes to it. My kids have never been in school in the uk and it will be hard for them anyway.

Are you in a country where you cannot stay without work?

Would it be possible for you to stay there with DS from Feb to May-June and rent a small apartment for the two if you, just so he can get to exams? DH returns with the kids and looks for a new job?

It's not ideal, but it's SO unfair on DS otherwise.

You have Easter holidays in there so you could both go back or the others come out.

It's still disturbing for DS, but far less than going to the UK in Feb!

This is all very very unfair on your children op, namely your eldest

Restarting year 12 might be the best bet. He could study online or work pt in the meantime. Unless you are forces or crown servants you take your chances on in year places. You may be able to apply a month or so ahead of arrival if you have a uk address.

Agree with restarting Yr12. Do you have funds for private school as likely to have more options.

Generally 6th forms can be easier to access, secondary school places are the ones with severe place constraints. What years are your other children?

You can't start A levels half way through the first year of a two year course. It's very doubtful that any school would admit him, and for good reason. He'll have missed too much of the course, including for lots of subjects assessed practical activities which would be very difficult to catch up on. Your only option for A levels is likely going to be to wait until next year. If that puts your other children in similarly tricky positions, bare in mind it's easier to move mid way through GCSEs than A levels.

Do you have any choice in where you move back to? Moving to somewhere with undersubscribed schools would be ideal - then you get some choice in where your younger children go (at least you might get them all into the same school). That would rule out London and most of the SE though. Places like Cumbria have more choice (but fewer employment opportunities, obvs).

For your Y12 son, you might find it easier than feared. No school will want him into Y12, but if you home school him for the remainder of the year, I bet you’d find a sixth form that would let him restart next year. Another option might be for him to stay wherever you currently are (with family / friends?) to finish his A-levels, then come back to the UK for uni?

I have absolutely no idea.if this possible as I have no experience and just clicked.on the thread from curiosity, but could he from now start home studying (with an online tutor?) what he is missing in the school he'd join in the UK in Feb?

Would obviously be a tough few months for him doing his usual schooling plus the extra, but might mean he could join his normal year in February?

@Sassy1973 it's incorrect that education for 16-18 year olds is mandatory. It isn't. In England 16-18 years olds are 'meant' to be in education or an apprenticeship or studying while working.
However there is no follow up if a person drops out and does nothing.
The only thing that happens is any benefits such as Child Benefit that the parents recieve stop and I believe the under 18 cannot claim benefits such as Job Seekers Allowance.
Anyway....
6th Form/College is actually funded for 3 years (16-19). My recommendation would be to restart Year 12 next September. He will still be funded for that 'extra' year and will finish Year 13 at age 19 instead of 18. Loads of teens do this so he won't be unusual.
He could stay home until September and do a bit of independent study in advance or he could maybe fill his time by doing some volunteer work.

He will definitely be able to start Y12 again next September. That will be no problem at all. However he will need to start contacting potential colleges/schools to find out their application process. He might be able to get a confirmed place before you move as he will already have his GCSEs.

But finding somewhere to take him during Y12 in Feb will be impossible I would have thought.

Wow your poor ds. What does he want to do? By Easter he will have finished the syllabus. Start looking now for exam centres that will enter him as an external candidate and he can self study from feb to the exam.

@Harrysutton
No external exams in year 12 unless AS level, which is not as prevalent now. However a new school may have already started any studies or coursework elements.

Are you sure that he os eligible for state funded post 16 education?

assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1105843/16_to_19_funding_guidance_Regulations_2022_to_2023-Version_1a_FINAL_PUBLISHED.pdf