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?

@ManefesationofConciousness why wouldn't he be funded post 16? All (in England anyway) children are entitled to state education up until age 19.

Have you looked at the guidance that I linked to?
They are not all entitled. He has not been habitually resident and we also don't know of his or the OPs nationality or status.

@ManefesationofConciousness you don't have to be British to attend a state school? Nor living in the UK for a certain amount of time?
Apologies if I am wrong. Will read the link as I am curious.

Possibly depends where you have lived for past three years, within EEA no issue, in other overseas areas potentially an issue. However a British passport and residency is likely to qualify for level 2/3 education.

That guidance linked to is applicable to FE colleges funded by ESFA. Sixth form colleges and school sixth forms have different funding rules so he should be OK from that point of view.

If state schools are sniffy about restarting year 12 next September (they shouldn't be but you never know...) private school should be fine, but might be worth sounding a few out now.

@titchy aren’t academies funded by ESFA so if the sixth form is within an Academy this guidance would apply

@ManefesationofConciousness that was far to many tiny words in that document. Sorry 🤣
Seriously he would be entitled to a 6th Form/Further Education College. Everyone is.
Also starting Year 12/college a year late is really normal and fairly common.

It's a different funding stream, same stream as school so should be OK.

Have briefly read the link - I'd have thought most of the criteria in paragraph 40 would apply, and only one needs to for him to be eligible, so definitely not a problem.

They can't help it if the dh hasn't got a job and can't remain there without a work visa. It sounds unfair on everyone but that is life.

If he is planning university he might need more time out in order to qualify for home fee status too. Worth looking into.

We were long time expats too and have come across this on a number of occasions. Often if year 11 or sixformers were affected they would stay with friends until year end. Is that an option for you?

Post 16 Funding has different rules nothing about academy or not - it is about status and habitual residence
colleges tend to more lenient to unfunded pupils but must schools can’t afford to take them

They are not all eligible
This is an issue every single year

Op, I’ve come across this situation before and people got round it by boarding their child with another family, even one of their teachers, so they could finish the school year.

They are not all eligible
This is an issue every single year

But won't be for OP and her ds.

she hasn't told us enough to know that
we dont know her or their nationality for example.

Expat implies British does it not?

What country are you in now? Is there a chance your son could board at his existing school to the end of his education in his current country? You also need to be aware of what university education he wants post end of school. If UK I think there are restrictions based on number of years have been in the UK (even if UK passport holder) and what fees would need to pay at university )but you would need to check this)

Have you got citizenship of another country? You could also look at schooling and university options in that country (boarding for secondary).

Some countries also don't have same school year as UK (eg Australia) and don't have same number of years to attend ( eg 12 Vs 13). That could give you a different set of options to play with.

What qualification is your son doing in his current school? And what does he want to do as a career. He could start an apprenticeship mid year.

Hello @Sassy1973 ! Sorry to hear about your quandry!

I would email three prospective schools' Heads of Sixth Form, be implicitly definitive about coming and ask for their help. How would they help you make it work?

And I would also email three universities' Admissions offices and ask what they expect and what they accept. What do they advise? They have a lot of experience of how this sort of thing plays out in Years 12 and 13.