Moving back to Uk with children 14 and 16

[pinkbuddhagirl]

My financial circumstances have changed and i might need to return to the Uk and put my 2 children in a state school there. They are 14 and 16. My son is just finishing year 9, heading into his iGCSE's in September and My daughter is just sitting her GCSE;s now and will start her A levels in September.

Its a terrible time to move them. I didn't attend school in the UK, and I know very little about how it works. I believe i have missed the deadline for applying for a spot for either child at local schools. To top it off, the only address i have is in East London, E3 Bow, which doesn't seem to have many good secondary school options. I could move in with a friend, in North London, they have better schools, but with the shortage in spaces, they may send me to the other end of the borough for my younger son.

Id really appreciate any advice or support!

Some schools start gcse in y9 so that may be something to think about - don't know how easy it is to slot in if everyone has been doing them a year already.

Apparently Ofsted no longer approve of school starting GCSE courses in Y9 unless they take the exams in Y10 after 2years. Some schools, like the one I used to work at, have gone back to the traditional 2 years courses.

It’s something the OP will need to look at I guess and could be a reason to choose specific schools ,possibly helping with an appeal for a place?

Do you have to move now or can you move for a sept start?

Which country are you moving back from?

Could the children stay until July to finish this year which would take your daughter beyond GCSEs and about to start sixth form - a time when lots move school in the UK? If your daughter is very bright there are some sixth forms (state) in London which get a lot of pulils into Oxbridge and which specialise in particular A levels if you have very high GCSE grades. People travel a log way for good state schools in London including the state grammars. (We paid day school fees so have not been directly involved).

My son's friend was home educated until 16 - may be that is possible too if you have no job?

This is absolutely not the case

Loads of schools start teaching gcse in Yr 9

The admissions deadline for secondary schools is for Y7 entry. For your son, you will make an in-year application which is different. It would be preferable to be in the UK before July to make this application.
For sixth form, offers are dependent on results and most people apply to more than one, so there will be vacancies. For sixth forms you apply direct to the school or sixth form college.

Can you hold on till the end of the school year with them? If so it’s not a bad time to move - you’d be looking for one place for starting a levels, and one place for starting GCSEs.

Your younger dc would be allocated a place in year 10 (assuming same cut off as UK where you are) at whichever school has a vacancy (via In Year application) near your address. That may be a less popular school and not one of your choice.

Your elder child is able to apply directly to schools with a sixth form, sixth form or further education colleges which often have more relaxed application criteria,

It is the case. Ofsted are sniffy about it. It’s a 2 year course.

It should not be an issue for a September start. As others have said, applying for 6th form places is a more flexible process. There is still a lot of flexibility after GCSE results day.
And moving your son at the start of Y10 is also fine, because pupils are studying options outside the core subjects class sizes are not such an issue.

If you afford it I would look to rent in an area with good state schools and move as soon as exams are over so you can talk to schools before the summer holiday.

Another option would be to move back with your son earlier, leave your daughter there to sit her exams, if there was a boarding option at her current school.

I would be moving in time for school starting in September, but they would finish their year at their current school. So my daughter would do her GCSE's before leaving, and my son would START his GCSE's in September.

It's a good time to move, much better than a year ago or in 1 year's time.

You won't be able to apply for the younger one until resident in the UK, not sure about older one. Enrollment at 6th form isn't until after GCSE results come out.

You need to be identifying 6th forms / 6th form colleges that do A levels and contacting them about late applications.

Yes - that’s actually a good time to move. Good luck - if you know the area put out a request with that area in the title so people can help more specifically.

When you mention having an address in East London, is this a property you rent or own? If you move in with friends nearby you should expect some scrutiny to ensure you are not trying to game school admissions and that the address is where you actually live.

Moving in September is about as good as you are going to get - although ifyou can make it over after GCSE exams are done, but before the schools break up it would be even better.
Your son will need an in year application - and you will be allocated a school with spaces. He might not get the GCSE options he eats, but it shoukd be ok.
Your daughter will need to apply for 6th from - either a school or a college. Not quite sure how that bit works, but it doesn't get confirmed until after the GCSE resuls are out.

Moving this summer is a million times preferable to trying to stick it out and coming back at any point after this summer before GCSEs and A levels are sat in 2 years time.

You should be okay - perfect time to move at the end / beginning of exams. Plenty of sixth forms / colleges. Call a few up in the area you will be in and put in a late application. Then put in a in year application to start GCSE's in September- there are more likely to be places for his age - just might be limited in options if you don't apply soon - some courses will get full - eg photography when limited spaces. But all core subjects should be fine. Make a plan of where to live and then find some schools - but get on to it soon.

It's not a bad time to move your DC OP - your DD will be able to either go to a school that does A levels or to a sixth form college. As for your DS, if he'll be starting Y10 that should be fine, particularly as it seems they've been doing the British curriculum wherever you are currently, so shouldn't be behind or have gaps in their learning when they switch living here.

Talk to the local education authority for the area you'll be moving to. You will need a permanent UK address before they can put your DC down for Sept places, but chatting to someone about the procedure and that you need to do when should hopefully give you some peace of mind. There is nothing more stressful than not knowing what the hell you need to do and when. I'm sure it will all work out okay.

Pretty much the only sensiclenyime for you to move until another 2 years pass, I'd say