Last minute school for this September

[Newhere23]

hi, just arrived back in uk after a long time away , now my 13 years old son need a school place this coming September, I know it’s very last minute and ideally we are looking at Hertfordshire area. Any good private or state schools can you recommend please. We have no idea it so hard getting in a good school, and did not prepared him for the tough entrance exams. He is bright but had a slightly different learning system in another country. Love sport especially football and swimming. Any advice will be much appreciate. TIA

Try Haileybury

I think you first move should be to work out what schools have places for September. Unfortunately, that's likely to mean you don't get the choice of the top schools (which will already be full).

The first question is whether you can afford fees for a private school.
If so, work out which ones your son can get to (perhaps look at those within an hour of where you're planning on living and then check that school's bus routes) and then start ringing the admissions teams at those schools and see if they have space. I expect most private schools will have the admissions team working over the summer.
If you can't afford private, then check if your LEA lists which secondary schools have vacancies. The LEA will manage the waiting list for the non-academies but the academies may manage their own which makes it more complicated in the middle of the summer holidays. Then it's a question of working out which schools you can get to and seeing which of those have spaces.
You will get a space and you will most probably have a choice (especially if private is an option) but it will take time.

Yes it's really about which schools have a space in year 9 (I presume). Unlikely to be the best schools tho.

You mention exams - are you looking at private (fee paying)? If not, there won't be exams (unless it is a state grammar area, not sure about Herts but don't think so).

You can call schools or the local authority to see where there will be spaces in September and then find somewhere to live locally.

Hertfordshire is a large county.

which area or are you looking to find a school and then move?

what’s your budget for private school fees?
there are some very good state schools but to find a place in year 9 you’ll need to be living very close and get lucky.

have a look at Hockerill state boarding that does the IB. But again will be lucky to find a place unless your son has social needs for boarding.
do you have any religion? Eg being a practising Catholic might get you to the top of the waiting list for a catholic school.

Going into year 9 isn't a bad time to join a school if you are using the private system. Many of the really big-name private schools like Eton only start in y9 so a lot of more ordinary private day schools have a bunch of kids leaving at the end of y8 to start at a boarding school. Most of those spaces will have been filled by now but it's worth ringing admission departments to find which ones have spaces. The Good Schools Guide has a user-friendly search function to filter for the features you need.

To be quite honest if you have the means to pay for private I would not be trying the state system at all in your circumstances. The Local Authority will not lift a finger until you have moved into your new residential address. At that point they are obliged to find a place but it will be at the least popular school in the region and the commute to get there could be really hard. Given that your son will already be stressed by getting used to a new country that would be really difficult, and would be likely to negatively impact his qualifications on leaving school.

Do you have an address? You will need an address to apply for a school. When you have an address, look at which schools your son can reach from that address, by walking or public transport, within a reasonable time, then go from there.

You could try contacting Hockerill Anglo-European College in east Hertfordshire. They're unlikely to have a place for a day pupil as it's usually over subscribed, but there might be weekly boarding place if that's something you'd consider. It's a state boarding school, so a lot cheaper than Haileybury or other private schools. It has quite a few international pupils which may make it easier for him to fit in as he's come from abroad. It's also a great school.

I'd contact the LEA, and get a state school in year transfer started. You don't need to accept the place offered, but it's probably worth getting it moving - there may not be many people in over the school holidays. You will need an address for this. Do you have one yet? If you don't have an address, I'd look for areas with mainly good schools - forget about wanting one particular outstanding school as they are likely to be full.

Then start looking at the private schools round you - although again, responses may be slow due to the holidays.

I’d suggest you give St Margaret’s in Bushey a call. They have a Y9 intake so he wouldn’t be on his own as a new joiner, and because they are on a growth trajectory and relatively recently co-ed there’s a decent chance they could accommodate a late applicant. It’s a lovely school. DM me if you like.

This is the link for state schools with vacancies in Herts:

https://www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/services/schools-and-education/school-admissions/in-year-admissions-change-schools-during-the-year/school-vacancies/school-vacancies-year-7-to-year-11.aspx

None of the “desirable” schools have vacancies.

Independent schools are likely to be your best bet if you can afford three years fees (you can move back to state for sixth form). Have a look at Aldenham, St Columba’s, Haileybury, Berkhamsted and St Margaret’s.

What a good system!

Thank you very much for taking time to reply.,I read through everything and will start ringing up names mentioned. 🙏🏼

If you're really after a state school, do bear in mind once you move, you can do an in year appeal, and there is potential to get a place that way. Obviously it's not guaranteed, but it may be an option to look into.

If you move near a good school, you will also likely be top of the waiting list if a place opens up.

Thank you for your advice.