How long can state state schools hold a place when it becomes available during the academic year?

[Boosee]

We're moving and have to move our child from independent school but as we had to give a term's notice she will stay until end of summer term. We applied to state schools last term but they were all full and she was on WL. I just found out that a place has come up in the state school we applied to near us. I've asked them if she can start later in the term in July as we've already paid fees for current school. The admissions person stated they would need to check if they can hold the place for that long. Haven't heard back so wondered if anyone has experience of this or knowledge re. if this is something that is possible? Thank you

I would imagine that as soon as someone else came into the area and wanted that place, it would be given to them to fill? If you’ve got to pay the fees anyway, can you just move her now and secure the place?

Yeh my understanding is that they will only hold the place for a very short time - like a week or so. Especially if there are others on the WL. I would just move her if you are going to move her anyway. The fees are a sunk cost now.

I would be surprised if the school agreed to hold the place past the second half of this term, especially if it was offered by virtue of the OP's DD being ranked first on a waiting list (rather than being the only one interested in a place in that year group). Here, applications ate not usually accepted for more than a half term in advance, and a start date ranging from 'next day' to c.two weeks hence is more usual once a mid-year place has been offered.

Depends on the LA. Mine is 10 school days.

In Hants it is 4 school weeks.
Personally I'd just get on and move. School fees money is gone regardless.

they won’t give you long, a week perhaps? There will be other kids waiting so if you want the place you will have to take the place now.

It varies, but it's usually no more than a couple of weeks.

Agree with PPs that the fees are a sunk cost and you need to be thinking forwards not back to that bill

The school and LA will want you to take it up ASAP because they will want to offer it to the next on the waiting list or to anyone moving into area rather than leave it empty for most of a term.

It’s unlikely they will hold it even until half term, let alone until July.

It's a breach of the Admissions Code to hold the place, as it prevents it being offered to somebody who actively needs one now.

These are the rules for in-year secondary places in Surrey, as one example.

You must respond to any offer of a place within two weeks. Your offer letter will explain how to accept or decline the place. The offer may be withdrawn if you fail to accept the place in time.

• AcceptingWe recommend you accept the offer unless you have made alternative arrangements for your child.
• Accepting an offer does not affect your child's position on any waiting lists or any appeal for a higher preference school.
• Schools will normally arrange to admit a child within 10 school days of you formally accepting the place. Please contact the school directly to make arrangements for your child to take up the place as soon as it is offered. If there is a good reason for deferring take up, the maximum deferral period is usually four weeks but if there is no good reason, your child must start on the date the school gives. The place may be withdrawn if they do not start then.

I'd move them straight away and not to do with fees tbh. It's so much easier in sept if they've had the fun of summer term to settle in and make some friends. The days are longer and it's overall much easier. The summer drags when they know they're moving schools.

Move them now. The fees money is gone anyway. Gives them time to make new friends for the holidays and now have the worry over summer.

Plus, unless it’s a very undersubscribed school, it just fundamentally isn’t fair or right to hold onto a place for nearly 4 months and not use it.

Yes, I'd just take the place OP.

I suppose you choose between accepting the place and moving her now, or hang on until the end of the summer term and hope there’s a place in any school, anywhere near you.

They won’t be sympathetic re the fees…

Move them now. The fees are money spent now regardless of which school she is at.

Unfortunately for you they won't hold the place that long. You can take a week or two to accept and then have probably 2 to 3 weeks to start. You might make it to half term that way, but not to July.

You could ask if there are others on the WL and risk declining the place and reapplying or just move her in a few weeks.

Move her now. Round here think it's 10 days they'll hold a place for you.

If you don’t accept the place and move her the chances are that there won’t be a place in the school you want in September. You will then have to accept a place in any school with a space in her year group, so you might end up with a school you don’t like and a miserable journey to get there.

Another point, the new school will slot her into class ability groups that have spaces even if they aren’t working at an appropriate level for her, because they are unlikely to rejig classes to accommodate her at this point of the year, which isn’t wonderful but if she starts this term then they will be able to assess her ability and make sure she is in the right ability classes for the new Academic year. If she starts in September there might be issues getting her into appropriate level classes if they are already full.

No they wouldn't keep a place that long. It's unfair to others on the waitlist

Depends on the County, but in mine it's four school weeks. I'm always slightly frustrated when parents say that their child's independent school "won't let them leave" when what they mean is that they've paid the fees and want to get their money's worth.

The fees are collateral damage - just take the place when it's offered and write the fees off, otherwise you risk not getting into the maintained school.

I'm always slightly frustrated when parents say that their child's independent school "won't let them leave" when what they mean is that they've paid the fees and want to get their money's worth.

OP didn’t say the former phrase, or anything that was equivalent

When we moved area, we could only apply once we had exchanged house contracts, and then we had 4 weeks to take the place. It was stressful and we ended up on a waiting list with no school place at all. If you've been offered a place, just take it!

I didn't say the OP had.