Ricards Lodge and entry into Y10, waiting lists question

[wearecominghome]

Hi, I'm returning to the UK in Summer 2025 with my 2 daughters after several years abroad. Spoke to Merton about returning them to the school system and didn't get a helpful response, they basically said that there wasn't a space and they'd "figure it out" when we got back. They couldn't really explain what that meant. For reference we own a home in the borough which we'll be returning to.

My kids are both "gifted", we had thorough IQ testing which placed them both well over 120 FSIQ and they're getting great results at the school they're at at the moment, but getting pretty average scores on Atom (both getting 110-120 without tutoring) so I'm not sure they'd get into private schools (also not sure if we want them to go into private school or pay for it given that Merton has generally good quality of secondard schools). But we're really freaked out by the lack of school places.

My preference would be Ricards Lodge but I haven't been able to get any useful info from council or school. Does anyone with experience at Ricards know if there tends to be kids leaving and joining at Y9/Y10 boundary? I noticed that the last GCSE cohort was quite a bit smaller than the intake, so I was surprised to hear it was so oversubscribed (our experience in primary school was that the later years always had a couple of spaces). We'd happily home-school them for a few weeks and keep them on the waiting list if that would get them in.

Not keen on hot-housing them for private school entry exams but if that's the thing we have to do to get them a good school then we'll do it.

I don’t think they will do anything till you are back. Have you phoned the school re places?

It’s very difficult to move to any state school in year 10 as the GCSE option blocks are full by then, as the Year 9s will have chosen them in the spring and staffing decided accordingly.
You can’t make an application until you are actually at an address so you won’t be able to do anything until that happens. Additionally, the school is now closed for the summer so you won’t be able to speak to anyone until the first week in September. As you are not returning until 2025, please hold off contacting the school while they will be dealing with the considerable number of applications that will come in over the summer for admission for the new term. Leave it until later in September and they will be able to advise then.

They've been very clear they won't do anything until we come back, but if we need to make alternative arrangements then we need to start preparing the kids now. I phoned the school but they said they won't give me any information and I have to ask the council. The council won't even explain the process until I'm back. Even though we have a definite address we're returning to, they won't talk to us until we've served our tenants with an eviction notice.

We're not expecting any certainty, just a rough idea of whether we might be travelling a long way to go to school or having to split the school they both go to.

We've got a lot of choices to make (including staying abroad for another 2 years, evicting our tenants early to get a place before GCSEs are in full swing, or selling up and moving out of London altogether), but not getting any information which will help us make a good decision. Just trying to find people with kids at RL who can give us an idea of whether it's worth hanging out for a waiting list place since it's clear the council and school aren't going to give us this information.

DD1 has been diagnosed with anxiety so this is really tough on her too.

They won’t give you an idea because they can’t guarantee anything until you are back home with your form completed. Waiting lists change all the time.

Hangingupnow, I'm well aware that there's never anything certain with school applications, but if this is a total no-hope situation I'd rather rule it out sooner rather than later. Getting a good school is always about having a range of feasible options and that's all I'm trying to do now.

Appreciate any comments from people who know RL, have had experience with Merton allocating places when there are no vacancies, or have moved to UK school system starting Y10.

I agree with PPs, the council is being unhelpful bc it can't really say. It's completely impossible for it to predict if there will be spaces next June/July in a specific year of a school, unless it is one that is historically undersubscribed, which does not sound as if it is the case here.

A space or two spaces (in the same year? less likely I guess) may come up, but IME people are less keen to move their DC's school at the end of year 9 for the reasons mentioned above – GCSE options have been chosen (and sometimes started) and a move will mean slotting in to what fits at the new school – often with little or no choice.

So you would be hoping for a move where the family had no choice – a job move that had to happen for some reason, say, or a move due to urgent family circumstances. The council I guess could tell you how many occasional in-year places came up in the summer this year and last year, but even that would only be a guide and no guarantee of what may happen in the future IYSWIM.

My daughter has just left Ricards year 11, so school won't and can't say anything on intake as Merton council places the children in their schools, also be aware that most Merton kids do a 11+ entry exams to decide if they will take them on top of Merton placement and sats results, it might be an "outstanding" school but that was gained by previous head not Ms Page, their pastoral care is less than it should be, daughter has needed inclusion teams due to mental health along with cedar base which is their SEND unit and it can be very hit and miss depending on the staff you see or speak too.
Council need an actual address a real address with proof you actually live there rent agreement/ utility bills etc before they will even let you apply for school placements, all of this is on their website, when we moved into Mitcham part of Merton kids had no school placement for 3 weeks whilst Merton sorted it. Not saying it's any quicker since covid but even when you call up they refer you to the website and email it all.

You won't be able to force this issue or get your paperwork in early, and if at all possible move early July as the schools shut 3rd week of July till first week of September for 6 weeks and you will have no way of talking to them or getting your name on a reserve list if they are full as they always get a few that drop out and choose a different school

Not terribly unclear, really? From a couple of places on the Merton website (Ricards Lodge is a Community school, therefore Merton is its admissions authority):

https://www.merton.gov.uk/education-and-learning/schools/admissions/in-year-school-admissions-junior-applications-and-transfers
When to applyUnder most circumstances applications can only be processed once a child is living locally and places will only be allocated to children who can start immediately. If you are planning a move, even if you have a new tenancy agreement or have exchanged contracts, we cannot accept the application until after the move has taken place and your child has moved in. Children whose parents are in Armed Forces or who are Crown Servants are an exception to this and should provide evidence when making the application.In-year applications received more than 4 weeks before the place is required will not be processed, with the exception of applications for September places which will be processed after 15 July. Applications received early will be returned for resubmission nearer to the required start date

• so your DC have to be available to take up the place ASAP if it is offered. And whereas some LAs (e.g. Essex) will accept proof of exchange of contracts etc, Merton obviously doesn't. If you (more pertinently, your DC) can move back to your local property and take up a school place earlier than expected, you can apply for places immediately, but if you don't intend them to take up the places before September anyway, you can only apply from July 15th. This is quite standard (although the precise timing will vary from authority to authority); no school is going to keep a place offered in, say, January, for a pupil intending only to turn up in September

Hangingupnow, I'm well aware that there's never anything certain with school applications, but if this is a total no-hope situation I'd rather rule it out sooner rather than later. Getting a good school is always about having a range of feasible options and that's all I'm trying to do now.

I’ve done an inyear transfer in another London borough. What I & others are trying to say is that you won’t know if it’s a no hope situation until you move unfortunately.

I went to a different Merton school, RL was ok reputation wise then and it definitely improved but no experience in the last few yrs.

@wearecominghome OP may I ask if you ended up getting a place at RL? Did it work out?

We went private. We decided we just couldn't risk things going badly for her as she was going straight into GCSEs, and the uncertainty was just adding too much stress for everyone (not least of all, her). She's got a place at a great private school and has been having a lot of fun choosing her GCSE options and starting to get excited about the move back, so we're really happy with the outcome.