In year admission independent schools

[Ilookjustfine]

DS12 attends a grammar school in Kent. He is performing very well academically but he struggles in all social situations.

He is unable to walk to school independently. He has no road safety awareness.

I have changed my working pattern so that I can do the drop off and pick ups. This means I now have to work 6 days a week. I have been doing this for 2 years. It is not sustainable. I cannot apply for promotion due to these restrictions.

Our only option is to move closer to his grandparents in Surrey who are near desperate to do all school runs for DS12 as well as DS10!

This means moving out of catchment area for DS12 to transfer to another grammar school. He will not cope in a larger state school.

DS12 is extremely intelligent and passes all tests with flying colours. I've been keeping an eye on grammar schools within the area we wish to move to and there are never any available in-year admission spaces.

Our only option is independent schools where classes are smaller and more wellbeing support is provided.

Whilst costly, it is affordable.

DS12 has an EHCP and recieves DLA.

I don't actually know what I'm asking here to be honest. I just want my boy to be happy.

Hello, I would start a new thread entitled “In-year entry Surrey private schools for DS12 with EHCP”. Then you can get some intel on schools that might suit your DS(s) and which may have places. You can then do some research and hopefully some visits and weigh up if this does feel like the right choice.

I suspect there will be in year places as the addition of VAT will have led to children leaving.

If you’re looking at finding new schools to start come September you’ll want to crack on sharpish as there’s only a couple of weeks of term left.

good luck

Surely it’s cheaper to employ a chaperone or put ds in a taxi every day than it is to move house and pit two children in private school.

If the school is working well for him apart from getting to and fro, it seems more sensible to try and find a solution to the school runs.
What sort of distance is involved?
Even using a taxi for transport might cost less than private school fees.
Does the school have a sixth form, and might there be a sensible sixth-former who would like to earn a little money by walking to school with him? Would he cooperate with that sort of arrangement?

Isn’t this quite a temporary issue given your children’s ages? Most children make there own way to school from y7

This.

A private education costs approx £120 per school day, (+/- a bit depending on school).

If you pay for a daily taxi service for bringing him home each evening while you work a full day, that will be a lot cheaper.

I agree that surely a trusted taxi driver would be the first port of call? Or a chaperone as pp say - I bet there is someone around, perhaps someone retired or working short hours, who would happily earn a bit extra by walking him to and fro.

Unless there are other reasons you want to move him?

When his brother gets to year 7, will he go to the same school and if so can they walk together - would that be safe? If so then it is only 1 year you need to find a solution for (taxi…)

Does his EHCP name his current school? In other words did he get his place at current school via the EHCP process or via the usual 11+ route?

Have you looked at transport to the current school? If not, apply for that. If you have and you have been refused, challenge the decision. SENTAS can help with this. If you have been refused because the current school is named in the EHCP with a caveat about it being parental preference, you could look to appeal the EHCP to get it named outright without a caveat,

Moving LA with an EHCP is risky.

On transfer, Surrey (or maybe not Surrey because although some Surrey DC travel to grammars, Surrey LA itself doesn’t have grammar schools) would become responsible for the EHCP. They will hold an annual review within a year of the previous one or 3 months of transfer, whichever is later. SCC may amend the provision or even propose to cease to maintain. You would have the right of appeal, but it is a risk you need to be aware of. They may also decide to undertake a reassessment of needs.

EHCP admissions are not part of the normal process. Just because a (non-wholly independent) school doesn’t have any spaces doesn’t mean it can’t be named in an EHCP.

Independent schools can be named in EHCPs.

If you make your own arrangements for DS to be educated in an independent school instead, the LA doesn’t have to fund the special educational provision in the EHCP or the school fees.