# Admission to schools in uk



## coll123 (Oct 11, 2011)

I am moving to uk in June this year and want to admit my child to school , I need advice on school admissions to a school in west Norwood where I will be living, when should I apply foe a place in the schools , someone please help I am totally lost,as we are moving from Dubai


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

coll123 said:


> I am moving to uk in June this year and want to admit my child to school , I need advice on school admissions to a school in west Norwood where I will be living, when should I apply foe a place in the schools , someone please help I am totally lost,as we are moving from Dubai


If it's a state school place you are after (how old is your child in June 2012?), you really can't do much until you move here. Then contact your shortlist of schools and ask if they have a place. If they do, and you are otherwise eligible for admission (e.g. living in its catchment area, satisfying faith requirement if it's a church school), then they will tell you what to do. If you can't find a school with places, contact the education dept of the London Borough you live in (London Borough of Lambeth) and ask for advice. There is nothing to stop you contacting schools or Lambeth Council before you move, but nothing can be done to secure a place until you do. Make a shortlist of schools by looking at Ofsted | Find an inspection report and school performance tables on Dept for Education site.

If it's a private (fee-paying) school place you are after, contact the individual school or Independent Private Schools, Independent Private Education - ISC


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

As Joppa says you cant do anything much til you move and have a permanent address. But once there you will need to contact the area education authority and they'll advise which schools have places. Unfortunately IME, what tends to happen is that the "good" schools tend to be full and only the "not so good" schools have places available

Jo xxx


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## Aliana (Nov 8, 2011)

I moved in September and finding a school has been a mess 

Since all the school admissions are made way before, the places at good schools are already given. We had to contact the mid-year admission team from child services, fill in a special form and see what they can do. Here they just ignored us till I went to complain directly. They offered some places but guess what? now the schools are ignoring us and it's getting insulting...

I am sure it will not be your case but be ready for people to work very slow and be after them all the time. 

google this page: getintherightschool


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Aliana said:


> I moved in September and finding a school has been a mess
> 
> Since all the school admissions are made way before, the places at good schools are already given. We had to contact the mid-year admission team from child services, fill in a special form and see what they can do. Here they just ignored us till I went to complain directly. They offered some places but guess what? now the schools are ignoring us and it's getting insulting...
> 
> ...


Its the same for everyone. The supposedly "good" schools fill up quickly and theres very little you can do about it. We returned to the UK in August and my daughter had no choice but to be put into the worst school in the area. But even those people who've lived here all their lives find that there are more children than places and some simply dont get in! I'm working on the theory that my daughter has had a good upbringing, has been to good schools and will find some other good kids in this school - and so far so good!!!

One things for sure, its illegal not to send them and its even worse for their education not to attend school at all!

Jo xxx


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## coll123 (Oct 11, 2011)

jojo said:


> Its the same for everyone. The supposedly "good" schools fill up quickly and theres very little you can do about it. We returned to the UK in August and my daughter had no choice but to be put into the worst school in the area. But even those people who've lived here all their lives find that there are more children than places and some simply dont get in! I'm working on the theory that my daughter has had a good upbringing, has been to good schools and will find some other good kids in this school - and so far so good!!!
> 
> One things for sure, its illegal not to send them and its even worse for their education not to attend school at all!
> 
> Jo xxx


Thank you all for your responses they have been extremely helpful


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## Aliana (Nov 8, 2011)

jojo said:


> Its the same for everyone. The supposedly "good" schools fill up quickly and theres very little you can do about it. We returned to the UK in August and my daughter had no choice but to be put into the worst school in the area. But even those people who've lived here all their lives find that there are more children than places and some simply dont get in! I'm working on the theory that my daughter has had a good upbringing, has been to good schools and will find some other good kids in this school - and so far so good!!!
> 
> One things for sure, its illegal not to send them and its even worse for their education not to attend school at all!
> 
> Jo xxx


I know it's illegal, that's why I don't understand why no schools wants to see us directly and sends us to Child Services, however CS never replies. I actually went directly and then I finally found out there were MANY places at MANY school. I was outraged because they kept saying we had to pick the worst one there is here (often has riots I was told). Now they have been accepted into a school but it's been almost a month and even though the admissions person says she will get back to us, she never does!!
I have no idea what to do, feel no one cares and I feel I am begging everyone around. 
I wouldn't mind paying a private school like I did in Mexico if they were affordable but here it's impossible.
I have no idea what to do, It just breaks my heart to see my kids at home every day very, very lonely.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

Aliana said:


> I know it's illegal, that's why I don't understand why no schools wants to see us directly and sends us to Child Services, however CS never replies. I actually went directly and then I finally found out there were MANY places at MANY school. I was outraged because they kept saying we had to pick the worst one there is here (often has riots I was told). Now they have been accepted into a school but it's been almost a month and even though the admissions person says she will get back to us, she never does!!
> I have no idea what to do, feel no one cares and I feel I am begging everyone around.
> I wouldn't mind paying a private school like I did in Mexico if they were affordable but here it's impossible.
> I have no idea what to do, It just breaks my heart to see my kids at home every day very, very lonely.


Right! You've got to get some fight in you!!! I dont know who "child services" are, but do we assume that your children are fluent in English??? Phone the admissions person and demand that she does what she's supposed to and you insist that your children are in a school, a good school and not just one that they're trying to fill starting at the beginning of the term. which is next week, a term has been wasted already and thats quite enough!!! ooohhh, I'm getting cross with them too now LOL!!


Jo xxx


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

Aliana said:


> I know it's illegal, that's why I don't understand why no schools wants to see us directly and sends us to Child Services, however CS never replies. I actually went directly and then I finally found out there were MANY places at MANY school. I was outraged because they kept saying we had to pick the worst one there is here (often has riots I was told). Now they have been accepted into a school but it's been almost a month and even though the admissions person says she will get back to us, she never does!!
> I have no idea what to do, feel no one cares and I feel I am begging everyone around.
> I wouldn't mind paying a private school like I did in Mexico if they were affordable but here it's impossible.
> I have no idea what to do, It just breaks my heart to see my kids at home every day very, very lonely.


AFAIK, a school even with a place isn't obliged to offer it to someone who is applying other than at normal times, i.e. start of Reception or Year 1 for primary and Year 7 for secondary. That's why with casual entry many schools just pass you off to the local authority and get them to do the extra work involved. Often you need to be persistent, and get the help and support of someone at the council, or a governor or a member of senior staff - usually casul entry is being handled by someone on senior management/leadership team, like a deputy head. 

There is compulsory education in UK, but not compulsory schooling. Many parents 'home school' their children and this is allowed, provided you can do it properly. While you don't need teaching qualification or to notify the local authority you are doing it, it's a good idea to let them know (so you can't be accused of not sending your children to school), and some councils offer support to home educators or check them out informally.


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## Jrge (Mar 22, 2011)

Aliana said:


> I wouldn't mind paying a private school like I did in Mexico if they were affordable but here it's impossible.
> I have no idea what to do, It just breaks my heart to see my kids at home every day very, very lonely.


Was your husband relocated/transferred to the UK? If that was the case, didn't his relocation package offer private school for your children? Total tuition? Partial?.

Even if his expat package doesn't include it, keep insisting/persisting and request to talk with everybody in charge. And listen to this:


jojo said:


> You've got to get some fight in you!!!


Ánimo!
(Cheers!)


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## tinaM (Jun 24, 2012)

thanks for this thread. our family also moving mid (school) year and will find permanent location by March. Because of this discussion, i'm looking out for things I CAN do right now about finding out which schools are good and how to apply so i'd be ready. One question -- can I apply to schools even though I dont have permanent address yet? I just know the county/general area we're in.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

tinaM said:


> thanks for this thread. our family also moving mid (school) year and will find permanent location by March. Because of this discussion, i'm looking out for things I CAN do right now about finding out which schools are good and how to apply so i'd be ready. One question -- can I apply to schools even though I dont have permanent address yet? I just know the county/general area we're in.


No, AFAIK you need an address, a residencia and NIE to apply to schools. Once you have all of these things, your address will be the decider as to which school you will be allocated (if you're looking at state that is}

Jo xxx


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

tinaM said:


> thanks for this thread. our family also moving mid (school) year and will find permanent location by March. Because of this discussion, i'm looking out for things I CAN do right now about finding out which schools are good and how to apply so i'd be ready. One question -- can I apply to schools even though I dont have permanent address yet? I just know the county/general area we're in.


Just to be sure - are you relocating to UK?
You can do all your preliminary research into schools - looking at league tables, Ofsted reports etc, but if you want a place at a state school, you can't apply until you have a (semi) permanent address (not hotel, holiday rental etc). You can then approach schools direct (ask about casual admission) or local council and ask for schools with places.


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## tinaM (Jun 24, 2012)

jojo said:


> No, AFAIK you need an address, a residencia and NIE to apply to schools. Once you have all of these things, your address will be the decider as to which school you will be allocated (if you're looking at state that is}
> 
> Jo xxx


Thanks for the fast response Jo! 
That answers my next question: which comes first -- the chicken or the ..
I was thinking of applyiing to a good school within the county and wherever my kids get in, that's where we'll find residence.


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