Tinnnnnnnna

Hi All

I'm new to this site.

Moving back to England after 3 years in Singapore and was looking for some advice regarding schools.

My Daughter is due to start reception in September and we looking to move back in June. Can anyone advise how they got on getting children registered for schools etc. Any issues you may have faced returning to Uk and just any comments or useful advice would be greatly appreciated.

Many Thanks

Hawth0rn

Hi Tinnnna

Which area are you moving back to.

First thing is you will not be able to apply for a place until you arrive back in the uk. You must have a uk address that you are living at and it also affects school applications.

Secondly, you have to apply for a place through you local education authority rather than individual schools.

You can look up Ofsted (inspections) reports on schools at ofsted.gov.uk.

You contact your local education authority for an application, which you then send to them with usually 3 options of schools. then in conjunction with the schools, they find you a place. If all 3 choices are full they will offer you another place at another school.

So much depends on the area, where I live we have a choice of 6 primarily schools all with good reports and usually not full.

But there areas in the uk that getting into a good school is a miracle, sorry to say.

It’s very very hard for a school to get ‘excellent’ so most schools have ‘good’ as a inspection grade.

Entrance requirements is usually but not always - specific requirements (eg wheelchair user), location to school, siblings in school already, then everyone else.

Foundation year have a limit on numbers per teacher so if a class is full, it’s full no talking the school into more.

Don’t worry about your child starting school, as it’s foundation, your child will be in exactly the same boat as all the other new starters.

I Work at a primary school so if you have any other questions I can help with just ask.

Jo

Tinnnnnnnna

Hi Jo

I hope your well.

Thank you for coming back to me. I very much appreciate your advice.

I contacted my local authority in Birmingham and they advised I could apply from my mothers address with supporting evidence that I will be living there for the small period once I have returned.

As you said could select 3 choices of schools, which I anticipate may not get into due to over subscribing due to them being good schools.

I imagine I will have to go to the next stage of the process and review the schools they can offer and go from there. I’m just Glad I have for now listed our intent to return and see what happens.

Thanks for your help.

Regards

Tinnnnna