Returning to UK with small child: school applications from abroad
Feb 24th 2022, 9:50 am
#1
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Returning to UK with small child: school applications from abroad
Hi there,
I am thinking of moving back to the UK with my husband (not a British citizen) and toddler (has her British passport) in the coming year. We will be doing a spouse settlement visa application for my husband, and hope to move back to the UK together. We are thinking of submitting the settlement visa application early next year, and hope to move in the summer. My daughter will be old enough to start reception next September (2023), and from what I've found so far, applications for school places for next year will start in September this year, and the deadline would be towards the end of January next year. I understand that we can make the school application from abroad.
My question is with regard to the proof of address requirement for the school application. From what I can find on the local council website, I would need to provide a council tax bill and another proof of address document such as a tenancy agreement, utility bill, etc. I have the option to enter into a tenancy agreement this summer together with my brother who will be moving to London in June, and be listed on the council tax bill for the property we rent. My concern is whether that would then negatively impact my husband's spouse visa application. Would it raise questions as to why I am renting a property in the UK in 2022 when I am living with my spouse abroad at the time of making the settlement application in early 2023?
Would it be a better approach to focus on the settlement visa application for now, and make an in-year school admission application for my daughter once we arrive in the UK? The schools in the area where we are looking to move are all over-subscribed, which is why I wanted to avoid in-year applications if possible.
Any insight would be appreciated. Thanks!
I am thinking of moving back to the UK with my husband (not a British citizen) and toddler (has her British passport) in the coming year. We will be doing a spouse settlement visa application for my husband, and hope to move back to the UK together. We are thinking of submitting the settlement visa application early next year, and hope to move in the summer. My daughter will be old enough to start reception next September (2023), and from what I've found so far, applications for school places for next year will start in September this year, and the deadline would be towards the end of January next year. I understand that we can make the school application from abroad.
My question is with regard to the proof of address requirement for the school application. From what I can find on the local council website, I would need to provide a council tax bill and another proof of address document such as a tenancy agreement, utility bill, etc. I have the option to enter into a tenancy agreement this summer together with my brother who will be moving to London in June, and be listed on the council tax bill for the property we rent. My concern is whether that would then negatively impact my husband's spouse visa application. Would it raise questions as to why I am renting a property in the UK in 2022 when I am living with my spouse abroad at the time of making the settlement application in early 2023?
Would it be a better approach to focus on the settlement visa application for now, and make an in-year school admission application for my daughter once we arrive in the UK? The schools in the area where we are looking to move are all over-subscribed, which is why I wanted to avoid in-year applications if possible.
Any insight would be appreciated. Thanks!
Feb 25th 2022, 5:29 am
#2
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Re: Returning to UK with small child: school applications from abroad
Hi, welcome to BE.
You do need to actually be living at the address you provide proof of. They can check, and often do if you’re in an oversubscribed area - they turned up on my doorstep when we applied for my son.
If you’re not moving until the summer then you’ll need to put your current overseas address on the application. Could you move earlier to make things easier?
You do need to actually be living at the address you provide proof of. They can check, and often do if you’re in an oversubscribed area - they turned up on my doorstep when we applied for my son.
If you’re not moving until the summer then you’ll need to put your current overseas address on the application. Could you move earlier to make things easier?
Feb 25th 2022, 5:42 am
#3
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Re: Returning to UK with small child: school applications from abroad
Hi, welcome to BE.
You do need to actually be living at the address you provide proof of. They can check, and often do if you’re in an oversubscribed area - they turned up on my doorstep when we applied for my son.
If you’re not moving until the summer then you’ll need to put your current overseas address on the application. Could you move earlier to make things easier?
You do need to actually be living at the address you provide proof of. They can check, and often do if you’re in an oversubscribed area - they turned up on my doorstep when we applied for my son.
If you’re not moving until the summer then you’ll need to put your current overseas address on the application. Could you move earlier to make things easier?
Are you aware of what the in-year application process is like? With oversubscribed areas, would we potentially be in a situation where our daughter didn't have a place at any school during the school year initially? Or is it just that we wouldn't have any say in terms of school preference, but would be given a place at whichever school the local authority decided on?
Feb 25th 2022, 7:22 am
#4
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Re: Returning to UK with small child: school applications from abroad
It would be the latter. The LA has to give your child a school place, it just may not be at the school of your choice.
if it helps, my son had to go on the waiting list for our preferred school (where his older sister was), but he did get offered a place in Reception year after starting elsewhere. We’re in a very oversubscribed area as we have some if the best schools in the country, but it did work out.
Best of luck.
if it helps, my son had to go on the waiting list for our preferred school (where his older sister was), but he did get offered a place in Reception year after starting elsewhere. We’re in a very oversubscribed area as we have some if the best schools in the country, but it did work out.
Best of luck.
Feb 25th 2022, 7:25 am
#5
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Re: Returning to UK with small child: school applications from abroad
It would be the latter. The LA has to give your child a school place, it just may not be at the school of your choice.
if it helps, my son had to go on the waiting list for our preferred school (where his older sister was), but he did get offered a place in Reception year after starting elsewhere. We’re in a very oversubscribed area as we have some if the best schools in the country, but it did work out.
Best of luck.
if it helps, my son had to go on the waiting list for our preferred school (where his older sister was), but he did get offered a place in Reception year after starting elsewhere. We’re in a very oversubscribed area as we have some if the best schools in the country, but it did work out.
Best of luck.
