This is part 2 of the guide for education and schooling tips for families relocating to the UK.
8. Application Timelines and Process
The admission criteria used to select which children are accepted into a school are usually set by the school themselves in the case of private schools or the local authority for state schools. For state schools, new applicants will have to register via the local councils’ website to begin the online application process or applicants can collect a paper application from your local council.
You will be required to select at least three schools in order of preference. The government guidelines do state that listing only one school will not increase your chances of getting a place there. The documents you’ll need to complete both types of application include but are not necessarily limited to:
- Proof of new address (mortgage, deed or rental agreement).
- Proof that you will live in the area before the start of the next school term.
- A copy of your passport and visa
Applications are open at different times depending on each local council area. For primary schools, applications open in September and close on the 15th of January. Your child will be 3 or have just turned 4.
The deadline for applying for a secondary school place is 31st October. You can still apply if you miss the deadline but your child is less likely to be offered a place at your chosen school if you miss the deadline for applications.
Most state and some Private schools do have in-year admissions, where they accept students during the school year. Ideally, you would want your child to begin at the start of the year to make the transition as smooth as possible.
Grammar schools are the only type of state school that are allowed to select students based on how they perform on a test called the 11+. The application deadlines are normally well before other state school deadlines, so parents know if they have passed before they enter their choices on the local councils’ application form.
Private schools have their own application process that can vary from school to school, many schools try to align their timeline with the state school system so parents can apply for both types of school around the same time. There is normally a fee for the application but this can be waived for families from lower-income backgrounds.
Some prestigious schools such as Eton have a 3-year application process, where advancement is dependent on performance on entrance exams such as the common entrance and interviews. There will also be scholarship and bursary applications, these may be part of the main application or a separate application may need to be made. If you are successful and your child gets a place you will be paid reduced fees.
Councils will send offers for school places for Primary schools on the 16th of April and Secondary schools on the 1st of March if either date falls on a weekend or a bank holiday offers are sent the next working day. Offers from private schools will also be released on a predetermined date but will normally coincide with the national offer day given by the state school system.
Parents must accept the offer by the deadline otherwise it may be withdrawn and the place given to someone else. For Private schools, this may mean a deposit of school fees given by a certain date to secure your child’s place.
If the local council is unable to offer your child a place at any of the schools you have applied for they are required to offer you another school, this will normally be at the nearest school with places available.
You may be put on a waiting list and your child will be able to attend the school if a place becomes available. You are able to appeal against decisions for both Private and State schools, the process and criteria are outlined via the school or local council.
9. Nursery and Daycare
Nurseries and preschools are not mandatory, but the vast majority of parents enrol their children, so when they begin reception at 4 which is mandatory they already have the necessary skills to flourish at school.
There are a number of Nurseries and early-year provisions available and you can learn more by getting in contact with the Family information service of your local council or using resources such as the Daycare Trust.
During your research you’ll be able to identify if there are any funded places for early years education available; 3 and 4-year-old children in England have a legal right to 15 hours of free education per week 38 weeks per year.
Along with this, your employer may offer childcare vouchers as part of your job benefits package, these can’t be used alongside tax credits. Working Tax credits is money from the UK government for the care of your children. To be entitled to this money both you and your partner need to work at least 16 hours a week.
You can use tools such as government Benefits calculators to understand what you are entitled to. Both funded places and tax credits are conditional on your immigration status.
10. International schools
London especially is home to some of the best international schools in the UK. International schools are Private schools that offer the curriculum and culture of a particular country.
Most international schools offer similar standards of schooling around the world and the use of the International Baccalaureate which is recognised all over the world and provides a gateway to all of the top universities in the world. They tend to be very popular with families relocating to the UK.
For children arriving in the UK international schools can be a better fit than state schools as staff are more likely to understand the needs of foreign students and children may feel more comfortable and find it easier to make friends as they are surrounded by fellow international students.
International schools don’t have to follow the national curriculum; they can cater more to the needs of their students. A good example of this is if the family will be experiencing successive family moves, international schools will have the benefit of a consistent education so students can continue working towards a particular qualification.
They are set up to receive relocating pupils and have systems in place to help children settle. Some examples of international schools include:
- The American School in London
- Hockerill Anglo-European College
- TASIS: The American School in England
- Lycée Français Charles de Gaulle
- Deutsche Schule London
- Instituto Español “Vicente Cañada Blanch
11. Special Schools
If your child has special educational needs (SEN) you are going to require specific provisions. State schools and private schools will have a SEN department but there are also specialist schools for children with particular SEN needs.
The best thing to do is to work on a school-by-school basis and see how they would be able to support your child specifically and use this in your decision-making.
12. School Behaviour Policies
A school’s behaviour policies are essential for parents to be aware of because they provide a very important insight into the culture of the school and how seriously a school takes behaviour. Good School Behaviour policies will do the following;
- Help students develop character
- Reform students who misbehave through support programmes to address behavioural issues.
- Ensure student safety.
- Counteract the use of harmful substances such as drugs and alcohol.
- Encourage daily attendance to school and contact parents when there is an absentee.
13. University for international students
The UK has many of the best universities in the world and is a very popular destination for families relocating to the UK with a view to in the long term joining one of these institutions. International students pay more than home students.
Application and admission are a lot more streamlined and comprehensive as UK universities welcome hundreds of thousands of international students to the UK every year and are normally processed via the university and college admission service (UCAS).
14. Where to look for a UK school
There are many online directories and parent forums, there are also league tables that rank schools on a number of metrics such as how they perform in public examinations and the proportion of students that go on to the top universities.
Whilst useful this doesn’t always give you a complete picture of a particular school that will be a good fit for your child. Parents should also pay attention to other things such as the culture of the school, transport links and provision of extracurricular activities. Parents need to assess if their child will be happy there, and will they thrive in this school environment?
A lot of useful information can also be found on the department of education website and by reading school reports by Ofsted which oversees state schools or the Independent Schools Inspectorate that oversees Private schools. Don’t forget to ask Friends and family that have sent children to UK schools, what their experiences have been.
Attending open days and speaking to staff and students is essential but I would argue that if you’re able to visit the school during the normal working day this would be even more useful, many schools are able to accommodate this.
There are also virtual tours available for many schools if you’re not able to visit but I would encourage those relocating to attempt to see schools beforehand to make an informed decision.
15. When is a good time to start the UK school search?
It is never too early to begin looking at the different options available, some useful questions to think about are;
- How long do you plan to be in the UK?
- What happens if you have to stay in the UK longer than planned?
- Which education system do you want your children to adhere to?
- Is university part of your planning? If so, which country may your children choose for university?
Conclusion
Hopefully, due to these two articles, you have a solid foundation on where to begin or continue your research of the UK education system, this list is in no way exhaustive but does contain much of the foundation that families need to be aware of when relocating to the UK.
If you do need any further help you can get in touch and myself and my team would be happy to help with your move to the UK. Happy moving and I’ll see you on the other side!
Samuel Adu-Gyamfi is the CEO and founder of Sam Tutoring, tutoring service and consultancy in London he founded a decade ago.
Sam Tutoring provides private one-to-one tuition along with group and online tuition for families in Central London and internationally, as well as tailor-made services for schools.
Working with students from the ages of 7-18 we provide academic support and mentorship.
Email info@samtutoring.london, to book a consultation or visit www.samtutoring.London to see how we can help your child succeed.
Read more tips by Sam tutoring here.
