Every family is aware that a move is likely to result in a new school for their children. AFF Education & Childcare Specialist Anna Hutchinson explains when you need to start applying for schools.
The best time to apply is when you first hear the news that you are moving as each area of the UK and overseas has variations to its education offer.
CRITICAL YEAR GROUPS
Think carefully about the ages of your children, especially if they are in or are about to enter a critical stage of their education. These phases will involve them focusing on examinations such as GCSEs, A-levels, National 5s, Scottish Highers and so on.
If your child is in one of these phases or will have started in it before you move, then you may be eligible to retain your army home for education reasons. This will impact the whole family so needs to be understood carefully and retention timelines need to be followed. Find out more at aff.org.uk or contact educationsupport@aff.org.uk
If your child is not in a critical year group and you can easily identify the council area you’re moving to, then search for their website and find the section about schools and admissions. This will let you know what you need to do when applying for school places, whether you need to contact schools directly or apply via the local authority.
You will also find the timeline for applying. Most areas let you apply in the six weeks/half term in advance of when you need the school place but each area has its own guidance.
MOVING ABROAD?
If this is the case, your first discussion needs to be with the Overseas Education and Supportability Team (OEST). They can let you know about the education in the country you are moving to, possible implications of a move on your child’s education and how the process works when moving to a new country.
All children up to the age of 18, including those not in school yet, need to have a Defence Children Services (DCS) Confirmation of Supportability before moving overseas. This can take quite a while, especially if your child has additional needs to consider.
Getting in touch with the OEST immediately can mean that the process is understood and enables your family to make informed decisions about your children and their schooling RC-DCS-HQ-OES@mod.gov.uk
READY TO APPLY?
When you have a confirmed posting and date for the move, check to see if you are within the application window for places and, if so, start applying. It’s better to apply to a few schools in case your first choice is full.
Local authorities have strict guidance on when they will help with transport costs to schools so if this is something that you need to consider, it would be a good idea to contact the local authority and find out what you might be able to get support with and which, if any, schools you might be able to access transport for.
APPEALS PROCESS
To appeal an unsuccessful school place allocation, you must have applied and have an official rejection.
If this is a school you still want or need to consider, ensure you follow the proper processes for applying and then follow the local authority guidance on making an appeal. If this is an avenue you need to pursue, you should contact the UK Education Advisory Team (UK EAT) as they are an impartial advice service and will be able to explain the appeal process RC-DCS-HQ-EAT@mod.gov.uk