School for kids

JanP, I've 3 children that were "educated" through British state schools.  In the main, the UK state education system works pretty well, but nothing makes up for a good home life and support.

JanP wrote:

I am moving to London in August 2009 and I have two girls who will be 9 and 11.  I want to know if the government schools are ok because private schools seem prohibitively expensive.  And how do you go about getting your child in a school?

We arrived Nov 2008 with two boys (9 and 12), who seem to be settling in okay.  They're both signed-up for local government schools (they're called "council schools" here), primary and secondary respectively, but haven't actually started the spring term yet.

Our impression (from talking to lot of local parents, and also graduates) is that the council schools in our borough are alright, but that can vary considerably by region.  Generally, if it's a nice area to live in, you'll probably find decent schools.  My wife was a schoolteacher in America, and I used to teach as well, so we know what to look for, and we've been reasonably satisfied.

The key to getting your child into a school is: find your location early, and apply NOW!  There is a long waiting line for many schools; both my kids were turned away from their 1st choice because the school was already full (and I have pretty darn bright kids).

Note that ALL schools here seem to be "by application only", e.g. you can't just expect that they HAVE to accept you simply because you happen to live nearby.  The local council will have no problem sending your kids to a school 10mi away if thats where the free slots are, and you just "show up" expecting instant service.

Also note that there are no school buses here (yellow or otherwise); how to travel that 10mi each day is up to you, and will likely involve some combination of walking, buses, Tube, and/or rail.  I see a LOT of kids that look like 9yr-olds taking the train by themselves every morning to attend school in my town.

So the good news is that the schools, once you get in, are typically just fine; the bad news is that you really need to apply months (and months and months) before you get here, which is hard to do since you don't yet know where you'll live (and they honestly won't be interested in talking to you with no proof that you'll even be in their catchment zone). 

It's a bit of a catch-22, I'm afraid.  Any chance of home-schooling the first year? (as we initially planned?)

Thank you for your thoughtful reply.

Yes, I am aware of that catch 22, cant get a school coz you don't know where you are going to live but you want to settle the school issue before you get there.  Homeschooling is not a possibility at all because I will be going to school as well.  Unless I found a retired teacher who is willing to do it for a reasonable amount.  But I would like to give them the opportunity to meet kids as well, because we will be totally new to the city.  My housing decision is totally based on them, with no regard for my travel time.  I just want to make sure that their school is adequate.

You might try writing to the Thames Valley American Women's Club (http://www.tvawc.com)...they seem to have a decent-sized membership, and I'll bet they can either recommend some good areas/schools, or even put you in touch with some suitable "alternative" arrangements.  I'd be very surprised if there aren't some "roll-your-own" homeschooling "consortiums" in the Greater London area!

BTW, don't be too casual about "travel time is irrelevant"...every extra 15min of commute time is 30min your kids don't get to see you :-(  There's no point coming all this way as a family if you don't get to see and experience it as a family!

As to the quality of the schools...part of our thought was that, every year our kids spend over here (provided we make an effort to "dig deep" and breathe deeply of this new world) roughly counts as a year's worth of undergraduate liberal-arts education in humanities (architecture, art), language-arts, geography, social studies, and political science.  So long as they maintain parity with American curriculum in math(s), I have little fear that any child need ever "fall behind" through what should honestly prove an enormously broadening experience.

I am going to check out that website.  I like your thinking about the experience being an education in itself.  That is why I am even bringing my kids, because it would be much easier without them, but I think it will be great for them.

Ahh...locating a school...it can seem very frustrating because much of the terminology is different.  A couple of good things.  School Performance Ratings are posted through Ofsted (the Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills).  Select the link for either Primary of Secondary on the left hand column.

Where your children will go to school will largely be dictated by where you live. (What Council you live within)  Once you have found a place to live contact your local council to let them know you have children that will be entering the school system in the fall term.  They will likely send you a package with schools to choose from.  If you are fortunate you will be given your first choose.  The sooner you can do this the better. 

Transport to the schools will likely be via public transport if you are living in the city, therefore if you are able it is brilliant to live within walking distance of the school.