Parents looking to apply for state schools when relocating to London rarely manage to apply within the few deadlines set by local authorities. They will therefore often come across what is called “in-year applications”.
But what is it and how does it work?
What is an in-year school application?
Essentially, an “in-year application” is a school application made outside of the usual deadlines (for Reception and Year 7 in particular). It can be made throughout the school year, and that is why they call it an “in-year” application.
Which schools does it apply to?
“In-year applications” usually refer to state schools (also called public schools in most other countries, but not the UK!).
In principle, in-year applications also apply to private schools, because you can apply anytime throughout the school year for a private school, but private schools do not tend to use that term.
How do in-year applications work?
For state schools, the local school authorities will ask parents to fill out an application form, usually online, and provide certain proofs of address, as well as proofs of the child’s presence in the UK – basically because they want to know why the child has not applied within the usual deadlines (on the basis that education for school-age children is compulsory). The explanation given through the application documents is then that the child has just arrived in the UK.
What happens once I have made an “in-year application”?
- For more information on the state schools applications process, check out this article.
- And for more information on the response time to school applications, check out this article.
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