Children from overseas
Children currently living overseas
Please see the latest guidance from Department for Education.
The Department for Education advises that overseas nationals entering the UK who wish to apply for a state-funded school, check that they have a right of abode or the conditions of their visas otherwise permit them to access a state-funded school.
If you will live in your own property
If you are returning to live in a property that you already own we will require evidence of this. This includes, but is not limited to, evidence of ownership and proof that the property will be available for the family to live in before the time of hopeful admission.
If you will live in a rented property
If you are returning to live in a property that you are renting, we will require evidence of this. This includes, but is not limited to, evidence of rental agreement and proof that the property will be available for the family to live in before the time of hopeful admission.
What happens after I have applied?
Your application will be processed, and a place allocated based on the information that you have provided. If a place is allocated at a school in advance of your arrival then it will be expected that your child will take up the offer no later than the date specified in your offer letter. Failure to do so may result in the withdrawal of the school place offer.
In the case of applications for year groups other than at the normal age of entry to school, it is expected that you will apply around 6 weeks before the place is required to enable your application to be considered alongside up-to-date information about the availability of places within the required year group.
What if I do not have the documentation required?
If you are unable to provide the above documentation evidencing your return or arrival then your child’s application will be considered on the basis of your current address and in the event of the school being oversubscribed it is unlikely that a place will be offered due to the distance concerned, in this circumstance, your child will not receive an offer of an alternative school place until you are actually resident in the UK.
You should check that you have right of abode or the conditions of your visa before making an application for a school place.
Children recently arrived in the UK
If your child has recently arrived in the UK and is living in Staffordshire without a school place you will need to complete the in year admission application form and submit the application to your preferred school.
Please refer to the in year admissions process for further information about how to make an application.
Advice for schools
In-year applications
Schools can only refuse the application based on ‘prejudice’ as defined in legislation (for example, the school is full). The relevant admission authority must not require applicants to currently live in the area before considering their applications.
If a school is concerned that a child may not have a right to enter the country to access a state-funded school, it must not deny them a place or remove them from the school roll. Schools should advise parents to check their rights or email the Home Office’s school referrals team so they can investigate further.
Home Office referrals
If a school has concerns about a particular child’s immigration status, contact Home Office via: schoolreferrals@homeoffice.gov.uk.
If the Home Office finds that the child’s visa does not entitle him or her to enter the country to attend a state-funded school, it will be up to the Home Office to take any further action it considers appropriate. A local authority, admission authority or school must not deny a child a place or remove him or her from the school roll on the basis of the Home Office’s findings.