Lots of Questions - Kids 8 and 10 1/2

Thank you Jedi!!  I honestly have no idea truly where to start when it comes to schools and am hoping my employer has some resources.  The school year is just about to start correct?  If so, maybe there will be some "shifting" and some openings will happen??  I can only hope....  If I can't secure a good school, I'm not going.    If you have any websites that really help with rating primary schools that would be helpful.  I was on this one http://www.wokingham.gov.uk/ but it is a little confusing....

Unfortunately you won't be able to "secure a good school" before you move as it is tied to your address, and then on the number of places available at the schools in that catchment area. Its rather different from the rigid catchment areas in the US where you get a school place based purely on address.

Hopefully your employer can advise further.

As Fruitgum has warned, it's not quite as simple as moving to a house in a good catchment area.

First you'll need to move to the UK.  Then you'll have to find a place to rent.  Then you'll go through the circus of not being able to open a bank account without a piece of mail and yet not being able to rent a place without a bank account.  Your employer should support you during this and provide your rental company with a guarantee towards rent.  After you move in and have a local address, then you can apply for schooling.  Unfortunately you can live directly across the street from a school and not get in.  The borough only has to provide a spot somewhere within the borough.  Yes, there will be people moving around at the start of the year so places will become available, but there are long waitlists in place already and those people will have priority.

Schools receive ratings through Ofsted.  Have a look at the Ofsted reports for the school(s) you are interested in.  https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/

If you were to move to Wokingham, you would apply for everything through the council (the local government).  http://www.wokingham.gov.uk/schools-and-education/school-admissions/

You may want to give someone a call at the council you are hoping to move into to get a feel for the current waitlists, etc.

Wokingham is a fabulous place.  It's expensive (though nothing like California I imagine), but very family friendly.  It's on a direct train into Waterloo (slow train but still direct) and also connected to Gatwick airport.  If you will not have to rely on public transportation, I would expand your search into Binfield (stay away from Bracknell itself for good schools - Binfield schools are okay), Woodley (can be hit or miss), or Sonning (very exclusive, George Clooney lives there).  Caversham on the north side of Reading, close to the town center, is also very desirable.

My kids are always enrolled in various sports and my daughter acts.  I'm assuming kids do activities over there too, right? 

There is a lot of choices for activities over here. For acting, there are various acting schools, that go on to prouduce some famous names. Just search on the internet to see what there is. A lot of funding goes into sport, even more will go into some sports now because those that get a medal at the olympics, get increased funding for their sport, from club level up.

The children choose what they want to do and then you become their taxi...never again to have your own life.

It might be best if you put in for your UK driving test asap as some find it hard to pass first time because of nerves. You might need a few lessons to learn how to  pass the test.

Car insurance should be cheaper when you have a UK driving license. Driving offences that can often be dealt with at the roadside on a UK driving license (fine, points), often end up in court if it is a foreign license, so that is another reason to pass asap.

You will need to drive if you live in Wokingham

Schools receive ratings through Ofsted.  Have a look at the Ofsted reports for the school(s) you are interested in.  https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/

I never took much notice of those for my children when we moved areas. I spoke to the locals and went to have a look at the schools to see how happy the children were. As a teacher friend of mine says, happy children learn.

I never took much notice of those for my children when we moved areas. I spoke to the locals and went to have a look at the schools to see how happy the children were. As a teacher friend of mine says, happy children learn.

True.  But there are some schools in my area that have received some scathing reports.  I wouldn't be happy if my daughter was in a school that has known bullying problems, for example.

But yes, when we were looking for nurseries, there was one that just felt right.  As we were being given a tour by the owner, the kids kept stopping her asking her to play with them - I loved that.  They know she WILL play with them, even as the owner.  I extended my maternity leave, as the waiting list was so long (9 month wait).  Truly the best decision.  We love our nursery! 

True.  But there are some schools in my area that have received some scathing reports.  I wouldn't be happy if my daughter was in a school that has known bullying problems, for example.

That is down to how good the head teacher is and they can leave a good school.

That is down to how good the head teacher is and they can leave a good school.

Yes, definitely.

When I was at secondary school, we had an amazing head teacher - he was charismatic (he drove a shiny black Jag that he parked right outside the school), he was encouraging and motivating, and he got involved with school activities (for example, he and several other teachers were in the choir (male and female) and concerts were sold out). We were one of the top schools in the county, well-respected, a Centre of Excellence for Science and in 1998, our GCSE results were ranked in the top 10 of comprehensive schools in the UK.

Sadly, about 2 years after I left the school (just after my brother started there), he retired and a new head teacher took over. This head teacher had no presence, he didn't get involved with activities and the overall morale of the school dropped (for example, the choir dwindled down to a few year 10 and 11 girls and no teachers, and they barely sold any tickets to concerts). By 2013, the GCSE results had fallen, pupil behaviour was terrible, the Ofsted report had gone from Good to 'Needs Improvement' and it is now ranked one of the worst schools in the county (it's also now an academy).

Back when I was there (1994-2001), I would have sent my own kids to that school in an instant. Now, I wouldn't go near it. It's so sad, because it was originally a Grammar School, established in 1606, and as far as I know, it always had a great reputation .

SanJosetoUK--Just an FYI, I lived in Lower Earley (outside Reading) and Wokingham and my oldest went to a Catholic school in Woodley for a little while before we moved to the north. It's called "St Savio". It's a primary and junior school. Many schools in the area are quite oversubscribed but because this one is a Catholic school and your kids are already in one in the US, you may be given first consideration. Plus, it's not entirely based on your catchment. I think I paid £30 a year per child to attend that was payable to the Diocese. It's worth looking at it.

Really interesting reading how ya'll have issues with catchment areas and not even being able to get into the school across the street. 

Not sure what is normal for Scotland because its all different anyways, but in our council (huge), you have to go to the school in your catchment area unless you fill in all the forms to go to a different school (usual reason for this is to go to one of the schools that is either all taught in gaelic or for the schools that have designated gaelic classrooms or for the religious education piece). But I've never heard anything bad about any of our primary schools in our council and no one I know sends their kids to a different school from their catchment area (other than gaelic or specifically for the religious education piece)

So it's all really interesting to see!!

Really interesting reading how ya'll have issues with catchment areas and not even being able to get into the school across the street. 

Not sure what is normal for Scotland because its all different anyways, but in our council (huge), you have to go to the school in your catchment area unless you fill in all the forms to go to a different school (usual reason for this is to go to one of the schools that is either all taught in gaelic or for the schools that have designated gaelic classrooms or for the religious education piece). But I've never heard anything bad about any of our primary schools in our council and no one I know sends their kids to a different school from their catchment area (other than gaelic or specifically for the religious education piece)

So it's all really interesting to see!!

See, all of Wokingham Borough is the catchment area.  So they have to provide a school within the borough.  It just doesn't have to be within a set distance, if you know what I mean.  Wokingham is 69 square miles.  Can potential leave you with a long journey to a school and while *most* schools are very good - there are always going to be some bad apples.

I know it has changed now, but when I was a kid...  we were zoned for a particular elementary, middle, and high school simply based on our address.  Seems so much simpler!

See, all of Wokingham Borough is the catchment area.  So they have to provide a school within the borough.  It just doesn't have to be within a set distance, if you know what I mean.  Wokingham is 69 square miles.  Can potential leave you with a long journey to a school and while *most* schools are very good - there are always going to be some bad apples.

I know it has changed now, but when I was a kid...  we were zoned for a particular elementary, middle, and high school simply based on our address.  Seems so much simpler!

That's crazy!  Wonder if these are most likely set it that way so they could more 'evenly distribute' for class sizes, funding, etc without needing to justify why  they're moving a kid across town and having a long commute.   

My head is swimming...  I can't imagine NOT having a school secured and moving over there...  that is NOT going to work for me!!  If it was the summer...maybe, but this is mid-year.  So how long will all this take and my kids are just meant to wait until we sort this out??  I am thinking as it is mid-year maybe it is better to try to go for a Catholic or private school and pay for the remainder of the year, then move them to public for next year...  Was that 30 BPs or 30,0000 BPs???  The American school was 30,000.....which is CRAZY to me.  We have similar systems in California with public schools, so wait lists, etc. are not shocking to me, but this is causing me serious doubt as to whether I can pull this off....  I really want to do this, but if my kids are not enrolled before we decide to go for it...or I at least know that we can get INTO a school then I don't think I can do this.  For the person that said we must have a car in Wokingham is it because it is 69 miles large?  Public transportation is not good?  Ideally, I would love to be able to live walking distance to the train so at least in the beginning I can take the train to Redding.  I am speaking to my potential co-workers next week, but I am seriously wondering if....even though I really want this experience...this is just going to be too much for my kids.  Are there any other resources that you can suggest for me to do more research other than calling the schools to find out how long the wait lists are??  THANK YOU!!!!  I really appreciate finding all of you...  Thanks for letting me ask all these insane questions. 

KFDancer was talking about the Borough of Wokingham, not the town.

The borough is 69 sq miles and consists of a number of towns, of which Wokingham is the main town. It sounds like for schools, the catchment area includes several towns, not just the town of Wokingham.

The borough has a population of 157,000, while the town of Wokingham has a population of 30,000.

I'm not sure how big Wokingham town itself is. Wikipedia states that the town is just 0.9 sq miles but that can't be right, surely?



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