Help! Separated Parents and Picking a Primary School

Ayesha Griffin, Associate

Primary School applications for new reception places must be submitted by 15 January 2025. It is vital that you get your application in on time, or you may end up with a place for your child at a school which would not have made your shortlist or isn’t close by to their home.

Some top tips to remember for separated parents:

1. Every person with parental responsibility must be consulted before key decisions are made about a child’s life – this includes choosing a school for them, and any subsequent changes to schooling arrangements.
2. You should reach an agreement on the schools to include within your application. You cannot lodge competing applications as only one application per child is accepted. If you cannot agree, you might find it useful to access a form of non-court dispute resolution, such as mediation.
3. If all else fails, the family court might need to step in to consider the issue (a specific issues order application would be required) and decide what to do based on the best interests of the child. This would be costly, time consuming, and stressful and should be the very last resort.

There is a lot for you and your co-parent to think about when choosing a place, including:

1. What school do any siblings go to?
2. What school is the best fit for your child’s individual needs?
3. Which schools are closest to the child’s main residence?
4. Which schools have the best Ofsted ratings and academic credentials?
5. What opportunities and support does each school offer to its pupils? – e.g., learning and development, extra-curricular activities, pastoral support, and facilities.
6. Is the type of school important? – religious, community, etc.
7. Where a parent is suggesting a private school – how do they envisage the place to be funded?

Once you are all set and the space has been allocated, make sure that you are both set up to receive updates from the school about your child’s progress and wellbeing, and details about upcoming school events. You should only share a copy of any Child Arrangements Order with the school if you have consent to do so from the court – you are able to apply for this consent retrospectively if required.

If a schooling disagreement (for a child of any age) is impacting your family please contact a family law expert on 0161 832 3434 or email info@kuits.com.