Moving to Kent with school-age children: an honest school-first guide

When moving to a new area, it's so tempting to find the perfect house first. However, if school quality and availability are driving your move to Kent, we strongly recommend a 'school first' approach. This means identifying potential schools before you start house hunting in earnest.

Begin by exploring our comprehensive school directory and town guides. Look for state schools with strong grades across sub-areas on their Ofsted report cards (bear in mind that single-word overall judgements were removed in September 2024 and replaced by the new report card system from September 2025). For independent schools, look for ISI reports, as they are not inspected by Ofsted. Consider what's important to you: does the school have a strong performing arts programme, excellent sports facilities, or a particular academic focus?

Once you have a shortlist of schools that excite you, then look at the towns, villages, and specific neighbourhoods that fall within a sensible daily commuting distance of each one. This proactive approach prevents the classic and often heartbreaking scenario of falling in love with a house, only to discover that the local schools are full, or don't meet your family's needs. It's about ensuring your children's educational journey is as positive as your new life in Kent will be.

Remember, school places, especially in popular primary and secondary schools, can be extremely competitive in certain parts of Kent. By starting with the schools, you're placing your child's education at the heart of your relocation strategy, which is exactly why you're moving here, isn't it?

Once you have your school shortlist ready, the next crucial step is to understand their current availability. This is particularly important for 'in-year' admissions, which is how children join a school outside of the usual Reception (for primary) or Year 7 (for secondary) application rounds. For context, in-year admissions run through Kent County Council year-round. If you are applying for the standard entry points in September 2027, the secondary Common Application Form deadline is 31 October 2026 (with national offer day on 1 March 2027), and the primary application deadline is 15 January 2027 (with national offer day on 16 April 2027).

Your first port of call should be to contact each shortlisted school directly. Speak to their admissions officer or school secretary. Ask openly about current in-year vacancies for the specific year groups your children will be joining. They can provide the most up-to-date information.

Kent County Council's In-Year Admissions Team can also be a valuable resource. They often have an overview of places available across the local authority area and can confirm which schools currently have vacancies. Don't hesitate to reach out to them for guidance and confirmation.

If a school doesn't have an immediate place, don't despair! Ask about their waiting list. Crucially, find out how the waiting list is ordered. Is it strictly by application date, or does it adhere to the school's oversubscription criteria (like distance from school, siblings, or faith criteria)? Also, ask how many children are currently on the list for your child's specific year group. This information will give you a realistic idea of how likely it is for a place to become available in the near future.

The timing of your move can significantly impact your child's transition to a new school. Ideally, the smoothest time for children to start a new school in Kent is at the beginning of the academic year, which is in September. For example, children joining Reception in September 2026 received their offers on 16 April 2026 and will start school in about six weeks. Moving in the summer holidays (July or August) allows your child a clean start with their new classmates, as everyone is often settling into new routines and friendship groups together.

Moving mid-term is certainly workable and often unavoidable, but it does present different challenges. Children might be joining existing friendship groups and catching up on curriculum already covered. If you anticipate a mid-term move, a warm and welcoming pastoral team at the school becomes even more important. A good school will have strategies in place to help new children integrate quickly.

Regardless of when you move, communication with the school is key. Ask about their induction process for new pupils, how they support children transferring from other local authorities, and what steps they take to help new students settle in. Don't forget, a positive start makes a huge difference to your child's happiness and academic progress.

Consider asking if they offer any pre-start visits or buddy systems. Knowing these details in advance can help you prepare your child for what to expect, making the whole experience much less daunting for them.

If you have a child entering Year 6 and are considering grammar schools in Kent, you will need to understand the Kent Test. This is the selection test for entry into Kent's grammar schools. For the upcoming September 2027 entry, registration opened on 1 June 2026 and closed on Wednesday 1 July 2026. Registration is now closed, and late registrations are generally not accepted.

For registered pupils, the Kent Test for 2027 entry takes place on Thursday 10 September 2026 for Kent-schooled Year 6 pupils, and on the weekend of 12 and 13 September 2026 for out-of-county or home-educated pupils. Results will be released on Thursday 15 October 2026, ahead of the 31 October 2026 application deadline.

Children moving into Kent after the Kent Test has taken place for their age group can still apply for grammar school places, but the process is slightly different. They would typically undergo a late Kent Test or an in-year assessment specific to the grammar school they are applying for. It is crucial to check the individual grammar school's admissions policy and contact Kent County Council's Admissions Team for guidance on this process.

Bear in mind that a grammar school place is provisional until a child has moved into Kent. Securing a place might also depend on the availability of spaces in that particular year group, as well as meeting the test threshold. Researching secondary schooling options, including grammar schools, academies, and comprehensives, alongside their specific admission criteria, should be an integral part of your 'school first' approach if you have older children.

When researching schools in Kent, two terms you'll hear frequently are 'catchment area' and 'PAN' (Published Admission Number). Understanding these is vital for managing expectations about securing a school place.

A catchment area (sometimes referred to as a 'designated area' or 'priority area') refers to the geographical zone around a school from which it preferentially admits pupils. Living within a school's catchment area often significantly increases your chances of securing a place, especially for popular schools. However, living inside a catchment area is rarely a guarantee, so always check the school's full oversubscription criteria.

The PAN, or Published Admission Number, is the maximum number of pupils a school is allowed to admit into a particular year group. This number is set to ensure the school can safely and effectively educate all its pupils. For example, if a school has a PAN of 30 for Reception, they cannot legally admit more than 30 children into that year group, even if there is high demand.

Always check the specific admissions policy for each school you are considering. These policies, usually available on the school's website or the KCC website, will detail their oversubscription criteria (the rules they use if more children apply than there are places available) and often include maps or descriptions of their catchment areas. Knowing these details in advance is key to making informed decisions about where to live.

Kent County Council (KCC) handles in-year admissions for most state schools in Kent. This is the process for applying for a school place outside of the normal Reception or Year 7 application rounds.

Once you've moved to Kent and have a confirmed address, you'll apply to KCC. You'll need to list your preferred schools. KCC will then check for available places and offer you the highest preferred school that has a vacancy and for which your child meets the admission criteria. If no places are available at your preferred schools, KCC will usually offer a place at the nearest school to your new address where a place is available.

It's helpful to remember that KCC's role is to facilitate the placement, but individual schools still manage their own waiting lists and often conduct their own in-year assessments, especially for secondary schools. Don't be afraid to keep lines of communication open with both KCC and your preferred schools throughout the process.

The entire in-year admissions process can take some time, so patience is key. Having children out of school can be stressful, so try to start this process as soon as you have your new address. KCC aims to process applications as quickly as possible, but it's wise to factor in a potential wait.