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Basic needs

Children and young people move school for many different reasons. Depending on their specific circumstances, they will have different move-related needs. This element provides key information about different types of moves and describes basic needs relating to admissions processes, housing, uniforms, language and special educational needs. Recognising that children and young people do not always live with their biological parent(s), the use of the terms ‘parents/carers’ and ‘families’ should be understood to include all types of carers and guardians.

Key information

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How often do school moves happen?

School MOVES analysis of the National Pupil Database shows that around a third of children and young people in England move school at least once outside normal transition points during their compulsory schooling, which we call ‘non-structural‘ moves.

What are some of the reasons and circumstances associated with school moves?

School moves may happen for many different reasons, including for example, parent/carer employment, residential changes, migration, dissatisfaction with provision, or school-initiated processes (Jørgensen et al., 2026).  

There is a significant link between school moves and socio-economic disadvantage. Our data analysis shows that 50% of pupils who have been eligible for free school meals at some point in their schooling make at least one non-structural move, compared with 27% of pupils who have never been eligible for free school meals.

Other groups affected by non-structural moves include service children and children in care, with 61% and 72% respectively making at least one non-structural move. These two groups are also more likely than other children and young people to move multiple times.

Different types of moves

The basic needs of children and young people who move school depend on the circumstances and contexts of their move. Rumberger and colleagues (2015) have made the important point that ‘strategic voluntary moves’ (for example to access a better school) differ from ‘involuntary moves’ (caused for example by issues such as homelessness, eviction, divorce, job loss or exclusion). 

A systematic review conducted as part of the School MOVES project identified that in some cases, non-structural school moves may be ‘normative’ (for example as part of a nomadic culture or parental jobs involving frequent mobility). They may also be ‘imposed’ indirectly by policies (for example, on temporary accommodation) or environmental factors (for example natural disasters) (Jørgensen et al., 2026). 

The below outlines a range of basic needs related to school moves. Depending on the circumstances of the pupils joining or leaving your setting, they may not all be equally applicable or relevant to your school and its demographic. However, they are important contexts to be aware of when developing your school’s approach to supporting pupils who move school.

Students attending a classroom lesson with a teacher and presentation screen.

Admissions

Many non-structural school moves (67%) happen in the spring or summer term, rather than at the start of the school year. The process of applying to a new school at non-standard times varies between local areas across the country. Depending on the specific Local Authority, admissions may be managed by the local authority admissions team, directly by schools, or a combination of the two. 

The Admissions code (2021) sets out the statutory guidance for school admissions, including specific guidance for children and young people with Education and Health Care (EHC) plans, care-experienced children and young people, and Service children. Local authority websites and some school websites provide information about admissions, but the amount and format of information vary substantially.

Understanding the admissions process

The admissions process can be smooth and quick for some pupils, whereas for others it can be characterised by significant delays and/or lack of information. Difficulties understanding different admissions criteria and processes (including when returning from a period of elective home education or arriving from a different educational system) can delay applications and decisions. Families new to the country may experience particular challenges in accessing information or understanding the processes for admissions. 

“I’ll be honest, part of my decision process was who answered the phone faster and who you got to speak to quicker…So, one school told me, they can’t tell me how many spaces they’ve got. I have to phone the council, and I have to get it off of them…another school told me their places. Some schools did have places for one of them or two of them…So then, getting to move was the hardest thing because you have to get- You can print the paperwork offline. You have to fill it all out for each child, get the headteacher to sign it and then take a copy of that to every single school that you’re interested in. So, then it came down to, okay, what schools can we get to that are either (A) walkable or (B) one bus route and it’s not going to kill us and it’s reliable. “

(Claire, parent)

Families moving house or into a new area may assume that local schools have available places, but this is not always the case. Schools in high-mobility areas may be more likely to have spaces for new pupils, but these may not always be families’ preferred choice. When places are scarce, some pupils may be offered places or assigned to schools far from home as a temporary solution. This can create practical difficulties for families (for example in relation to transport) and potentially lead to further moves, if/when a space opens up at a school that is closer to home or parental preference.

Housing and transport

Housing is a major driver of mobility. Temporary or emergency accommodation, homelessness, short term renting and new housing developments may all lead to school moves. For care-experienced children and young people changes to residential placements also often lead to school moves. Research has shown that for some children and young people in care, school moves may happen at very short notice (see study in Canada by Marion et al, 2024). Children and young people who live in temporary accommodation also often have little or no control over when and where they move (House of Commons 2026). This makes it especially difficult to plan school placements and maintain stability in education. 

Distance and transport are key factors in school choice and allocation, sometimes outweighing school preference. Transport challenges, particularly for families in temporary accommodation, can make maintaining school continuity difficult.

“So we had a family that were made homeless, and they were in temporary accommodation for about five to six months…and the Dad was getting them to school every day and on time, he was doing an amazing job. He then – which was really good for him – they got given a house. A temporary house, but they’d been told it was up to two years, and that was an hour drive away. And he did it for about a month, and he said, “I just can’t- I can’t keep doing this hour drive back and forth every day. And even though I don’t want to leave this school, I’ve found a school that can fit all the children”

(Mariam, Headteacher)

Uniforms

For children and young people moving school, school uniforms can be a challenge to obtain, especially when the move has happened with short notice or in larger families. As stated by the recently published non-statutory guidelines on school uniforms (2026), ‘school uniforms can help build a sense of identity and community among pupils and with their school’, but in order for this to happen, uniforms must be affordable. The guidance therefore recommends that ‘all branded items should be kept to a minimum.’ 

Multilingual children and young people

Limited English language may pose particular challenges for children who move school. Schools have different processes in place for assessing and including children who join their setting with limited knowledge of English. More content on English as Additional Language (EAL) is covered in ‘Learning Experiences’.

Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)

Pupils whose SEND provision is in transition are more mobile than pupils who have a stable level of support. 57% of pupils in transition between SEN Support and an Education and Health Care Plan (EHCP) make a non-structural move, against 42% of pupils with a settled EHCP and 32% of pupils with no identified SEND. 

There are also significant differences according to primary SEND need. 10.5% of pupils whose primary need is recorded as Social, Emotional and Mental Health move three or more times, against 3.9% of autistic pupils and 3.0% of pupils with no identified SEND.  

Moving school may be beneficial for children with SEND, if it involves moving to a more suitable or inclusive provision. However, if SEND support is not put in place at their new school or if records are not transferred from their previous school, it can also result in delayed or discontinued support.   

“Because I had a lot of problems with lessons, but they didn’t listen or anything like that, they didn’t have any records of anything I’ve had. So obviously when I told them about anything, yeah, they’d say, “Oh we don’t have it on record.” I kept telling them, “I have ADHD,” all this and that, and they was like, “Oh well, we don’t have that on record so we can’t do anything.” And obviously because they didn’t know I had it, they’ve just thought I was misbehaving and stuff, I’m trying not to misbehave, I’m trying to actually go to my lessons, I went to a lot of my lessons at the start, but over time I just couldn’t .”

(Elijah, Year 9)

Practical suggestions to support the basic needs of pupils moving school and their families

The following practical suggestions have been identified by families, schools and local authorities participating in the School MOVES study, as helpful in supporting the basic needs of children and young people who move school.

Admissions

Making information about admissions clear and accessible, so that families know when and how to apply. This may include:  

  • School websites explaining when and how to apply and indicating whether the school has available spaces. 
  • Application support for families who face barriers accessing online admissions portals, for example, due to low literacy levels or limited English language.

Putting processes in place to ensure, where possible, strong communication between Local Authority teams, sending and receiving schools and families to:

  • Identify if a move is expected, understand the reasons behind and ascertain whether it is in the interest of the pupil. 
  • Facilitate information sharing between schools, manage responsibilities and expectations and ensure any records are transferred so that specific support can be continued. 

Understanding and addressing basic needs 

  • Getting to know the child/young person and their parent/carers, understand the context of the move, and basic needs including EAL or SEND needs. This can be via conducting a home visit, having an initial meeting or completing an ‘all about me’ profile/booklet. A range of templates for ‘All about me’ profiles can be found online and tailored to the specific school and mobility context, including for example:  
  • Putting in place opportunities for families to visit and see classrooms, teaching and play/outdoor areas, learn about the routines and practices of the school, and meet key staff (safeguarding officers, pastoral managers). Sometimes tours are also done by peers.  
  • Having an induction schedule or ‘new child checklist’, which specifies what needs to happen before the child/young person joins, and what should be done on the first day, first week and first half term. 
  • Having clear in-school communication to ensure that everyone knows there is a new pupil joining, and having prepared (for example, by allocating a new seat to the pupil, making relevant books available etc), however ‘without making too much of a fuss’ (child with experience of moving school)
  • Sharing a welcome booklet or pack with all key information for pupils; sometimes in the form of a flowchart or checklist of what the pupils need. Examples of information provided: key locations at the school (canteen, bathrooms, classrooms etc) with pictures or map, uniforms, language assessment, pupil password, school routines, policies, the school standards, medical information, consent forms, contact details. 
  • Providing visual timetables and/or other visuals about the school to ensure accessibility. 
  • Having flashcards whereby children/young people with limited English can communicate basic needs
  • Allowing the child/young person to start later on the first day, so that they can be prioritised and have 1:1 time with a member of staff, who can get to know them (e.g. their strengths and weaknesses, interests and how to engage them).
  • Setting up uniform banks on-site or signpost to charities with uniforms. 
  • Sharing information with families about other services, such as community organisations, local charities and food banks, if relevant. 
  • Setting up an EAL classroom for pupils with limited English to join when they start, or providing access to online resources for learning English. 

“I think it’s really important that we meet families first, for whatever reasons that they’re coming to us. If there are social workers involved, we will meet with them as well prior to the place starting. We designed the system around the idea of what would we want? And if we had children, what would we want for our own children? ..We do get them into lessons quickly, promptly, we don’t do lots of days of let’s do an hour here, let’s do an hour there. We induct them, we have a full programme of induction for them in the morning, and then yeah, right, here’s break time, here’s lunch time, you’re into lessons, here’s your buddies. But …we always do meet families first, because I think that’s hugely important.”

(Louise, Deputy Headteacher)

“Children are more resilient than I think adults – including myself – give them credit for… Our general experience is that if you have the systems in place to help support their induction, to help them understand where they’re moving to, why they’re moving, how the place they’re moving to works, actually, they manage themselves really quite effectively once they’re in the wild of the school, once they’re released, they’ve got some buddies, they’ve got their timetable, they’re wearing their uniform so they look the same as everyone else. … Our pupils are exposed to lots of different cultures, lots of different needs and medical needs, they see a really wide variety of society in our little microcosm of a school. So they’re very accepting. So a new person comes, and they’re quite bold. They’ll just, “Who are you?”  “What’s your story?” .

(Louise, Deputy Headteacher)


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