Reception place withdrawn after accepted

[tippietoppy2]

Peeps can you help? Reception place was offered, accepted, then after some time withdrawn. Letter says it’s because we had a temporary address used solely or mainly to obtain a school place (?!) Not true, house move had nothing to do with schools (FYI still living in the same Borough). There was no consultation by Council, just withdrawal letter. Anything can be done? Admissions Code says place can be withdrawn where it is established that the offer was obtained through a fraudulent or intentionally misleading application. Does the temporary address assertion fall within “fraudulent” or “intentionally misleading”? Has the Admissions Code been correctly applied to our situation? It’s a full class of 30, so infant class size restrictions apply.

[accidentalgrownup]

LAs are cracking down on this in my area. How long were you at the temp address? You can appeal but will need to prove you used the address for reasons other than the school admission process

[FreedaDonkey]

It depends why you moved and how long etc.

[minipie]

So why did you move to the temp address in catchment and why did you then move out of it, away from catchment - and can you prove it?

Also when did you get the letter, you will need to act very very quickly to fight this as it will be 10x harder once the place is offered elsewhere

[prh47bridge]

A temporary address is classed as misleading if it is used to get a place at a school with the intention of moving further away as soon as the place has been secured.

Exactly what happened and when did it happen? When did you move into the address you used for applications? When did you move out again? Assuming you were there a relatively short time, why were you there such a short time? Were you open with the council about what you were doing?

If you were genuine you will have to appeal and see if you can persuade an appeal panel that the council's decision is unreasonable. You may be able to argue that it was unreasonable to withdraw the place without asking you about your moves first but you will be in a stronger position if you can show that your moves were entirely innocent.

[smellyboot]

My response would be all the same questions raised below. Why did you have a temp address? The 'same borough' makes zero difference. Here, if you move 0.1 mile up the road you wouldn't get into our school.
People try using false or temp addresses and most years some one gets reported for it etc and their place withdrawn

[ThreeFluffyFelines]

If you genuinely were moving for other reasons then hope you can prove it. Where I live the type of behaviour they are trying to stop has resulted in children within walking distance not getting into our local school and having to be driven to school in another town, whilst the child who did get in moving back to a house further away. I am glad they are addressing the issue, but if you have a genuine reason OP you should contact them urgently

[Ecureuil]

It entirely depends on why you temporarily moved into the admissions area at the time of applying for a school place and then found yourself having to move out again soon after. I'm sure if you had genuine reasons then you can appeal.

[SavoyCabbage]

I know someone this happened to. Well, they wrote to them and asked for various things to prove that they had been living in the address they said they had been living in.

Eg, changed contact details at nursery, change of address for bank, dentist, utility bills etc. Council tax bill.

They couldn't provide it so the place was withdrawn.

You can appeal.

[wheredoesallthetimego]

When you moved, did you own another property and did you keep it? Clearly if you move from Glasgow to Penzance, keeping your place in Glasgow won't matter as it's obviously not commutable. Owning a flat five miles down the road and renting on the doorstep of the school is a very different matter.

[NonnoMum]

Oh, and please don't call us 'peeps' ...

[LIZS]

If you took on a second property within local area but which just so happened to be at the appropriate tine and location to secure a place then yes they can deem it fraudulent to have applied from this address and withdraw the offer. LA/boroughs often have a specific policy on how long you need to have been resident at your principal residence, before and after the deadline, and what documents you need to prove it. Have you moved back to the previous address? Presumably that place was awarded at the expense of another child.

[Mary21]

www.standard.co.uk/news/london/town-hall-fired-me-for-taking-legal-action-over-a-school-place-8834556.html May be of interest

[Aventurine]

Interesting article. It's surprising how often people have their main home redeveloped at school application time, making it uninhabitable and forcing them to move near to a very oversubscribed school temporarily.

[smellyboot]

So when they move to the 'redeveloped' house 90mins on the bus away - I assume they would then give up their place at their first choice school ?!?!? I rather guess not. People do all sorts to get into their schoo, of choice...

[Aventurine]

I guess it's cheaper to rent somewhere temporarily and then get all siblings in on the back of it than to pay private fees for them all if they aren't happy with the school near their main home.

[smellyboot]

Exactly - see it all the time. Families stay in a tiny rented house close to school and get DC1 in. Then move 30min drive away but all siblings continue to get automatic place.

[Lifechallenges]

OP seems to have disappared!

[PanelChair]

prh47bridge has asked all the salient questions.

[user789653241]

I do have a experience of moving in the same town, in a short period f time.
We were living in a small rented house, and owner decided to sell suddenly. We had a dog, so struggled to find a new place, ended up sharing a flat with friend for 3 months. Finally found the place and bought the place. Rented house and bought house was near school1. shared flat was near school2. We could have been in trouble if it happened during school application time.
So I do believe these thing can happen, but if it's genuine, op should be able to prove it I suppose?

[NoMudNoLotus]

Well at least have the decency to come back OP!

[wheredoesallthetimego]

OP was clearly pulling a fast one to get into the school and isn't coming back as we haven't given the expected sympathy and outrage.

[Rachie1986]

Come back OP!

[Rachie1986]

Come back OP!

[coriliavijvaad]

You need to have absolutely watertight provable reasons for applying from anything other than a permanent address. There are not many reasons that will cut it and you haven't given any on this thread.