Secondary school divorced parents

[MelbaToast]

I'm going through the process of looking at secondary schools for my child and am in a dilemma that I think mumsnet should be able to answer. Basically, there are 2 schools that I really want my son to go to. As a starting point ex husband doesn't attend church but lives near school A. I live in a different borough, and secondary schools are further away but are generally better than in Hs borough. I am the primary carer of our 2 DCs. Ex H has kids once a week and currently isn't in a position to have the kids more than this.

School A is a faith school that I should be able to get my son into based on our church attendance. DH doesn't go to Church. School A is the only school in ex Hs area that I have seriously considered.

School B is the nearest school to me, and has a phenomenal reputation but isn't guaranteed entry because of the distance and the fact it is heavily oversubscribed. However, last year some of the places were ringfenced for children living in our area. There is another faith school in my area that I am considering but it doesn't have the same reputation as school A.

So my question is, can I put ex Hs address as my son's address, to guarantee entry to school A? If I can do this, and the catchment area reduces then will I have ruined my chances with school B, which is heavily over-subscribed as it is. Sorry, if this sounds a bit complicated. Just all seems like a minefield.

[user1474894224]

You need to use the address where the child lives. Otherwise it is fraud and you may be found out and school places withdrawn.

But in answer to your specific question yes you would remove school B being an option.

You need to think about things like how easy is it for child to independently get to school. What if they live a distance from all their friends - how much fun is that in the holidays. Etc etc as well as just the 'reputation'. Also visit the schools as you will get your own feel for them.

[MarchingFrogs]

If your DS lives at your address for all but one night of the week, then this is his address for school application purposes and you need to make the application on the Common Application Form (CAF) administered through your local authority.

LAs and schools take address fraud very seriously and a school place obtained by deception can be withdrawn even after the child has started at the school.

There is also the issue of lying in order to get a place at a faith school. What faith is this that you adhere to, that has telling lies to make sure you get what you want is okay as one of its tenets?

[PatriciaHolm]

No, you can't. You have to use the address at which your son is primarily resident, which is yours. Admissions authorities take fraud seriously and if you obtain a place through fraud, they can take it away at any point. Checks are frequently made, such as cross checking the address the child benefit goes to. Other parents are also generally very assiduous at letting authorities know if people cheat!

You need to apply using your address.

[Seeleyboo]

It's the address where your sons Dr has on file as this is one of the ways they check. They also check where the child benefit is registered to and who it's registered to. So unless you hand over CB to the ex and change DRs you cant use A and if you did B would be out of catchment then.

[TheRedBarrows]

Our LA use the child benefit address. Also would know from the primary.

For a faith secondary do you not need a priest / vicar’s letter confirming regular attendance? That also would reference the fact that you live further away.

However if he were to actually move to his Dad’s but goes to church with you when you have him at the weekend, that would presumably be different.

[TheRedBarrows]

I have never heard of Dr’s registration being checked in our LA.

You need to meticulously check everything from a local POV.

Would he not be eligible for School A on religious attendance alone? Does religious attendance come higher than distance in the criteria?

You could stay where you are, put down School A first preference, your closest school second and the other faith school third?

Find out specifically about last year’s ring fencing criteria.