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Original poster

I hate to ask and I know it’s bad but…..

179 replies

Cornishwench · 15/09/2021 18:30

Has anyone put a grandparents/relatives address down on a secondary school application form due to being out of catchment and successfully got a placement?
Child is in feeder primary
All family live in area
We live hear but may have to move next year
I know morally it’s wrong but if it’s in the best interest of the child?
Thankyou

OP posts:
EvilPea · 16/09/2021 08:59

@Heartsinflowers

It’s only a problem if you get reported. I’ve never had to provide proof of address or utility bills when applying for a school place? I guess they may do spot checks and if so it would be unfortunate but other than that they don’t ask most people.
Ive had to, for every school.
EvilPea · 16/09/2021 09:03

So the child cant have friends round for the first 6 months, they also have to live with the stress of don't tell people where they live or why they cant have a lift etc.

Then if they do get found out, the child has to deal with all the uncertainty and heartbreak at a move.

Its not in the childs best interests at all. I can see why they want to do it. But the only person who is going to suffer (and they will either way) is the child.

WimpoleHat · 16/09/2021 09:29

I have a friend who works in school admissions and whilst there's generally no checks, what gives 'cheaters' away is that people grass them up

It’s this. And people talk. And the people they talk to talk to other people. Kids talk to other kids, teachers etc. And it’s impossible to tell a child - even an 11 old - “don’t tell anyone where we live” - they don’t understand. Or they’ll tell someone that they’re not allowed to tell anyone where they live and that person puts two and two together. It’s a really emotive subject for a lot of people. And if someone suspects a cheat, that’ll be talked about and someone (probably someone you don’t even know) will report it because they’ll feel that their child has missed out.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

General education
ufucoffee · 16/09/2021 11:31

'I have a friend who works in school admissions and whilst there's generally no checks, what gives 'cheaters' away is that people grass them up'

Parents don't always know what checks are done. Only oversubscribed schools are checked. If they aren't oversubscribed anyone can have a place no matter where they live.

ufucoffee · 16/09/2021 11:32

Supersimkin2
Doesn’t work. They check and people from the school visit you ‘to meet the kids’ ie to make sure the child really lives there.

Your best bet is to rent a place in the catchment area for 6 months.

You need a rental agreement of at least 12 months.

honeybeetheoneandonly · 16/09/2021 13:54

Huh? I don't get the issue here. They are in the feeder primary and live in the catchment area. Of course they are going to put their address in the catchment area on the application form. They don't have another address to put on. I understand they wanted to use your address as it won't change but at the moment their address is as good as yours. Surely it would be more difficult/fraud to try and get their child into a school in the new catchment area (that they may or may not move to) when they don't actually live there?

Dnaltocs · 16/09/2021 17:27

Your child could come to visit you in jail.

Kittysummer · 16/09/2021 17:33

I think you need to go back to school and sort your spelling out. Children should attend their nearest school.

niugboo · 16/09/2021 17:35

It’s fraud and most local authorities have safety nets to prevent this from happening. If I found out you had done this I would report you without a moments hesitation.

Here’s just one example of what you could expect.

www.haringey.gov.uk/children-and-families/schools-and-education/school-admissions/fraudulent-applications

Yespresh · 16/09/2021 17:38

I know someone who rented a flat in an area to get a school place. Not me. It worked. They got in.

user1471538283 · 16/09/2021 17:40

It will not work. The school will want proof your child lives there. Your child could be made to leave and by then you would have to accept any place at any school. I couldnt do it and put my child through that.

spicedappledonuts · 16/09/2021 17:44

We rented a house out to a family who stayed for six months just long enough to get a school place, in fact two families did this when we rented the house out.

niugboo · 16/09/2021 17:45

@Heartsinflowers

It’s only a problem if you get reported. I’ve never had to provide proof of address or utility bills when applying for a school place? I guess they may do spot checks and if so it would be unfortunate but other than that they don’t ask most people.
@Heartsinflowers that’s because local authorities who manage admission can verify address using council tax, electoral role etc. We used our new address - we had moved - to apply for a school during a period of handover from rental to ownership. Registered at 2 addresses. We had to prove that tenancy was up at previous address during application time frame and that we owned new property.
niugboo · 16/09/2021 17:46

@spicedappledonuts

We rented a house out to a family who stayed for six months just long enough to get a school place, in fact two families did this when we rented the house out.
@spicedappledonuts you can get done for this now too. Local authorities have rental requirements that exceed 12 months.
LBOCS2 · 16/09/2021 17:50

Lots of people saying it's fraud and you'll get caught.

We have an outstanding primary school behind our house - mentioned as a reason to buy in this area, very oversubscribed, catchment of approximately 350m.

Given how tiny the catchment is, it's astonishing how many children are driven to school each morning. Given that they all live less than half a kilometre away 🤔

Goldbar · 16/09/2021 17:55

Isn't the deadline end October for secondary school applications?

So if they're applying now for 2022, they can use their present address, no bother. In fact, they have no choice because they don't have an address yet to apply for a school where they might be rehoused.

We're facing a similar situation in that we will be moving in the next few months but it may not be in time for the primary school application deadline in January. So our DC will probably be offered a place where we live atm not where we're moving to, which will be a nightmare for us.

FancySomeChips · 16/09/2021 17:56

A family at my dcs school did this and they were found out.
School place for high school was withdrawn, then the primary one too for a younger sibling who was also applying for reception. Both children got places at schools milesssss away on the other side of the borough as this was where the only remaining spaces were.
So not worth it!!!
Turned out it was one of her “friends” in her clique that reported her after she accused every other mum one pick up time. Appalling behaviour on her part followed, completely embarrassed herself.

spicedappledonuts · 16/09/2021 17:57

@niugboo The contracts were for a year with a six month break clause.

I didn't realize at the time what they were doing, it was only when both families bought cheaper houses out of area of the school I twigged.
At first I couldn't work out why they didn't just rent a cheaper house in the first place.
Then I realized that they got to keep the limited school place.

ittakes2 · 16/09/2021 17:58

Are you in catchment now? It matters where you are living the day you apply - not that you move after applications have closed.

Disfordarkchocolate · 16/09/2021 18:03

No, I would never do this.

Why should your child get a place instead of a local child?

Yogsgirl · 16/09/2021 18:06

If your child goes to the feeder school why do you need to lie? They'll most likely get their place anyway!

Saucymushroom · 16/09/2021 18:11

We had to show the school proof of address 're a recent Council Tax bill after a place was offered, so they could have withdrawn it.

niugboo · 16/09/2021 18:11

[quote spicedappledonuts]@niugboo The contracts were for a year with a six month break clause.

I didn't realize at the time what they were doing, it was only when both families bought cheaper houses out of area of the school I twigged.
At first I couldn't work out why they didn't just rent a cheaper house in the first place.
Then I realized that they got to keep the limited school place.[/quote]
@spicedappledonuts given there’s over 6 months between application and start date they’re lucky they weren’t reported.

korinthea · 16/09/2021 18:13

My child goes to a school nearly 3 miles outside of out catchment area. When I applied I used my own address and had to send in a letter explaining why I wanted her to go there (single parent, work in that area), the decision was then up to the local authority. As long as you are honest it is possible

myheartskippedabeat · 16/09/2021 18:14

I used to work for our local
Authority and we checked addresses held by all feeder schools to addresses out on the forms and if there were discrepancies we put them to the bottom of the pile and if there were spaces we'd investigate and ask for 3 forms of ID

Schools also ask for ID when pupils
Change addresses if catchments are over subscribed

If you want your child to go to a particular school - just move to the catchment area don't take a space from another child living nearer there