Secondary school dilemma- wwyd

[Schooldilemma2345]

My ds1 is in year 6 so we’ll be applying for secondary schools this October. We were planning to move into the Catchment area of our preferred school but our purchase has just fallen through. It’s so frustrating as we were due to exchange this week and it’s been going through since just before lockdown. The owners of the house were buying were planning to downsize but they’ve changed their minds and can’t bear to part with the family home. To make matters worse, when we told our buyers about the problem and suggested we might be prepared to go into rented for a while, they have said they their buyers (1st time buyers are having issues with their mortgage as the wife has had her hours cut considerably due to COVID). It looks like the whole chain has completely collapsed.
We have a holiday cottage which is in the catchment area of the school, it’s tiny (2 bedrooms) so we can’t move in (we have 3 dc) but I’m wonderIng If I ABU to use that address to get a school place.
I know is against the rules but what are the chances that we’ll get caught. In all likelihood we’ll have moved into the catchment area before the start of year 7....
I feel it’s unethical but I’m actually really desperate...

Thisismytimetoshine You're right. Why don't poor people just, like, buy houses in nicer areas?

I wouldn’t do it as I wouldn’t want to risk being caught and I disagree with people doing fraudulent things. I’d report someone if I thought they were doing this.
If I were the OP I would move into the holiday home.

Yeah, like Tony Blair was a 'socialist' like Boris is interested in 'education' yeah we get it.

[quote ZebraSpotts]@Schooldilemma2345
Spend two days changing all your documents, electoral role, council tax, child's gp, child benefit - so all documents ate registered at second home.

Actually living there, 2 miles away wont be a huge issue for few months, if you choose.
Assuming the school offers sibling entry? A few months crowded will be worth it for the 5-7 years your child attends the better school and all the subsequent years their siblings attend.

Your within your right to move once you've got thr school place. Just like those who rent for months needed, just for the purposes of being within catchment rules.

Do it, but do it properly, with all the paperwork switching included[/quote]
Most schools ask to see this information for the previous two years, any recent incomers to the area will be looked into more closely.
Op will still own a larger property nearby, and the LA will draw the correct conclusion from that.

Mabel - not everyone has the opportunity or the means to choose a catchment they want and move there at will. Lucky for you that you have. But you have used those means to give your child an advantage at the expense of someone else's child who will have been denied a place (unless it's undersubscribed of course, in which case why move). Potentially a child who has the same needs as your DD. You are perfectly entitled to do this of course, but it's not socialism imo.

Most schools require you to be in house at point of applying and remain there until your child joins - realistically requiring living in catchment for 12 months at least.

OP you are exceptionally lucky you have a second home, just move there but do it properly.

This is no-brainer case. You have a property in the catchment. Just move in there and sell the other, and buy new house as intended in the area.
Then you have nothing to worry about. Why risk being caught and potentially lose the place, when you can do it without risk.

A child in reception a few years back had their place removed some weeks into the new term, because of address fraud... I think I'd just move in your circs. You are intending to move 'properly', and to sell your current house - best to lump the squash-up-ness for a bit.

Not a choice when youve been housed by the council.
Or are on minimum wage.
Then all the left wing liberal wanker pseudo socialists which are rife on here, usually proud that they read the garden and did voluntary work one xmas with the homeless, rent or have second homes slightly closer to the school your child would thrive at basically pushing you out because thry dont want their kids with the local riff raff
Your kids are advantaged anyway and yet you are throwing disadvantaged.kids under the bus.
Disgusting

The guardian

I have the answer.

One parent 'moves' into the holiday home with the relevant DC with all relevant paperwork etc. That way it's all honest and above board as it is now the residence for 2 of you who just happen to visit another home a lot.

It was your first home and just became too small. Your new house purchase has just fallen through.

@TantricTwist

I have the answer.

One parent 'moves' into the holiday home with the relevant DC with all relevant paperwork etc. That way it's all honest and above board as it is now the residence for 2 of you who just happen to visit another home a lot.

It was your first home and just became too small. Your new house purchase has just fallen through.

No its not honest as its pretending they are separated May as well put in a single universal credit claim too to make it look genuine

That way it's all honest and above board

😂😂 It really isn't.

"Not a choice when youve been housed by the council.
Or are on minimum wage."

Actually one girl in my DDs year, her parents applied for a council transfer and accepted an offer sight unseen because it was in the right catchment.

And OP if the holiday home is too small, then you'll just have to apply from where you are. But the housing market is picking up in lots of places, and people do get into schools from the waiting list, on appeal or even during year 7. And things will be even more uncertain this year, so just apply and go with the flow.

@MollyButton

"Not a choice when youve been housed by the council. Or are on minimum wage."

Actually one girl in my DDs year, her parents applied for a council transfer and accepted an offer sight unseen because it was in the right catchment.

And OP if the holiday home is too small, then you'll just have to apply from where you are. But the housing market is picking up in lots of places, and people do get into schools from the waiting list, on appeal or even during year 7. And things will be even more uncertain this year, so just apply and go with the flow.

Yes but how often do you get a council transfer-remarkably rare

Do it. Sell the main house. You all move in to the holiday property. Make do with less space. Its not forever.

@GetOffYourHighHorse

I'd do it. You own a property in the catchment area with utility bills as proof. It isn't as if you're using a friend's address.

again (doea anyone ever read the thread?)

Owning the house is NOT ENOUGH.
Areas where this is an issue CHECK. They check if this is your second home (it is ) and only allow your MAIN RESIDENCE to be used for school applications.

They will want more than utility bills to show it is your main residence.

@TheStigReturns

We bought a house and didn't live in it for 1st year as extensive repair works were required. Didn't stop us applying for school places in catchment of new address even though we still actually lived out of catchment. Can't see how OP circumstance is different here holiday home or not. They own the second house... I'd apply!

In some very specific circumstances, they will take an address where you are not living. This is one of them, you own the house with (and this is key) the intent to move into it as soon as the building work is done) It is at the council's discretion I believe, but it can be done. By the same token, if you are moving, you can (for some places) send the evidence of exchange of contracts to the council and they will accept that, even if you have not yet completed or moved.

Of course, if you didn't actually move into that house, then you could be kicked out fo the school and lose your school places.

@MintyMabel

You will not only need to live there, you will also need to have disposed of your current main residence.

That doesn’t seem right. Many families live between two homes for all sorts of reasons. Let’s say OP was to split with OH and live with one child in the holiday cottage. Does that mean her child can’t go to the catchment school because the home where her husband still lived was previously deemed a main residence?

you have to prove which is your main residence in this case. Often they use the address to which the child benefit is paid as evidence as to which is the main residence.

sorry about multiple posts, but honestly on school applications threads I get so irritated with people who know bugger all about the process posting crap.

School admissions is a legally controlled process. So if I think that the council has not acted fairly, they are legally obliged to correct it, hence the kids in reception who get kicked out of school, when it has been shown the places were given incorrectly.

Their procedures do vary, one council takes child benefit, one takes electoral roll etc etc.
They do have differences if you are moving, one will accept the solictor's email confirming exchange, other insist on waiting until completion and paper evidence.

But each council must have, by law, a written application process which takes all this into account, and they follow it. And it you try and cheat it, and get caught (and yes, obviously some people don't get caught) you will lose your school place, and then you will have NO PLACE and have to apply again, and are left with the dregs of places in all the schools that no-one wants.

It is not worth it. And it is your chidl who will suffer.

@Showandtell1 🤣 @ left wing liberal wanker pseudo socialists

[quote Hurrumphh]@Showandtell1 🤣 @ left wing liberal wanker pseudo socialists[/quote]

This place is full of them
Give me a tory voter any day. At least their self centredness is transparent
As for the 'we promote equality so long as our kids stay away from the council estate ones' posters I am sure that their chosen christmas presents of a goat and piece of coal alongside an oxfam sponsorship will teach the kids about poverty in an acceptably distant way.

not everyone has the opportunity or the means to choose a catchment they want and move there at will. Lucky for you that you have. But you have used those means to give your child an advantage at the expense of someone else's child who will have been denied a place (unless it's undersubscribed of course, in which case why move). Potentially a child who has the same needs as your DD. You are perfectly entitled to do this of course, but it's not socialism imo.

The only way another child would have got a place would be if their parents bought the house that we did. Or if they asked for a placement request in to the school.

My child did not “gain an advantage” she gained the opportunity to experience school in the same way as her peers do. Moving schools removed a disadvantage. Socialism doesn’t mean leaving vulnerable children at a disadvantage. In fact, quite the opposite.

I volunteer as an advocate for families fighting a system which makes it difficult for parents to ensure kids with SEN are given provision. I’ve helped dozens of parents ensure their children’s education doesn’t suffer. I would argue by taking ourselves out of the administrative nightmare, it was one less family for the LA to be dealing with, freeing up resource to deal with those who required placing. Same goes for the equipment we buy instead of taking that offered by the LA, then pass on to charities who provide it for families who are being refused provision by the LA. And by donating the equivalent amount of free school meals DD was given in the early years to the school funds. Balancing what we can provide ourselves by not taking out of the system, passing resources to those who can’t provide for themselves seems like socialism to me.

you have to prove which is your main residence in this case. Often they use the address to which the child benefit is paid as evidence as to which is the main residence.

We don’t get child benefit. Many families don’t. I’m surprised a council could use this as proof of residence.

Sell your house and move into the cottage/rent in the catchment area while you try and buy somewhere bigger. If you're actually desperate to get into the school you can do that, if you're not then the place should go to a child who actually lives there.