What happens if XH disputes school choice

[mumyes]

XH is not v involved in DS's life (10) & we are due to pick his secondary school soon.
He wants him to go to a (good) school miles away (near where XH lives). I don't. I'd like DS to go to the (best possible, it's ok) school locally.

It's me who'll do all the drop offs etc.

I'm worried he's going to be rally difficult about it.
Where do I stand? What happens if he tries to apply for him behind my back...

Am stressed & worried...

Thanks x

Would he even be in the catchment ?

Chances are he's too useless to navigate the fairly complex application system. Put your address as the primary address and the school will be chosen based on that.

He would only get into the father's school if you fraudulently used his address. Don't do that.

If you think LoserDad will do his own application, speak to the council about how to ensure you get the papers, not him, as he's an absent and uninvolved parent.

If he has parental responsibility then technically, legally he could go to the courts if you are unable to agree.

In practice however he is unlikely to go through with this and it would be pointless anyway because, as others have already said, your son is unlikely to be in the catchment for his preferred school.

The third option if the school is over-subscribed would be for you to lie and then say that you put the school down but your son didn't get a place. But don't do this if he is likely to know about admissions numbers/waiting lists etc

Thankyou for the replies.

@SpinningFloppa yes, he'd be in the catchment. But he's really pretty uninvolved day to day (but does see DS).
And DS does not go to his address for more than 4 nights a month.

I thought it went on the main residence and who gets the CB 🤷‍♀️

Main residence is important but isn't always part of the oversubscription criteria, especially for selective schools.

If your home is his main residence that is the address that counts for admissions.

To double check, is YOUR address close enough to the school XH likes to get a place?

@SpinningFloppa no, I'm bit close to it.

@BendingSpoons sorry, that reply was for you!