Living in the catchment area...does length of time matter?

8 replies

ZombiePlanB · 27/09/2010 22:26

I've heard a rumour that to get into to some of the popular fiveways primary schools, not only do you have to live in the catchment area, but also that you should have lived there a year.

Does anyone agree? It doesn't mention it on the literature so I wondered if it was a sneaky criteria.

OP posts:

pigindisguise · 28/09/2010 10:21

Really? I have no idea. If they don't ask on the form then how will they know? I know the council will have it on record but surely they won't look up everyone to see how long they've been at their address?

PestoEatsPastiesandSurfboards · 28/09/2010 14:09

No, just your current address counts.

lucjam · 28/09/2010 14:13

Never heard of that if it's true then its a new rule. I know of people who have rented houses for short amounts of time to get into Stanford because the house they were buying in the area wasn't going through quick enough.

rachelstephens · 28/09/2010 15:24

no you have to be in your address at the time of applying or show that you have exchanged on a house purchased. hence people renting for 6 months to get in and then moving on.

i know that a lot of schools do home visits before your child actually starts school so whether or not they partly do this to check that the address you gave was a valid one (ie you didn't move into your mum's address for 2 weeks!) i don't know

Original poster

ZombiePlanB · 29/09/2010 11:48

ok that makes me feel better. Do they ask for proofs of address as standard when you apply or do they do on trust until the school year starts?

It says they 'may ask' for proof of address...do they just ask if you have applied for a popular school, like Balfour?

OP posts:

PestoEatsPastiesandSurfboards · 29/09/2010 12:16

No, they don't ask for proof of address as standard procedure. I expect they would only need it if the address you gave didn't show up on the council tax register or something like that.

notsureatall · 29/09/2010 14:47

DS is at Balfour and we weren't asked anything.

But we'd been at our address for a few a years which I guess showed up on council tax registers etc.

I suspect you might be asked for proof of address if the address you used in your application was different from the official one they had for you.

Home visits are nothing to do with that as far as I know - just the teacher and PA making contact with the child which I believe is generally seen as good practice.

creequealley · 01/10/2010 21:59

it asked on last year's form if you had been at the address for less than six months where your previous address was. Despite putting in an offer for my house in Feb 09 we didn't move to Fiveways until the end of July and still got my first choice.

Damn it sounds like i moved for the school - i really didn't i had 2 excellent schools i'd have been in the catchment area for at my old house

Flip