What happens if DS starts at primary school in Sept and then we move a few streets away but out of catchment? Will he have to move schools?

[slaveofsolitude]

Hi there,
Sorry I am sure this question has been asked before but couldn't find anything on searching....

After all the stress of getting a primary school place...my next worry is what happens if we end up moving a few streets away (we were planning to do this in the next couple of years). This would mean we would technically be out of the catchment area of the school. Would DS have to move schools?

Thanks in advance.

No - once you are in the school you can move away and out of catchment and still go to the same school.

The only issue if if there are/will be younger siblings they may not get into the same school.

It depends on the area and the schools' rules. Some schools are so over-subscribed and so prone to appeal that they will not allow a DC to remain in the school if they are not physically within that catchment (to be fair the legal costs are prohibitive - and every appeal is tax payers' money).

So start by checking the school's prospectus - there usually will be a section on catchment.

In our area, the school is popular but not completely full - so they're very relaxed about it. If you move toward the end of the DC's time in the school, having been there for several years already, they usually do not mind.

Personally - if a move in the next few years is definite - I'd take this as the ultimate good place to be. If you or your child are unhappy with the school - you then have a perfectly legitimate reason to approach the LEA to be transferred to a nearer school.

No. Once you have accepted a place it is yours. The only grounds on which it can be withdrawn is if you gave a false address when you applied. You can move 200 miles away and still keep the place at this school if you want (although I wouldn't fancy the commute!).

Aaah right, thanks. That's a relief.

Is this approach not open to abuse though?! What is there to stop someone temporarily renting in the catchment of an outstanding school to get through the applications process and then moving back to their real home once a place is allocated? Or maybe it works on the assumption that no-one would actually go to such lengths!

Just to emphasise, it does NOT depend on the area or the school's rules. A school cannot legally withdraw a place just because you have moved out of catchment. It doesn't matter how oversubscribed or prone to appeal they are. They simply aren't allowed to do it.

Most LAs have come across people trying temporary rental as a way of getting a place at a popular school. They will be suspicious, particularly if the applicant still owns the house at their original address. They will check that the applicant is genuinely living at the rented address. This may include unannounced visits, observing the house and so on. If the applicant moves back to their original address once they have a place the LA is likely to conclude that the application was fraudulent. In that scenario they are allowed to withdraw the place even after the child has started at school. Of course, LAs often get help from parents who have missed out reporting that other parents are using an incorrect address.

I won't say that no-one gets away with this appoach. I'm sure some people do. But I hope that the vast majority who try this kind of trick get caught.