Renting in catchment

[worriedandstressedAAA]

Ok, so don't shoot me but I am at my wits end about what to do for year 7 for DS, 10. We need to apply this October. DS is middle ability, sporty and not motivated at all. Our choices are the local comprehensive which is really rough and has poor exam results year on year or to go private. We've been looking at privates and it's becoming clear to me that DS does not stand a chance of getting into any of the good private schools in North London where we live. We may have a chance at some of the other privates, e.g. North Bridge House, but have visited and wasn't overly impressed and am not convinced it's any better than a good (and free) state secondary. There are two outstanding state secondaries a 10 minute drive from where we live with miniscule catchments. I am seriously considering renting in the catchment area for 12-18 months to get DS a place. I've read the borough's admissions policy and it seems it's ok to do this provided that we stay at least 12 months and genuinely live in the property. None of us want to move but seems to be the only way to get DS into a decent school. Lots of other families in the area seem to be making the same move. It's a massive decision though and still not sure if we should do it or keep exploring the private sector. Can anyone advise what we should do.

Hmm, I am in the same position, catchment school is really bad. But not thought about this option. So, you will live in a rented house close to better school and commute for a year +, until he goes to preferred secondary? (Assume he is in yr5)
Does he wants to do that? Does he wants to be separated from his peers? You say the school in catchment has bad exam results, but you also say he is average ability. Does it worth getting into the school with better results when you say yourself he isn't motivated at all? He would be the bottom of class, it will make him even more unmotivated?

You could always spend some of the money you'd have spent on the private education, on tutors.

This is an awful thing to do, I actually thought it was illegal. Schools are oversubscribed and you’ll prevent a child who is genuinely entitled to a place from getting in

I know someone who did this. Spent a fortune and then lost place at school anyway when someone reported her. She left her house empty for a year and spent a small fortune on renting for nothing. Sent her DD to private school in the end.

You do what you need to do to help your child. I'm also moving to get my child in the primary school of my choice. Good luck.

Sorry but I think you need to genuinely move or go private.

Don't get me wrong, I can totally understand your motivation behind this, that you want the best for your child. So I am not judging at all.

It’s illegal and fraud

It’s also a shitty thing to do as it takes away a place from a genuine applicant that has followed the rules

Of course you can’t do it

You should have thought about schools years ago. Move into the catchment properly or pay to go private - there’ll be some school that is willing to take your money

I’m judging you actually. It’s akin to saying you can’t afford the nice jumper he wants so should you steal it instead?

apples, I totally get you. And I wouldn't do fraud. But can also see the point of parents who do, from desperation. I think if the OP was thick enough not to considered that, she wouldn't be posting this, asking opinions from others . Thus my sympathy. And hope she does the right thing.

Renting for a year just to get into a catchment IS fraud though

The right thing for her kid would be to move house, to the catchment school or go private.
See above the pp who knew someone who did this and got reported

Would you actually live there or just rent a house? If it's actually where you live then it's legitimate, but you can't just rent a house and pretend you live there, that's fraud.

Surely you are already too late for such a plan? Even if it werent fraudulent?
We moved recently and i asked the new LA what would happen if we decided to rent and let out other house. I was told they would expect the following
Rental agreement for new area
On council tax/electoral roll for new area
Rental agreement for old area
Matching records for council tax for old area of tenants name
The distance beteen the 2 addresses must not be commutable ( it was 120 miles so not an issue?)
They also told me they focus their efforts on the most popular oversubscribed schools.
I wouldnt risk it. If you had moved a year ago and established yourselves as a genuine mover but realistically if you move now you are just flagging yourself for investigation

It's not fraud if you genuinely live there all of the time. It is fraud if you just rent a property so that you can use the address, but live somewhere else.

It’s not fraud if you actually live there though is it?

I’m not saying it’s right. But those saying it’s fraud... I’m not so sure.

If you can afford to pay for private it is very wrong of you to expect the tax payer to foot the bill. State schools aren't free OP.

You do realise that what you propose to do will deprive another child in the catchment of a place?

I’m sure I’ve heard (via similar threads on Mumsnet) that if you’re in the position where you own a house, but live in a nearby rented house, that most councils have a policy of treating the owned house as the “official” address for school admissions purposes.

Presumably to try and ensure that children who actually genuinely live permanently in a school’s catchment area don’t lose out to children from families who live outside the catchment area, but can afford to temporarily rent a property across the road from the school because they don’t like the schools near their actual genuine address.

TBH I think your DS sounds the ideal candidate for the smaller class sizes and individualist approach of a good, all-rounder independent school (not the London hothouses).

How much money do you have to throw at it? Could he go to a prep for Y7&8 and then look at weekly boarding out of London for Y9?

I can see why you'd want to do this. But if everyone who had the means to do it did, what is ever going to change for the schools that no-one wants to send their children to? Do they just continue to sink while those who can afford to have two houses at once send their DC elsewhere?

It's not illegal. The entire system is unfair. And loads of people do this!

Humphrey, you can't leave your house unoccupied. The admission policy clearly states that you cannot have another address available to you, so it must be either sold or on a long term let. We would rent for 15 months then maybe stay in the area if we liked it.

Irvine, DS doesn't want to move (none of us do) but lots of his friends are moving to the same area either to get into that school or another one so he understands why. He is upper average and I think would love this school although motivation may continue to be an issue which is why we had thought we would send him private. I just don't think he stands a chance of getting into any of the grammars or good privates as competition is so fierce. It seems 1 or 2 kids out of a class of 30 at DS"s school (which is high achieving, outstanding ofsted) get into grammars or privates and these are kids who are bright and were tutored hard to get in. Everyone tutors it seems. DS isn't quite there yet in terms of maturity. It's a horrible position to be in but I think the local comp would be a disaster for him and the best way of avoiding this would be to move house.

I had ‘friends’ who did this. They were reported and rightly so.

Would your LA require proof of disposal of your old property? I used to work for one that did. It didn’t matter that you had the new property all set up, even if you could show me a lease for 18 months (first test) and proof you were actually living there (meter readings, TV contract etc)- if you couldn’t ALSO show me you’d disposed of your old property (notice of completion of sale or proof you’d ended your tenancy agreement, got deposit back etc) we still wouldn’t accept your new address.

So make sure you know ALL the conditions they would apply. If they say your new house must be your only residence they may check this in other ways at later stages than just asking for a tenancy agreement.

Ah cross post!
Well if you’re genuinely moving with no ability to go back then you’ve done nothing wrong.