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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

Is it ok to use father's address for a school application?

60 replies

MyopicBunny · 09/03/2023 19:37

Just that really. I know people who have done this but I'm not sure if it's a good idea in practice. If your child lives with you, should you only apply for your own catchment?

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HaggisBurger · 09/03/2023 19:38

Er! Yes. It’s fraud and if you get caught the place can be withdrawn. People often snitch

SheilaFentiman · 09/03/2023 19:39

No, you need to use the child’s main address. There’s various tests for this eg who gets child benefit, which GP child uses etc.

TourmalineGiraffe · 09/03/2023 19:40

Hotvimto3 · 09/03/2023 19:41

You should use thier primary address. However i know many who did not and checks were never made.

Weedoormatnomore · 09/03/2023 19:41

They may ask for evidence I know some schools do home visits as well. Does he live with his did 50/50 if not then I wouldnot risk it

Original poster

MyopicBunny · 09/03/2023 19:47

My child's dad wants her to go to a specific school near him. As far as im concerned, I like the look of my catchment school.

I know at least 3 people who used the dad's address to get their child into a specific high school. If it's fraud, I certainly won't do it.

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SheilaFentiman · 09/03/2023 19:49

This explains it for Surrey - check for your county

www.surreycc.gov.uk/schools-and-learning/schools/admissions/secondary/apply/step-2-complete-the-form

itwasntmetho · 09/03/2023 19:51

Do you have 50:50 care? Do you claim the CB?

hayley013 · 09/03/2023 19:52

I believe it is spot checked against the council tax record

Original poster

MyopicBunny · 09/03/2023 19:53

Yes, I get the CB. Huge difference in how much we both earn - he is very well off and me, not so much.

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PeekAtYou · 09/03/2023 19:54

You have to use the address that the child lives at the most. If it's 50/50 then usually you'd be asked for the address that the child primarily lives at Monday to Friday. If it's 50/50 then you need to check with your LA as they may have requirements like who claims the Child Benefit or whose address is registered with the GP.

ancientgran · 09/03/2023 19:54

I did it and someone reported me. I did it for a few reasons:

We had shared custody, it wasn't set days we agreed the children would decide where they were and when. It worked perfectly. As far as I was concerned both places were equally his home.
I had a car so could get him to school near father, he couldn't drive so journey would have been very difficult for him to get DS to my local school.
I still had a house in ex's catchment area, sale hadn't gone through so I did have a house in that area.

Investigation into report and education authority and school happy to let him go to school near his father.

I'd love to know who reported us and hope they were pig sick when he kept his place.

Original poster

MyopicBunny · 09/03/2023 19:54

I like to do everything by the book so I certainly would not want to get in any trouble. If I read my own council rules it doesn't specify anything about parents who are separated.

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Starlightstarbright1 · 09/03/2023 19:55

I mention in this post of what your Ds wants. .. I do think secondary Child needs to be involved in the decision

modgepodge · 09/03/2023 19:56

I know of a child who temporarily lived with her father more while applying for school, for most of y6 I think. Once she started I assume she went back to living mostly with mum.

MoggyP · 09/03/2023 19:56

You need to use the address where the DC is normally resident.

If you don't, an it comes to light, the place can be removed, even after the DC has started at the school.

And this does happen - other parents spot it and ask the council to check. Because it might be their best friend's or sister's child who is deprived of a local place by an address flipper

Councils check quite carefully in areas where attempted school place fraud is rife

Original poster

MyopicBunny · 09/03/2023 19:57

From his pov, he likes the idea of being able to collect her from school on days that he works from home so that he could see her more.

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Original poster

MyopicBunny · 09/03/2023 19:58

And this does happen - other parents spot it and ask the council to check. Because it might be their best friend's or sister's child who is deprived of a local place by an address flipper

Yes, I mean the child will be bound to tell his or her friends where they actually live most of the time, won't they?

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titchy · 09/03/2023 20:00

MyopicBunny · 09/03/2023 19:54

I like to do everything by the book so I certainly would not want to get in any trouble. If I read my own council rules it doesn't specify anything about parents who are separated.

It will say to use the address the child is mainly resident at. It's irrelevant whether the parents are together, divorced, or completely absent. It's the child's address that must be used.

ancientgran · 09/03/2023 20:00

MyopicBunny · 09/03/2023 19:58

And this does happen - other parents spot it and ask the council to check. Because it might be their best friend's or sister's child who is deprived of a local place by an address flipper

Yes, I mean the child will be bound to tell his or her friends where they actually live most of the time, won't they?

So is DD mainly living with you? As far as my child was concerned he had two homes, he wasn't living in one and visiting the other so it might be different.

No one asked about CB or doctor, CB was my address doctor and dentist were ex's address as that was where we all used to live and we hadn't changed them.

bellac11 · 09/03/2023 20:01

hayley013 · 09/03/2023 19:52

I believe it is spot checked against the council tax record

What would this prove if father is the applicant?

ancientgran · 09/03/2023 20:02

bellac11 · 09/03/2023 20:01

What would this prove if father is the applicant?

Show quote history

That's a good point, the child won't be on the council tax record for either address.

YerAWizardHarry · 09/03/2023 20:04

My son goes to the school in his dads village. We have 50/50 custody and his siblings go to the school (he’s my only).

We are in Scotland though where the whole school thing isn’t anywhere near as mental, the vast majority of people just go to their local school

Original poster

MyopicBunny · 09/03/2023 20:09

Yes, she lives with me most of the time - he pays child support. So it seems to me you can't use the NRP's address unless custody is 50/50.

Thanks for replies - this has helped to clarify everything.

OP posts:

MoggyP · 09/03/2023 20:10

MyopicBunny · 09/03/2023 19:58

And this does happen - other parents spot it and ask the council to check. Because it might be their best friend's or sister's child who is deprived of a local place by an address flipper

Yes, I mean the child will be bound to tell his or her friends where they actually live most of the time, won't they?

Well, they will when they start wanting friends round.

And people who know your XH might know about the living arrangements too

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