Genuinely wanted to move close to Gordon School but...

[harry75]

Hi!

First time, please excuse my ignorance.

My DS is in year 5 and he will be starting his secondary school (year 7) in Sep 2017. I guess last date to apply for admission is Oct 2016.

For his secondary school, we really like Gordon School, West End in Woking which is 9 miles from our home. This area has a very nice primary school which our DD can join as well.

I was looking at school's admission criteria and has found the following:
The School, in conjunction with Surrey, will investigate any applications where records show a change of address within the previous 12 months

What does this mean?
A. Does this mean applicant has to move into area at-least more than 12 months? If this is the case, its not possible for us as only 5 months are left to apply for admission.
B Or is it just an investigation to find out its a genuine move?

My situation is that, I own a house which I am planning to sell and move close to school but that I wanted to do, only, once admission will be confirmed. Here is what I am planning:

1. Rent out my own home in June 2016.
2. Move to catchment area of school (on rent) in June 2016.
3. Get admission for DS and DD in the local primary school in June 2016.
4. Apply for admission for Gordon School in Oct 2016 for DS.
5. Wait for admission result in March 2017.
6. Sell my own home and buy a house in the catchment.

does it makes sense?

Just wanted to clarify that I have visited the school area and really like it. I can see myself and family living there. And later my DD can join this school as well. Work wise it will be closer as well, so win win situation.

Any input would be really appreciated.

Thanks!

Are you the OP who has name changed for some reason? If you can afford to buy a second home without selling your first you can afford private schooling. Seriously, Gordon's is a good school but it's not all that.

Depends where the other home is. If it's reasonably close but not quite close enough to gain admittance, then no, you can't do it. If it's quite a long way away (beyond sensible commuting distance) then that would be permitted. You would need to get written confirmation from the admitting authority to be sure.

The OP mentioned her home is 9 miles from the school so well within normal commuting distance for secondary school in that area but about 8.9 miles too far outside the Gordon's catchment. This just has attempted admissions fraud written all over it.

But I am not doing any fraud, I am genuinely moving, buying, and will be living there forever or atleast 10 years. The first propert is just I want to let it out as an investment. If I can afford not to sell it why should I? And I am not renting and going back!

If getting them into Gordons is so importante to you why don't you want to sell the house you are in?

Really it comes down to which is moré importante, but I wouldn't risk losing a place after DCs start because the LEA have investigated and decided there has been a fraud.

It doesn't matter what you say your intentions are, LEA can disallow it (because you'll be the umpteenth person attempting this).

If you feel that they have acted unreasonably in striking down your rental address when you still own a property nearby (and they take those steps consistently to all in that situation) then you can appeal.

But from everything described here, you need to be highly realistic about your chances at appeal.

Cross post.

The onus would be on you to prove that you have no intención of moving back. That would be very dificult to do.

" If I can afford not to sell it why should I?"

No, of course you don't have to sell and you may well decide that is the right thing for your family.

But that doesn't make a rental address (when there is an owned family home in commuting distance) acceptable go admissions purposes.

So your call.

AdoraBell, meditrina - I am not going to rent in but will be buying a house. I will be living there genuinely, so will move my children's primary school, GP, council tax and whatever.

I don't want to sell my current home because there is no earning in the bank deposit and will keep that home as an investment.

In your first post you said that you wanted to sell your house but only once admission to Gordon's was confirmed for your son, now you have a completely different story. Originally you were moving specifically for the secondary school, now you seem to be trying to minimise that aspect. If you can't persuade us of your honourable intentions, I don't think you have much chance of getting past Surrey CC Admissions!

AllPowerfulLizardPerson - it will not be a rental home, I will be buying it.

it will not be a rental home, I will be buying it - yes, but according to your earlier post you won't be buying until your ds has gained admission to Gordon's so you WILL still be renting, and with another home 9 miles away, at the time secondary offers are made. Surrey CC have neither the time nor the interest to investigate your assertion that you intend to buy and stay in the area after admission. They will act on the facts at the time.

Two addresses within 9 miles and a move in line with the admissions round timings?

I think they'll see you coming.

Stillunexpected - The plan was to buy one big home but I can afford two small ones ;) but anyway don't want to explain the detail, sorry.

Lets assume if someone can afford buying second home in the catchment and lives there as their main residence. The other home he/she can let it out (and that house is on buy to let mortgage as well), what's wrong with that?

stillunexpected this is a different poster, not the OP.

...sorry for the confusion but intention NOW is to buy house before applying for the admission

Smidge001 no I think this is the same poster who has name changed.

Smidge001 - Sorry I am still the OP, I have just changes my usreid from harry75 to haraul (didn't realise changing userid changes your name as well on the post) but anyway I am the same poster :)

"The other home he/she can let it out (and that house is on buy to let mortgage as well), what's wrong with that?"

Nothing, in terms of your family arrangements.

But as you are being repeatedly told, you don't get to choose whether the LA accepts your new address or using the existing one if they believe you are flipping.

You've not really convinced anyone here, so how do you really think you'll fare with the LA who see this sort of thing all the time?

Oh whoops, ok!
Name changes are tricky to follow as they don't get shaded in like the original poster - & coupled with the change in intention to buying and living there I didn't double check

What is wrong with it is they, LEAs arcos the country, have seen it so many times they now do not count the new address on the school's doorstep if you own and have recently moved from a home a short distante away.

It is blatanlty obvious that people are doing it just to get a place in their prefiered school and it pushes up prices in the área which in turn makes it moré dificulta for people who have lived there for years to get into the School.

No worries Smidge, not entirely sure why I noticed. It is very confusing!

Carltonscroop - I am not here to convince anyone but to learn about rules and regulations from experienced members...

To convince LEA, I can show:

1. I have bought property in the catchment and moved it there with my family. The new home is decent family home.
2. I have only one council tax bill which is where I am living.
3. My GP, Dentist are local.
4. My children are going into local primary school (which I have confirmed with school, they have place)
5. My work is nearer as compared to the other.
6. Existing house is on long term rental.
7. Existing house is on Buy to Let mortgage.

Do you think above points are not enough? I am not saying I would definitely do that but its an option.

School places, once offered, have to be taken up pretty much immediately.

So when do you move to take up the primary place? Or are these addresses so close to each other that the school run really is do-able over that distance?

As explained in posts above, the list you've just posted is not necessarily sufficient for anyone to say 'yes that'll be fine' because people do this every year, and people get their new address disallowed every year.

The only thing you could rely on would be if you had it in writing from LA that your new address will be the one they use. Have you actually asked them?

I think asking your LA for their policy on this will be the only way to find out their view on the acceptability of this move (just 5 months before the deadline).

And it might be useful to know anyhow, before you become wedded to a particular plan of action.

Though presumably now your DC have secured their new school places, they need to move schools pretty soon