Secondary School Admission

[TanYA1111]

Hello

I am after a bit of advice please.

I’ve tried to contact my local school admissions but they will not give me any advice until I go into great detail with them and I’m worried it will jeopardise things.

I have a daughter due to start secondary school in September.

She lives 50/50 between myself and my ex-partner, no set days but equal amounts of time between. We also have no court order in place because we are very amicable.

I am in receipt of child benefit because this pays for gymnastics. However, her medical bits are registered at her fathers.

We are in 2 different school catchments, although very close because we both support each other with her care.

Can you advise me whom I would need to apply via for the school place please.

We both agree with the school closer to him being the one we felt better suited to.

We are just unsure what the process is because we mutually share child arrangements equally and me receiving child support (to pay for clubs because I live next to them) but him having medical (due to the fact he lives next to her Drs and it’s always been that way).

We were unsure what the process is and didn’t want to apply wrongly.

Her current school I deal with mostly because I live closer and have another child there but we are both named and have dealings.

Her current school have agreed the school closer to her fathers is better suited and said we can apply for the one closer to her father because of our shared arrangements but to check.

Also who would need to apply, the application shows in my family because I obviously applied last time.

Can I still apply and just put my ex partner’s details in my Daughter’s address bit?
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I appreciate your help.

Many Thanks

Tanya

The LA website should clarify what the determining criteria for using an address are, often it is Child Benefit for example. You can apply for schools outside of the local LA by including them on an application to the home LA. However if distance is a factor it may not be allocated.

It doesn’t say too much. It just says evidence of child living with parent can be child benefit letter or letter from gp if this can’t be provided.

the schools in our area are all done on distance.

The LA I work for uses child benefit if the split is exactly 50/50. To be honest if the address is the one held by the school and matches our records then we would only question it if it changed and then ask for evidence. We wouldn't look at it routinely.

I updated the school with his address as main address several months ago because we sold our house.
it’s been a bit of a mess tbh.
We sold and our new house fell through so we’ve been living with family for the last 8 months. However the school admissions online isn’t showing his address but where my parents where I originally went temporarily but now with inlaws.
I’m so worried and don’t want to jeopardise anything. You read all these articles where applications can be rejected etc.
Friends are saying I’m overthinking it.

I also have all her medical information and letters showing this at her fathers address. I still get the child benefit but this is because we agreed to continue using it to pay for clubs.

Could he get the child benefit and pay for the clubs? That's the only possible sticking point here, I think?

I need to call and see. He’s got other children as have I so I think we left it.

Most LAs have rules about who can apply in a shared care situation. If you would like to say which LA we are talking about, I will be happy to see if I can find their rules.

Thanks I appreciate it. Somerset county xx

I was in a similar situation 3yrs ago.
My ex claimed the CB and also lived in catchment for the preferred school.
Primary school contact and GP were my address.
I applied for preferred school using my address and didn't get in. Rang school admissions and asked if it were possible to change to exs address. They asked who gets child benefit? So I said he did and they changed it to his and gave us a place at the preferred school. They had happily accepted my address on the initial application, I only contacted them because I didn't get the school we wanted straight off as I wasn't sure if we could use dad's address with 50/50 care. So.i would imagine in your situation you can use her dad's address and if they ask for proof use a GP letter (or switch the CB to him ASAP)

So stressful isn’t it. I’m just wondering how I apply in his name because the accounts already set up. I’m guessing I just put my ex partners address as my Daughters but not mine nor my other child and then produce evidence in supportive evidence.
The thing is today it’s the modern family and lots of children are 50/50. I’ve spoken to the current school and they just advised me to show the gp details etc. can I ask what you gave for gp evidence? Was it a letter from them?

Somerset are remarkably unclear. They don't say specifically what will happen if the child spends the same number of nights with each parent. The information they have published suggests that they would expect parents to use either the address of the parent receiving child benefit or the address where the child is registered with their doctor. However, the wording suggests that there may be circumstances when they will accept an address where neither of these criteria are met. As your seem to be saying that your daughter is registered with her GP at your ex's address, that suggests you should be able to use his address. However, you will need to talk to Somerset to be sure.

Surely he should apply if you're using his address

This is why I’m stuck, you read it exactly how I do.
I’ll give them a call but I tried the other day and they wouldn’t give me any information until I gave both c tax numbers and I didn’t have his xx

On your ex, does he also live in Somerset or in another county? On you, have you been updating Child Benefit and your DDs school with your addresses - permanent home, your parents, PIL as your home address?

Who does the majority of school drop offs / pick ups? Seems odd you would be updating the school with his address if he is taking and collecting 50/50.