For which period do I need to live near secondary school for applications

[Mallowmarshmallow]

I am considering renting a property close to our favoured secondary school and move into it for a period in order to get a place at the preferred school.

Does anyone know for what period I would need to have the property?

I realise this is using a situation to benefit me, however we would genuinely move into the property for the required period.

My understanding is that I would need to live in the property at the end of October application deadline, up until the point of accepting the place in March. At which point I could move out. Is that correct?

Admissions manager here, all LAs are different in terms of address changes and dates so consult the admission arrangements of the school/LA. Advice from people on Mumsnet will differ depending on the area.
It is risky depending on the criteria and dates. We have removed offers when council tax records have shown discrepancies, and that is awful for the child who may have attended transition etc.
Evidence will be required where there are doubts, primary schools are consulted etc. Other parents who may suspect often contact the LA if they think something is off.
Appreciate you are saying you will live somewhere else but if you will still have the other property, questions will be asked. We get this a lot unfortunately.

Many councils are wise to this and will not let you count a rental property when you own another one. Read your local rules very carefully.

separately the rules will typically say that you have to expect to be resident in the property until the September they start.

The rules are, to some extent, set by your LA. There is no universal rule. However, since you own the property where you currently live, most LAs insist that you use that address even if you are renting and living somewhere else. The rules that do apply nationally are that what you are planning is classed as fraud. Even if you get away with it and your child gets into the school you want, the place could still be taken away even after they start at the school. You will then get a place at the nearest school with places available. This is likely to be an unpopular school - quite possibly one you really want to avoid.

These are the rules of one LA:

Got to love the honesty of someone asking advice on how to commit admissions fraud

Some LAs will not allow this (especially if your owned house is empty), so you need to check the rules in your area. Or you may need to still be living in the property in September.

Equally, many LAs are not that fussed as long as you can genuinely prove you lived at the address (council tax, bills etc).

You really need to get advice specific to your area, as it really does depend.

By who? How would they have records of previous addresses and property ownership?

That’s it round here, 2 years with proof.

They can see where youve paid council tax. If youre paying at 2 properties in the same LA, theyll ask questions.

They'll see CT being paid for say 5 or 10 years at one address and then all of a sudden CT also being paid conveniently somewhere else around admissions time, it will raise questions.

We had to show a 12 month rental agreement when we applied for a primary place, so that already takes you up until September.
You need to show that you have cut ties with your old property ie sell it. I think though that if your property is eg in Manchester and you apply to a school in Kent, then it isn't a problem as not commutable.

@Dacadactyl @Unexpectedlysinglemum Your local authority have loads of info. Council tax. Land registry, Primary school. There are so many ways to check credentials. GP surgery, benefit claims etc.

Some LA require residence for a minimum period before application, and that to be the only address available. In which case owning somewhere and renting closer or moving to grandparents', for example, won't work as they use the original address for the application regardless.

I'm pretty sure that when I applied for my dcs secondary school place I had to say how long I'd lived in my home. I really don't think you'll get away with it op

Bucks info www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/schools-and-learning/schools-index/school-admissions/school-admissions-guides-policies-and-statistics/guide-to-moving-up-to-secondary-school/understanding-the-terms-we-use/#normal-home-address

Yes, I suspect our LA checked us out via the primary school. Our council tax situation couldve potentitally looked dodgy around the time we applied for DD to go to high school (it wasnt but i can see why theyd have questioned it).

The primary school contacted us and I had to provide other information to the primary about our address. They never said it was to do with admissions though, but looking back I suspect it was.

Each LA will have different criteria but the areas where schools places are hotly competed for will be wise to all the scams and will do extra checks for popular schools. Plus don’t ever underestimate other parents blowing the whistle. all it takes is for someone who knows where you really live to also know someone else who didn’t get it, dots will be connected and someone will complain which will trigger an investigation.this could be months after your child starts school.

Then unless you rent out your main house and stay in the rented house for longer they will not treat the rented property as your main residence.

Many people try to do this especially in popular school areas it's fraud and if you are found out they will remove the school place.

Either actually move or look at other schools.

Even renting out the OP's main house probably won't be enough. Many LAs would still insist on using that address.

In our area if you are renting a property but own a house within 20 miles of the school, they will use your owned address for admissions and not the rented one. This rule applies regardless of whether you have rented your owned property out to someone else.

Several of the schools (mainly the grammars) also stipulate you need to have lived at your address for a considerable amount of time prior to the regular October cut off.

It’s designed to prevent local school places being taken away from local children.

Council tax, land registry

Cheer up, OP. I suspect that everyone pointing out that you are asking for advice on how to commit address fraud won't stop you doing it, but at least the Admissions Code (para 2.13) actually says

Where an offer is withdrawn on the basis of misleading information, the application must be considered afresh, and a right of appeal offered if an offer is refused.

So if / when you are sussed, your DC might actually get in from the waiting list anyway. Or you might strike lucky with an independent appeal panel who agree with your pleading that your DC shouldn't be made to suffer through the attempt by their parent to gain them the place, that they truly need, more than the DC they displaced from their rightful place at the school according to the schools published admissions criteria, because..., through fraud. I mean, the chance is remote (and non existent if infant class size legislation is involved), but you never know.

Don't make things up 😂

So for our local secondary your plan wouldn't work, you're aren't allowed to own another home in the area and not use it as your main address,

We have people who sell their family homes, rent on the doorstep of the school and then re-buy further out once they are in.

Yes but a lot of the proof requires you to have lived there for months before application and have at least 12 month rolling rental contract.

It's not as simple as being thee on the day you apply and the day you get the place.

This is set to stop people doing what you plan to do.

It’s designed to prevent local school places being taken away from local children.

What a strange concept. I don’t think you understand, @DibbleDooDah; the OP’s child is more important than local children.