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Secondary education

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Original poster

School have revoked offer - not sure what to do next.

113 replies

Anxsi · 23/06/2025 11:03

I'd like some advice and guidance on school admissions and appeals please.

My child is due to start secondary school in September, but the school revoked their offer on the basis that we were not living at the address used in the application.

We had been looking to buy a property in a particular area and completed the purchase earlier this year. We kept the council informed, and once we completed the purchase, our child was placed at the top of the waiting list for this school.

However, we haven’t moved in yet because the house needed repairs, which are longer than we anticipated & it would have been difficult & unsafe to live in the property while the work was being done.

The school discovered that the house was vacant and called us to clarify the situation. I explained that the house required refurbishment and that we had not yet moved in.

The school then withdrew the offer on the basis that we were not currently living at the address. The school said our child would remain on the waiting list and would move up once we had moved into the property, but couldn't give any indication of when he might be admitted, as it would depend on a place being available.

The school has said that we have the right to appeal, but I’m unsure whether it would be worthwhile. I don’t want to damage our relationship with the school any further.

I’d really appreciate some advice on what we should do next. Please be kind - my DC no longer has a secondary school, and its very stressful.

OP posts:
BellissimoGecko · 23/06/2025 11:14

How did the school find this out? That seems odd to me.

TeenToTwenties · 23/06/2025 11:18

Did you tell the school you weren't moving in? It is a pretty fundamental piece of information.

HostaCentral · 23/06/2025 11:21

Is it your current registered address? If it is, that is your legal domicile regardless of whether your are actually physically living in it. You could reasonably appeal without it damaging any relationship with the school.

GladAllOver · 23/06/2025 11:22

It's the school's requirement that the child lives in their area. They probably have others on their waiting list who do live there. You can't really override them.

MonteStory · 23/06/2025 11:24

HostaCentral · 23/06/2025 11:21

Is it your current registered address? If it is, that is your legal domicile regardless of whether your are actually physically living in it. You could reasonably appeal without it damaging any relationship with the school.

I don’t think this is true. Then everyone could buy a 1 bed flat near the school and rent a 4 bed house far away and claim the 1 bed is their ‘official’ address. It’s pretty well established that the child has to actually live there.

LIZS · 23/06/2025 11:24

Presumably where you are living would place dc lower on the waiting list. How long between making the offer and revoking it? Did you tell them you were waiting to move or just update the address?

PatriciaHolm · 23/06/2025 11:37

Any application for a year 7 school place needs to be made from the child permanent residence address at the time of application.

Different LAs have different rules about how they consider properties that are in the process of being bought- Some take the date of exchange, some completion. However, those are all under the assumption that the property will then become the child's permanent residence once acquired.

It sounds like they were prepared to accept this new property, but you had not told them that you haven't actually moved in after completion and his address is still somewhere else, So they have decided to withdraw the place on the grounds that the address used was fraudulent.

They are entitled to do this; how successful you would be at appeal would I think hinge on exactly the communications between you and the LA around the purchase of the property and whether/when you intended to live there or not.

If you made it very explicit to them that even once the purchase was completed, you would be living elsewhere for a while you would have a good case, however it doesn't sound as if you did that.

The fact is that at present this address is not the child's home and never has been, so they are entitled to use your current address rather than it unless they were very explicit that they would still use it even though you weren't resident there.

The local authority should find your son an alternative place though.

elliejjtiny · 23/06/2025 11:46

We were living with my in-laws when ds3 started secondary school as we were having building work done. We kept the school informed and we were paying rent and council tax on the house as well. We moved back in at Easter when he was in year 7. School were fine with it although I think they were pleased when we moved back to our house because ds3's behaviour at school improved enormously.

minipie · 23/06/2025 11:53

What stage are the works at? Where are you living in the meantime?

In your shoes I think I would move in asap and make it work somehow. Get your child back up the waiting list before others get in ahead of you and there is no more turnover. Perhaps you live there Monday-thursday and go stay elsewhere over the weekend? or vice versa?

Original poster
Anxsi · 23/06/2025 11:55

@GladAllOver @MonteStory that is what the school have said - you need to be living there are the time the offer is made.

OP posts:
Original poster
Anxsi · 23/06/2025 11:58

PatriciaHolm · 23/06/2025 11:37

Any application for a year 7 school place needs to be made from the child permanent residence address at the time of application.

Different LAs have different rules about how they consider properties that are in the process of being bought- Some take the date of exchange, some completion. However, those are all under the assumption that the property will then become the child's permanent residence once acquired.

It sounds like they were prepared to accept this new property, but you had not told them that you haven't actually moved in after completion and his address is still somewhere else, So they have decided to withdraw the place on the grounds that the address used was fraudulent.

They are entitled to do this; how successful you would be at appeal would I think hinge on exactly the communications between you and the LA around the purchase of the property and whether/when you intended to live there or not.

If you made it very explicit to them that even once the purchase was completed, you would be living elsewhere for a while you would have a good case, however it doesn't sound as if you did that.

The fact is that at present this address is not the child's home and never has been, so they are entitled to use your current address rather than it unless they were very explicit that they would still use it even though you weren't resident there.

The local authority should find your son an alternative place though.

Thanks @PatriciaHolm
I didn't think we need to do any building work but once we actually purchased the property, it became clear we needed to get some building work done. However, I didn't inform the school about this. I wish I had.

Do you think there is any value in appealing? The school have said they will reconsider the application once we move - should we just wait and try and get everything done as soon as possible

OP posts:
wonhisspurs · 23/06/2025 11:58

I would move in.

Original poster
Anxsi · 23/06/2025 11:59

@minipie - the works have slowed down because of delays. We had hoped to get everything completed by end of June but that won't happen - maybe 2nd week July

OP posts:
Original poster
Anxsi · 23/06/2025 12:00

wonhisspurs · 23/06/2025 11:58

I would move in.

That is what I was thinking but we have nothing - most days the water is switched off

OP posts:
MamaBear8484 · 23/06/2025 12:06

I'm so sorry - what a nightmare situation! You've done everything right and been completely transparent. I came across this article that has some helpful information on appeals and what to do when you don't get your chosen school: https://www.twinkl.co.uk/news/when-do-parents-find-out-about-secondary-school-places-and-what-to-do-if-you-dont-get-the-school-you-want
I hope it helps and good luck! 💕

https://www.twinkl.co.uk/news/when-do-parents-find-out-about-secondary-school-places-and-what-to-do-if-you-dont-get-the-school-you-want

party4you · 23/06/2025 12:10

Sorry but how did you not know work needed to be done? Surely you got a survey?

Original poster
Anxsi · 23/06/2025 12:18

party4you · 23/06/2025 12:10

Sorry but how did you not know work needed to be done? Surely you got a survey?

They survey flagged it up as a concern but the condition was worse when we completed.

OP posts:
Yellowlab34 · 23/06/2025 12:20

You should definately appeal - you have nothing to lose, and you didn't intend to mislead the school about your address. You may not win the appeal, but nothing lost by trying.

Fupoffyagrasshole · 23/06/2025 12:29

just "move in" put a few things in - how are they going to prove it if you go off and sleep somewhere else every night! just pop by regularly and come out the door a few times

tripleginandtonic · 23/06/2025 12:33

wonhisspurs · 23/06/2025 11:58

I would move in.

This. Why in earth wouldn't you, rather then mucking around with appeals and possibly losing a place. Very few houses are inhabitable, you don't tend to get mortgages on those.

MumChp · 23/06/2025 12:36

Move in. Sorted.

BloominNora · 23/06/2025 12:37

Anxsi · 23/06/2025 11:59

@minipie - the works have slowed down because of delays. We had hoped to get everything completed by end of June but that won't happen - maybe 2nd week July

You have 20 school days to appeal - if the offer was revoked today and you will move in before 18th July, submit the appeal on the day you move on the basis you are now living there.

PatriciaHolm · 23/06/2025 12:39

BloominNora · 23/06/2025 12:37

You have 20 school days to appeal - if the offer was revoked today and you will move in before 18th July, submit the appeal on the day you move on the basis you are now living there.

Show quote history

bear in mind that any appeal lodged now will almost certainly be heard in September unless you're very very lucky. So you can appeal, but also make sure your address is updated the moment you move in, to adjust your place on the waiting list.

babyproblems · 23/06/2025 12:45

This seems strange! How would they know?? What about children who are already at the school but then if you renovate and move out temporarily — it’s not really any different!!?
Id move in whatever that meant. You can always ‘move out’ again temporarily. Tell them - if they ask! - that there’s been an issue with the work and somethings being redone. I don’t think this is much of their business tbh; if you genuinely are going to live there and own the property I can’t see the problem.

MummBRaaarrrTheEverLeaking · 23/06/2025 12:50

I'd just start taking over what I could, ASAP, even if it's just a couple of rooms. Spend whatever time you can in it and tell the school you're in now.

I wouldn't have thought they'd be going round everyone's house though, that's quite odd. Do you know anyone who didn't get a place while your DC did, and was aware of your house issues? I'd be getting a Ring doorbell and maybe a camera to see who's having a nosy!