Cheating school admissions. Wrong I know but needs must.

[LG8]

I have to choose my son's secondary school by October. We basically have a choice of 2 notorious, failing schools in special measures. My son is quiet and sensitive and it will be like sending a lamb to the slaughter. He gets picked on at primary school now so secondary will be hard enough for him as it is, without sending him to a daily war zone. I just can't do it, I'm not willing to do it.

My partner lives in the catchment of 3 very good schools. He has suggested we use his address to get ds in to one of them. Chances are we will be moving there sometime in the near future anyway but not before DS starts secondary.

As I said, I'm supposing nobody will be willing to help me cheat school admissions but it's worth a try. What do I need to do? Are we likely to pull this off? The other schools are not massively subscribed and I know of lots of people who have got into them without people checking up etc. Just that you have no chance if you're not actually in the catchment area. Especially when your catchment schools are so under-subscibed.

Can anyone advice me on this?

Please don't reply with a load of abuse, I'm just trying to do the best thing by my son.

My friends dd didn't get into a school in her caTCHMENT AREA THIS ALLOCATION, AND IF WE KNEW SOMEONE HAD TAKEN THAT PLACE (bollox, sorry caps) by lying, we would be very pissed off indeed. For my friend, this now means, her 2 eldest dd's will be going to different schools, involving more driving around in the mornings and afternoons.

Why not move in with your partner? Please tell us why you can't do that yet?

Also, perhaps work on your sons sensitivity issues? Is there a drama group he could join? Work on his self esteem as opposed to just writing him down as "sensitive" and therefore closing down lots of life to him .

Just a thought

Please don't lie about it, that is not setting a good example and is adding to the unfairness of the system for other people. One valid way to applying legitimatly by actaully living at the catchement address is you doing a 6 months house swap with your partner till the admissions thing is closed, then you can move back to your house if you don't both live there together by them. I wouldn't be impressed though but I can't judge my kids are not even at primary yet, hence my suggestion. I know people who also didn't get siblings in the same school and that really is not a good thing to deal with in year 7, to be honest by year 8, many sensitive sweethearts have discovered a tougher side just be being in the secondary school environment.

We moved house into a grammar school catchment area once we knew DS1 had passsed the 11+.This was after the closing date for applications but before places were allocated.They asked for evidence of electoral roll change , medical card ,utility bills,driving licence and bank statemnt.It may be easier for you because you will not be on their radar.Do you know if they run addresses past the primary school though ?
In your situation I really can't see you have anything to lose though !

You say that the schools in your DPs catchment area are not massively subscribed-if that is the case why not make an honest application? The choice in schools is a myth if you want to go to an oversubscribed school, but if they have places they want pupils (extra pupil means extra funding)and you stand a good chance of getting a place.
I would visit the schools, find out what would suit your DC and put your reasons on the application. If there is no room on the form write a letter to go with it.Find out about the pastoral care and if it is a strength of the school put it forward as suiting your DC who is quiet and sensitive.If the school has a real family feel, play the one parent card and say that your DC would benefit from it. In other words make a strong application. Don't be negative about the schools you don't want to go to (don't mention them), just be positive about the one you want.
Ask the LEA for the the numbers of how many applied last year and how many got in. If everyone who applied got a place you stand an excellent chance-if 50 failed to get a place then there isn't a lot of point in my suggestion.