Schools

[Spanglyprincess1]

Were buying a house in a much better school catchment and have kids 50:50 but their mother not my partner is the rp. She has asked to register them as living with us to get them into the better school.
Is this okay to do or is it fraud? Does switching residency to us change who get child benefit and CMS ? I assume as times goes on they will be at our not before and after high school as she is six miles away but we are 0.5.

It might be. The child might be happy and settled where they are so the thought of the other school might sound more appealing to the parents than the child.

People use much worsctics to get their kids into the school they are desperate for. Of all the manipulative things parents will do, changing things on paper to say that a child live where they do actually reside is certainly the least shocking one.

Or maybe mum wasn't keen but her daughter begged her to let her go that school?

If mother and daughter and father are all so keen surely changing to dad being the resident parent won't be a big deal?

I think it’s all part of the wider discussion about school admissions and not really just a blended family issue. There are rules for everyone to stick to and I don’t think they should be bent for some and not for others.

When it came to applying for school for dc1, if I wanted dc1 to go to the same school as their older sibling I wouldn’t have been able to use the sibling link as both children are registered at different addresses. It didn’t bother me, it’s just one of those things. I didn’t expect to have different rules applied just for us. We liked a different school anyway and that’s the one we got a place at.

If mother and daughter and father are all so keen surely changing to dad being the resident parent won't be a big deal?

That’s fine and that’s my point. The child would be registered as living with him and for school purposes that’s the address that they would use, as he would then be the resident parent. It has to be kept fair for everyone else who might want that school place and if they’re doing it all correctly then I have no issue with it.

The school place would soon be forgotten about if told to do this by the LA

You don’t know that.

Thanks everyone. I have informed my dp that they ie he and ex need to contact council and seek advice. I'm not bothered either way tbh. The school is oversubscribed but we live 0.5 miles away and are in catchment and there isn't really another school nearby, so his odds are good. The alternative school she is in catchment for is on special measures and has a terrible reputation ( btw she chose to move and it wasn't due to money, her new partner lives nearby to the house, she kept family home and dp gave up his share in divorce for the children). So tbh they might still want to try and get the childrens residency changed. At least I have some information now on what to do to find out if it legal etc. Thanks again everyone for replying.

Sorry for detailing your thread a bit op I hope everyone manages to come to an agreement and it doesn’t cause fall outs.
Is your dsc already at school or is their mum applying for Reception?

*derailing

The three are all at primary. The high school is the issue as the catchment school is very poor. I'd personally suggest sitting for the grammar as that school in catchment is good, but they would need to pass 11+ . My mom is an ex teacher so I was very careful when choosing a house to buy about schools for my little boy ( he's less than three month old - but it matters)

When I moved with my partner the local school was rated outstanding. Because of it people played the system so that people from further away got places and as it was so oversubscribed my children couldn't get a place having just moved to the area. He got a place in the school that was under remedial measures as a result.

By the time DS went there they got a new fantastic Head and within a year it was rated Good. 2 years later the Head of catchment area left, a new one arrived and within a year that school was put on remedial measures! In the end my DS got a much better primary education than the neighbourhood kids.

Really hope the same thing doesn't happen to you OP.

You sound awful.

Surely their dad will put his address down so they have the best opportunities. If not he's a shit dad but hey at least you'll have 'won.' Nasty.

Ah it might be worth doing the 11+ if there’s a chance they will pass. Can they still apply for normal schools in the mean time?
Sometimes though, schools given a “poor” are actually good because they are working hard to improve. So if there is no luck getting in to the school near you then the school nearer to their mum might actually be better than she thinks. What’s wrong with it if you don’t mind me asking?

ruddynorah

The op hasn’t said anything to deserve that response All she wants to do is find out how it works so they can go from there. I think your response is probably more for me?

Ruddynorah - I've said nothing. Please read the sodding threat. I don't mind either way where the kids go but don't want to commit fraud. It isn't up to me where the kids go, it's up to their parents as they make these decisions.
If you can't read the thread then don't comment. Or as my mom always says, if you can't say something nice then say nothing at all.