Advice if you move school catchments but own property still within catchment?

inkie

If your child has a place then that child will always have a place despite where you live. Problems may arise when applying for a place, as this will be governed by the admissions procedure.

Lunar_Eclipse

galvanizersbaby wrote: »

Hello

I think I know what the answer to my question might be but am interested in any advice from anyone in this situation/perspectives

My partner and I are considering moving in together (just considering at this stage) - he works in central London and his current property is about 45 mins drive from where myself and my two children are currently living.
My son currently attends the local catchment school (reception year) and my daughter has a place available to start in September this year - this school is across the road from where I am currently working and about 10 mins walk from where we live at the moment.
If we were all to set up home together it would make sense to be in his property as mine is too small, however I wouldn't sell my current property at the moment and would probably rent it to pay the mortgage.
My partner also has another property close to mine which he has a buy to let mortgage on and is currently renting.

Anyway getting to the point (sorry I do ramble on) if we were to move in with my partner I would continue to work at my current location so would make sense for the kids to be at the same school as this is close by where I am during the day incase I am needed but obviously our address where we were living would be very much out of catchment - does anyone know how the school would feel about this?
Also is there anyone that works some distance away from where their children are at school? - how do you manage/find it?

Any opinions welcome?

Yes. It is the address you are living at at the time of school APPLICATION SUBMISSION (not when they start school some time later - almost a year in some counties) that counts. Thus you are free to move.

Savvy_Sue

Also you need to be looking ahead - ghastly when your little ones are so small, BUT ...

you have school places now, near where YOU live and work - Location A. You are planning to move 45 minutes drive away - Location B. When the time comes to apply for secondary school places, you cannot predict the likelihood of getting them into any school in Location A, but it may be vanishingly small.

That means you will have to look at schools near Location B. If your children continue to attend school in Location A, will they know ANYONE in their new secondary school?

Some children rise to the challenge of starting in a new school with no friends, other's don't. It may be too soon to predict whether your children will or won't, but it is still something to think about.

Of course if you leave your children at school in Location A for now, you don't have to keep them there forever. That is something else to remember, and investigate!

ailuro2

Not going to be popular, but here's my view on kids coming from outwith their catchment area. We live in Scotland where the system is a bit different, but I feel the principles are the same.

We live almost next door to our school, it was one of our main considerations when we moved.
However, many of my daughter's class don't live in the catchment area, they live in other areas and get driven in to school.They then block our drive, double park on the brow of a hill, the list goes on, just so their little cherubs don't have to walk an extra ten yards.:p

As a result of her classmates being so far-flung, my DD has no one from school to play with, they are all too far away! She can't pop out and play for half an hour before tea, any play dates have to be arranged in advance and the kids driven between houses.:rolleyes:


The kids have environmental / Eco clubs in class, yet they are driven every day from the other side of the city then back home again- what a waste of time and fuel!!

Also, some of the kids have never lived in this area, so it must be Granny's gas bill that was used as proof of residency - not very honest, and not a great example to set, is it?

Sorry, but this really subject makes me annoyed, I believe we should all have to show photo ID proof of residency or local employment/further education , or give a really good, genuine reason why we should stay at the school on a yearly basis.

In the OP's case, I believe she would have a valid argument based on the employment location. I see that as a 'good reason' to be coming into the catchment area.

Anyone agree?

galvanizersbaby

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

You asked about living some distance from school: we never did this at primary, but some of my sons' friends DID live some distance away and it could get problematic having friends to play. Especially in school holidays.

Plus you will never have the joys of walking to school, you WILL have the hell which is the school run on a wet Monday morning ...

You will need a rock solid reliable car.

90 minutes driving every school day is not something I would want to do, personally, you need to think whether you do, and whether your children will cope with it, especially when first starting school.

On the other hand, presumably your current job fits within school hours and other childcare arrangements, and such jobs are not to be lightly given up! But if you're making your future elsewhere, I'd look for schools and jobs elsewhere too.

Thanks everyone for all your comments, I really appreciate it - I agree about the driving, I only passed my driving test last month (i'm 35) so I have been used to walking everywhere up until now.
I brought a car a couple of weeks back but have not made the school run yet as we like to walk (old habits die hard!) but I have to say the thing I am most looking forward to is being able to get my kids to school and nursery dry when it is raining!
Driving such a long way will be very tiring and I need to get a lot more practice in first!:eek:
We plan to eventually settle back in Worthing (where we are at the moment) but it is not an easy commute for my OH from here as he works for a bank as a trader (funny hours and the trains just don't run at the times he needs them from here) so if we all want to live together we need to be nearer to London.
Re the kids adjusting and not being able to have friends to play - they are all issues I've considered - I work full time at the moment so my son tends to go to a holiday club run by after school club in the holidays and my daughter will follow suit so they will be with their school friends there.
Also their dad lives locally and currently we share the care of them between us so some mornings and evenings in the week their dad will be taking them to school and picking them up etc...
My kids have had to adjust to so many things and they've had a lot of changes in their young lives so far what with myself and their father divorcing - makes me sad - but to be fair they both seem to take everything in their stride (perhaps they have their youth in their favour here I don't know) - worries me but that's another post!
Re secondary schools :eek: eek! - haven't thought that far ahead but chances are will be back in location A by then!
ailuro2 - I agree with you - their current school is a good one and people pay more for properties within the catchment area (I know I did!)
Like you I find that a lot of the children live out of catchment (still within the same town but not in catchment) and I wonder how they managed to get in

Leo's school are doing a walk to school scheme at the moment where they get a sticker if they walk - when he started he filled his card in record time as we walk everyday but I was shocked to find that he was the only child in his class that had a full card of stickers and nobody there that lives that far away! - bit sad but a sign of the times I guess!

bestpud

ailuro2 wrote: »

Not going to be popular, but here's my view on kids coming from outwith their catchment area. We live in Scotland where the system is a bit different, but I feel the principles are the same.

We live almost next door to our school, it was one of our main considerations when we moved.
However, many of my daughter's class don't live in the catchment area, they live in other areas and get driven in to school.They then block our drive, double park on the brow of a hill, the list goes on, just so their little cherubs don't have to walk an extra ten yards.:p

As a result of her classmates being so far-flung, my DD has no one from school to play with, they are all too far away! She can't pop out and play for half an hour before tea, any play dates have to be arranged in advance and the kids driven between houses.:rolleyes:


The kids have environmental / Eco clubs in class, yet they are driven every day from the other side of the city then back home again- what a waste of time and fuel!!

Also, some of the kids have never lived in this area, so it must be Granny's gas bill that was used as proof of residency - not very honest, and not a great example to set, is it?

Sorry, but this really subject makes me annoyed, I believe we should all have to show photo ID proof of residency or local employment/further education , or give a really good, genuine reason why we should stay at the school on a yearly basis.

In the OP's case, I believe she would have a valid argument based on the employment location. I see that as a 'good reason' to be coming into the catchment area.

Anyone agree?

I see your point ailuro, but tbh, those kind of statements are easy made when your catchment school is a reasonable one. Not so easy made if your local school is a dive! And it is not always as easy as saying people should move house either, as in rural areas especially, moving from one catchment to another can be a rather big step in the property market.

What you then get is people coming in from the big cities and pushing up the price of village homes, thus forcing locals into the town. And many local families are now forced to live outside the catchment but have strong local connections, grew up in that village and went to school there, as did generations before them. Many still have older family members in the village too and I guess it is tempting to use their address.

It goes on where you live, and rightly so, I guess (not sure how else they can do it), but is it that bad for a family to want their child to go to a very good school, in a village where their family have lived for generations? And when the alternative is an awful school?

I don't advocate using grannies address, or whatever, but if they can get a place through the proper channels, can you blame them?


Sorry, I went OT there!

OP - I agree, it is unlikely to make a difference once your youngest has started at the school. I know there may be problems later but, as the move may be a bit of an upheaval anyway, perhaps it is better to leave them there for now as you can always move them later? For your eldest, especialy, perhaps it will be easier for them to stay with what they know for the time being?

Savvy_Sue

This idea that if you have a car you can get them to school dry when it's raining doesn't always hold water, btw! You have to get them INTO the car, and then when you arrive you may NOT be able to park very close unless you are willing to obstruct other people or park dangerously, putting other children at risk.

Plus it may take LONGER to drive than to walk. That's always been argument when the boys were at primary: "in the time it takes to get you and your bags all in and belted up we could be half way there. We won't be able to park any nearer than X, and by the time you are unbelted and out with all your bags, it will be later than if we'd walked. Now, shoes and coats on and out!"

If you live with walking distance, then walking may not be much wetter than driving, IMO! :rotfl:

Doozergirl

ailuro2 wrote: »

Not going to be popular, but here's my view on kids coming from outwith their catchment area. We live in Scotland where the system is a bit different, but I feel the principles are the same.

Anyone agree?

No. Firstly, schools have selection criteria if they are over-subscribed. If they aren't, then the places go to all the children that applied. It doesn't matter where they live, they don't need to lie.

My son goes to a village school. We moved away not long after he started but have ket him there for another two years. It is the out of catchment area children that keep enough funding in the school to keep it going for the village children. As you have children that have never lived within catchment then it's likely that the school can't be filled from the catchment and you benefit from them attending your school as you have a good school on your doorstep.

OP, we are moving my son to a new school which we aren't catchment for which wasn't fully subscribed when my son was at the age when we were applying, hence there is a place in the class for him. The head mentioned to us that their selection criteria is based on siblings first. We have a little girl due to start in September 2009 and basically, she will be guaranteed a place in a school that is now oversubscribed. If your son's school operates on a siblings first basis (most do) then your daughter would be guaranteeed a place regardless of where you lived. So it's your little one that makes the difference as you've already been informed here that it doesn't matter if you move out of catchment after they start.

galvanizersbaby

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

This idea that if you have a car you can get them to school dry when it's raining doesn't always hold water, btw! You have to get them INTO the car, and then when you arrive you may NOT be able to park very close unless you are willing to obstruct other people or park dangerously, putting other children at risk.

Plus it may take LONGER to drive than to walk. That's always been argument when the boys were at primary: "in the time it takes to get you and your bags all in and belted up we could be half way there. We won't be able to park any nearer than X, and by the time you are unbelted and out with all your bags, it will be later than if we'd walked. Now, shoes and coats on and out!"

If you live with walking distance, then walking may not be much wetter than driving, IMO! :rotfl:

Don't worry I would not be willing to obstruct other people by parking dangerously and certainly would not consider putting any child at risk just to get somewhere dry in the rain - there is a side road nearby the school
Having had to walk even a 15 minute walk in the torrential downpours we get on wet days in this country pushing my daughter in the buggy (at least she is dry) with my son soaked and having to get him changed when we get to school and then having to sit myself in wet clothes all day at work (you try trying to hold and umbrella and push a buggy at the same time! ) I was just looking forward to being able to keep a little drier - It may take longer granted but at least we will avoid the stares and the discomfort!
My preference is always to walk and would only take the car if we needed it - just nice to have the option now :cool:

galvanizersbaby

Doozergirl wrote: »

No. Firstly, schools have selection criteria if they are over-subscribed. If they aren't, then the places go to all the children that applied. It doesn't matter where they live, they don't need to lie.

OP, we are moving my son to a new school which we aren't catchment for which wasn't fully subscribed when my son was at the age when we were applying, hence there is a place in the class for him. The head mentioned to us that their selection criteria is based on siblings first. We have a little girl due to start in September 2009 and basically, she will be guaranteed a place in a school that is now oversubscribed. If your son's school operates on a siblings first basis (most do) then your daughter would be guaranteeed a place regardless of where you lived. So it's your little one that makes the difference as you've already been informed here that it doesn't matter if you move out of catchment after they start.

Thanks Doozergirl - I know my son's school doesn't guarantee a place for siblings (though it comes high up on the criteria) but this isn't really an issue as she's already got a place in Sept and I certainly won't be moving anywhere before then - for some reason I had it in my head that if I moved out of catchment my son would have to give up his place but on reflection I think I had got confused with the admissions policy for before they startt!