House moves

[roll17]

A mother told me today that they are going to move into rented accomodation before the Jan deadline so that they can be nearer to their 1 st choice school.
What checks are made by the schools/lea to find out people who are behaving dishonestly like this?
What should I do now that I know this info as I think it is dispicable.

[Alex]

The LA Admissions department will check if they think something is amiss or if someone tells them something they feel they should check out, and yes, they do go out and knock on doors!

Things which might alert them might include:

- a move from a relatively expensive area or house to a cheap rented flat e.g. above shops, especially if there is no evidence that the house has been sold. (From this year they are saying that they may not accept a move has taken place if the house has not been sold).
- child still attending school in the old area if it is a fair distance away
- only part of the family supposedly living at the new address
- no real evidence of occupation of the new address (utility bills etc.)
- no timely reply to letters sent by admission authority or school to the new address

Personally I would have few misgivings about telling the Admissions Department if I knew someone was making a fraudulent application.

[roll17]

Thank you for your response that is most helpful. Especially the part about the fact the house has to be SOLD.
They also fit other criteria you have mentioned.

I shall see what happens over the coming months.

Regards

roll17

[hermanmunster]

- (From this year they are saying that they may not accept a move has taken place if the house has not been sold).
.

Oh yeh? Took us 2 years after we moved to sell the old house - DS was going into year 9 at new school by then!

[Alex]

It is more a case of weighing up all the circumstances. Here is the relevant passage from the Transfer to Secondary School booklet:

If you move house after the closing date we will try to meet any change to your preferences as long as we have received proof of residency confirming your new address by 12 noon, 28 January 2011. It may be that we will not accept a tenancy agreement if you have not sold your house. Please be aware that an exchange of contracts is not proof of residency. We need to be sure that you and your child are living at the address and we reserve the right to check any address where the circumstances are not straight forward.

[hermanmunster]

Does sound more sensible that - I am sure they can suss out who has really moved and who is just pretending!