Wescliff catchment requirement??

[FNHM]

DaddyCool- I am asking for myself and my own moral compass!

RomfordDad-thanks. Very helpful to put things into perspective a bit more. Thank you!

[KB]

From a moral perspective my thought is that it depends on what is your real intention - are you truly intending to stay IC if it isn't awful or heart of hearts are you really only intending to stay for a year.

Lots of families around the country make decisions on where to live according to school catchment areas so in that sense you are doing nothing unusual.
Many families will move further from a school during a child's time there - for all sorts of reasons - so that's not unusual either.

So the issue is why are you keeping the OC property? Is it a financially sensible safety net ( to avoid selling/ buying costs) in case you really hate the new area and your intention is to sell up once you've settled, is it easier to rent and then sell in order to get the move completed before the tight deadline or in reality are you just using the rental property as a temporary base?
Only you really know the answer to that if course.

Are you intending to rent out your current home? Are you going to take practical steps to adjust to the change - where you shop, where you socialise, joining local groups etc?
Such questions might help you if you aren't sure what's really your intention!

It's no one's place to be judging you so that's not my intention. Just trying to help with your question.

[ToadMum]

As things stand, you'd be likely pushing out OC candidate who was not willing/couldn't afford to do the same. If the rules allow this, seems perfectly fine to me. If they didn't want this to happen, they could easily change the rules.
And if there is any ethical question around this, then it would be not on your side but on the school's one that it gives IC candidates unfair advantage over OC candidates, in my opinion.

Right, there you go. You will probably be displacing another OOC child by making yours one of the ones that those who remained in their original OOC home, and therefore had to achieve a higher score to get in due to the shameful practice of allocating up to three-quarters or whatever of places to IC applicants, rightfully despise. But that would be okay, if your intent would be to game the system, not actually make a permanent move into the area nearer your DC's school of choice .

I may have misunderstood something there, of course .

[RomfordDad]

As things stand, you'd be likely pushing out OC candidate who was not willing/couldn't afford to do the same. If the rules allow this, seems perfectly fine to me. If they didn't want this to happen, they could easily change the rules.
And if there is any ethical question around this, then it would be not on your side but on the school's one that it gives IC candidates unfair advantage over OC candidates, in my opinion.

Right, there you go. You will probably be displacing another OOC child by making yours one of the ones that those who remained in their original OOC home, and therefore had to achieve a higher score to get in due to the shameful practice of allocating up to three-quarters or whatever of places to IC applicants, rightfully despise. But that would be okay, if your intent would be to game the system, not actually make a permanent move into the area nearer your DC's school of choice .

I may have misunderstood something there, of course .

You understood well, gaming the shameful practice is fine in my book.

[pushymother]

As things stand, you'd be likely pushing out OC candidate who was not willing/couldn't afford to do the same. If the rules allow this, seems perfectly fine to me. If they didn't want this to happen, they could easily change the rules.
And if there is any ethical question around this, then it would be not on your side but on the school's one that it gives IC candidates unfair advantage over OC candidates, in my opinion.

Right, there you go. You will probably be displacing another OOC child by making yours one of the ones that those who remained in their original OOC home, and therefore had to achieve a higher score to get in due to the shameful practice of allocating up to three-quarters or whatever of places to IC applicants, rightfully despise. But that would be okay, if your intent would be to game the system, not actually make a permanent move into the area nearer your DC's school of choice .

I may have misunderstood something there, of course .

You understood well, gaming the shameful practice is fine in my book.

It is a much fairer practice than previously. The IC places used to go to children in feeder primary schools.

The current system covers an extremely large area for IC places and enables people to move into that large area to take the pressure off their child having to score an extra 20 points higher.

It is a much larger area than pre 2012. It is thanks to the 'shameful practice' that we moved from near Romford to the lovely Estuary walks and everything else being IC has to offer.

Be thankful that all the places aren't allocated to a common catchment area like Woodford County high, and others.

If one looks at the other side of the argument, the Southend and Chelmsford Grammars are very accommodating to reserve spots on merit to give those OOC a chance.

[ToadMum]

You understood well, gaming the shameful practice is fine in my book.

It is a much fairer practice than previously. The IC places used to go to children in feeder primary schools.

The current system covers an extremely large area for IC places and enables people to move into that large area to take the pressure off their child having to score an extra 20 points higher.

It is a much larger area than pre 2012. It is thanks to the 'shameful practice' that we moved from near Romford to the lovely Estuary walks and everything else being IC has to offer.

Be thankful that all the places aren't allocated to a common catchment area like Woodford County high, and others.

If one looks at the other side of the argument, the Southend and Chelmsford Grammars are very accommodating to reserve spots on merit to give those OOC a chance.

With regard to the Redbridge grammar schools, often those just on the outside of the Common Catchment Area, whom one might forgive for feeling a tad aggrieved at being excluded from a school only a few miles away appear not to mind that at all, but rather, prefer to moan long and loud about the 'unfairness' of schools thirty-odd miles away not making all their places available to them. Common Catchment Area residents themselves have been known to express the same sentiment; I can safely say that I have never had the slightest desire to send a child of mine to ICHS or WCHS, so exclude away, as far as I am concerned, but guys, seriously - you do have to see the irony .

[FNHM]

Thanks all, a very interesting discussion and thanks for the input. In answer to the questions about real intentions, yes, our real intention would be to give living in the new area a real chance. The kids fancy living at the seaside too! Selling our own home now would be impossible though due to the astronomical penalties our mortgage lender would apply for the next two or so years! But yes,the intention would be to rent our own home out.
I think I have answered my own questions and have my fingers crossed we can make this all work for my son! Thank you!

[pushymother]

Thanks all, a very interesting discussion and thanks for the input. In answer to the questions about real intentions, yes, our real intention would be to give living in the new area a real chance. The kids fancy living at the seaside too! Selling our own home now would be impossible though due to the astronomical penalties our mortgage lender would apply for the next two or so years! But yes,the intention would be to rent our own home out.
I think I have answered my own questions and have my fingers crossed we can make this all work for my son! Thank you!

We did exactly that. We rented out our home and rented in area and then bought near the Grammar school where my child landed. We eventually sold our home to the people that had rented it from us.

[ToadMum]

Thanks all, a very interesting discussion and thanks for the input. In answer to the questions about real intentions, yes, our real intention would be to give living in the new area a real chance. The kids fancy living at the seaside too! Selling our own home now would be impossible though due to the astronomical penalties our mortgage lender would apply for the next two or so years! But yes,the intention would be to rent our own home out.
I think I have answered my own questions and have my fingers crossed we can make this all work for my son! Thank you!

Welcome to the seaside, then . Not particularly cheap to rent within walking distance of both Westcliff grammars and a station (should you need it), but peering into the windows of a few local estate agents would indicate a reasonable selection of properties available.

[KB]

FNHM-
My questions were intended to help you reach a decision . Apologies if it sounded like an inquisition! Didnt necessarily mean for you to provide public answers.
Hope you get everything sorted.