Advice please tricky question....
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Advice please tricky question....
Hi
Another question so soon after joining! My mother is looking to move into Watford, she is thinking to buy longterm but will only rent probaly for the next year or so. Now this has me thinking....I know many of you may not approve but anyway here goes. I am putting my case to my mum to rent as close to Watford Grammar as possible (if I had my way in the playground
). Being a wonderful mother she sees my point after explaning the whole schooling system of 2008 beyond and is prepared to do so if she can find a property she is happy with. My son is only going to start in year 5 in Sept and I am going to have him tutored (after much thought and reading of this forum) slowly to build confidence rather than last minute panics. Now alot of you might see whats coming...I live Bushey border, Stanmore Common under L.B of Harrow. My son already attends a Herts primary school and my postcode is covered by Grammar and other various schools within Herts. I want to know is it feasible that I use my mum to my advantage by putting my son down as living with her and her and thus my mum his nan becomes his carer and so using this move to our advantage. I know some of you are frowning I can feel it but at least I am honest. My mum does want to move in to Watford and I feel there is nothing wrong as far as she is happy as using this move to our family's and particulary my sons advantage. Would I have to be registered as living there anyway? I dont think I could go that far.....I know some do. But it is feasible that my son could acutally stay with her if she lived so near to the school say Mon-Fri (shes widowed living on her own, retired and devoted gran!) What say you all...... Please any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Another question so soon after joining! My mother is looking to move into Watford, she is thinking to buy longterm but will only rent probaly for the next year or so. Now this has me thinking....I know many of you may not approve but anyway here goes. I am putting my case to my mum to rent as close to Watford Grammar as possible (if I had my way in the playground
). Being a wonderful mother she sees my point after explaning the whole schooling system of 2008 beyond and is prepared to do so if she can find a property she is happy with. My son is only going to start in year 5 in Sept and I am going to have him tutored (after much thought and reading of this forum) slowly to build confidence rather than last minute panics. Now alot of you might see whats coming...I live Bushey border, Stanmore Common under L.B of Harrow. My son already attends a Herts primary school and my postcode is covered by Grammar and other various schools within Herts. I want to know is it feasible that I use my mum to my advantage by putting my son down as living with her and her and thus my mum his nan becomes his carer and so using this move to our advantage. I know some of you are frowning I can feel it but at least I am honest. My mum does want to move in to Watford and I feel there is nothing wrong as far as she is happy as using this move to our family's and particulary my sons advantage. Would I have to be registered as living there anyway? I dont think I could go that far.....I know some do. But it is feasible that my son could acutally stay with her if she lived so near to the school say Mon-Fri (shes widowed living on her own, retired and devoted gran!) What say you all...... Please any advice would be greatly appreciated.Herts Moving on Booklet says on page 16:
"Enter your child’s details ensuring that both the
address and postcode are correct so that we can
assess your application accurately. It is essential
that this information is correct. We regularly
check addresses and if they are not correct, we
may have to withdraw our offer of a school place.
The address you give us should be your child’s
current permanent address at the time of application.
‘At the time of application’ means the closing date
for applications (24 October 2007).
We can only process your application from one
address. The address you give us should be the
address your child lives at Monday to Friday.
• If your child lives at a different address from
you Monday to Friday, please provide the
Parental Responsibility Order or Residence
Order for the person your child lives with.
• If there are reasons why your child is not living
at your address (for example if you and the
other parent/carer do not live together), you
and the other parent or carer must declare this
individually in a letter.
• If your child regularly lives at more than one
address Monday to Friday, the address you give
should be the address where your child spends
the majority of their time. You and the other
parent or carer must declare this individually in
a letter.
We may ask for further verification of this at
a later stage."
"Enter your child’s details ensuring that both the
address and postcode are correct so that we can
assess your application accurately. It is essential
that this information is correct. We regularly
check addresses and if they are not correct, we
may have to withdraw our offer of a school place.
The address you give us should be your child’s
current permanent address at the time of application.
‘At the time of application’ means the closing date
for applications (24 October 2007).
We can only process your application from one
address. The address you give us should be the
address your child lives at Monday to Friday.
• If your child lives at a different address from
you Monday to Friday, please provide the
Parental Responsibility Order or Residence
Order for the person your child lives with.
• If there are reasons why your child is not living
at your address (for example if you and the
other parent/carer do not live together), you
and the other parent or carer must declare this
individually in a letter.
• If your child regularly lives at more than one
address Monday to Friday, the address you give
should be the address where your child spends
the majority of their time. You and the other
parent or carer must declare this individually in
a letter.
We may ask for further verification of this at
a later stage."
Re: Advice please tricky question....
Honest is certainly not the word I would use to describe someone who thinks it's acceptable to lie to gain a school place at the expense of another.CEAF wrote:at least I am honest.
T.
CEAF
I suspect that the vast majority of people who contribute to this forum whilst desperate to get their children into their preferred school will do so in a way which complies with the admission rules of individual schools.
Although never explicitly expressed on this forum we are competing with each other for a limited number of spaces. Nevertheless as you will see most parents genuinely wish the best for other parents children.
However, what you have suggested will antagonise the majority who are seeking to work within the admission rules. Hence, good luck in seeking advice but I have posted the rules above. Don't expect support from others on how to get the rules.
I suspect that the vast majority of people who contribute to this forum whilst desperate to get their children into their preferred school will do so in a way which complies with the admission rules of individual schools.
Although never explicitly expressed on this forum we are competing with each other for a limited number of spaces. Nevertheless as you will see most parents genuinely wish the best for other parents children.
However, what you have suggested will antagonise the majority who are seeking to work within the admission rules. Hence, good luck in seeking advice but I have posted the rules above. Don't expect support from others on how to get the rules.
Dear ceaf,
with so many children competing for so few places, would you consider trying for schools with no catchment area such as berkshire & even some bucks schools (I think )
I dont know about you but i'm finding the whole thing very stressful and am only just keeping my own stress from my daughter. I think as we get closer to d-day the stress of maybe being disqualified for giving wrong info on top of just the whole school admissions thing may not be a good thing.
Also from the amount of children at this years open evening and from what I have read on this fantastic forum, I would say (without a sibling)you may need to be in the playground to get a community place!
with so many children competing for so few places, would you consider trying for schools with no catchment area such as berkshire & even some bucks schools (I think )
I dont know about you but i'm finding the whole thing very stressful and am only just keeping my own stress from my daughter. I think as we get closer to d-day the stress of maybe being disqualified for giving wrong info on top of just the whole school admissions thing may not be a good thing.
Also from the amount of children at this years open evening and from what I have read on this fantastic forum, I would say (without a sibling)you may need to be in the playground to get a community place!
-
Bexley Mum 2
- Posts: 851
- Joined: Sat Nov 17, 2007 9:55 pm
- Location: Bexley
CEAF - I appreciate that the admissions process sometimes makes us get things out of perspective, but you need to reread your post and have a good hard think about what you are suggesting. First there's the fact that, as others have pointed out, you would be lying to get a place for your son at the expense of another child with a legitimate claim on that place. Secondly, can you really live with the worry of being found out and the consequences that would have for your son (ie having his school place taken away)?
Thirdly, and most importantly, what sort of example would you be setting your son? You are asking him to lie too or at least be complicit in a lie. What happens when he sees his "address" written down on a medical form or something for a school trip? Does he admit that he doesn't actually live at that address, or does he go along with the lie (and possibly be eaten up with worry). Presumably you would have to involve him in the deception to avoid him innocently blurting out the truth. What if he was chatting to a teacher one day and mentioned where he lived and the teacher thought, "hmm, that's rather a distance, let me just investigate that one...." The possibilities for causing your son embarrassment and distress are endless.
I'm quite sure this was just a momentary aberration on your part brought on by the stress of the admissions process and hopefully you've now realised the implications of what you are suggesting.
Personally, though I like to think I'm an honest person, it would be the fear of being found out that would stop me
Thirdly, and most importantly, what sort of example would you be setting your son? You are asking him to lie too or at least be complicit in a lie. What happens when he sees his "address" written down on a medical form or something for a school trip? Does he admit that he doesn't actually live at that address, or does he go along with the lie (and possibly be eaten up with worry). Presumably you would have to involve him in the deception to avoid him innocently blurting out the truth. What if he was chatting to a teacher one day and mentioned where he lived and the teacher thought, "hmm, that's rather a distance, let me just investigate that one...." The possibilities for causing your son embarrassment and distress are endless.
I'm quite sure this was just a momentary aberration on your part brought on by the stress of the admissions process and hopefully you've now realised the implications of what you are suggesting.
Personally, though I like to think I'm an honest person, it would be the fear of being found out that would stop me
My advice - I can see why you have considered it, but do not do it.
It is fundementally wrong.
Behave as you would expect others to behave so that your child had a fair chance for gaining a place at a school. If you gain a place dishonestly, you are stealing from another child.
I genuinely understand your frustration! This is how I felt when I joined last August. Please think of another solution.
It is fundementally wrong.
Behave as you would expect others to behave so that your child had a fair chance for gaining a place at a school. If you gain a place dishonestly, you are stealing from another child.
I genuinely understand your frustration! This is how I felt when I joined last August. Please think of another solution.
lying!
Can I just say that everyone saying I would be lying are totally incorrect and should probably have read my post. How would it be lying for my son to live with his maternal grandmother mon-fri. The only thing I was pointing out is whether this is viable or do they expect children to live with their parents or the carer 7 days a week. There are many children who are sent away to boarding school and yet I would be 5 mins away from my son. All of this is with his grandmothers approval and support as she only wants the best for her grandchildren. Therefore I wont be lying as I said I wouldnt go as far as to put my name down and pretend as a family we were living there. So as for setting an example there are alot worse parents attending a church every week to get in to a church school and changing their faith and I am not lying simply using the opportunity of a genuine family move into our familys favour and also then working within guidlines. As I said in the post my son could live Mon-Fri at the address with his grandmother I did not say he wouldnt be there!!!! Thank you
Impression
I think I can see from the first paragraph where I put I could put him down as living there but I genuiley meant it as you see later in the post, I said it si feasible for him to stay there Mon-Friday. There are many parents who do things and do actually lie there way into schools and I think i am suggesting is to be creative work within the guidelines and work within my circle of family support. It is quite upsetting for other parents to judge me when they do not know me. I can see I will be more careful when I make a post and it is with honesty in my mind that I put the question out there to the people who made such heavy criticism - !!!!!
