The Education authority how do they know where you live?

[nlz2468]

when they send out school admissions how do they know where you live I mean where do they get your information from? Is is from your health records or hmrc (tax credits/child benefit) or somewhere else? basically we moved house 4 months ago and the school I wanted to send my son to is no longer in the 'catchment area' and the school nearest to us at our new address is not very good (had a lot of negative feedback from parents who's children attend/attended that school so I really want to try and get my son into the school outside of our catchment area as such and I just wondered how they know where you live as we only moved 4 months ago?

 

[lisa1980]

I don't know if it's the same for school admissions but we recently applied for our local school nursery and had to provide recent utility bills and council tax bills in our name at our registered address.

 

[Quartz]

As part of the application process you need to give your council tax reference (and some want a scanned copy of it).
You can still apply for the other school (using your correct council tax number) but they will base it on distance so you may not get in (If it a highly sort after school)

 

[Kate&Lucas]

It's probably different for every area. When I applied I just gave our name and address and wasn't asked for proof, however they did a "home visit" a month or so before he started. And they've been out since for other things, or sent letters out to the house (ie results of hearing/sight tests).
If you're going to blag it, you really need to be able to give an actual address that you can access, such as a relative's house.

 

[gingajewel]

We had to send our council tax bill with our admission form, they are really hot on this where we live as alot of people were using grandparents addresses etc to get into a better school

 

[nlz2468]

Where do they get your info from when they send out the letters to begin with? I'm a little confused as I've been told they will send letters out during when your child is soon to start school to inform me but what I mean is where do they get my address from in the beginning when they send the letters out if you get what I mean?

Basically me and my partner lived at my parents house in a quiet village but moved out after our second child and although our new house isn't in a 'rough area' the catchment area for our nearest school leads onto a rough estate and the school is not up to standards I've had friends who have had to remove there children from the school so it's a little worrying...x

 

[Quartz]

what council are you - have a look at what their procedure. Mine you have to make an application direct to them they will not contact you

Also are you renting? If you are that concerned could you move

 

[lisa1980]

We had to make an online or written application for the nursery and I'm sure it's the same for the schools in my area. I had to upload council tax bills and there was a disclaimer stating they could do 'spot checks' (I don't know exactly how) and lots of legal stuff about the consequences of putting a false address.

They've definitely become more aware of the tactics some parents were using to get into certain schools and are cracking down on them around here. I've heard of friends of friends actually renting a second home in order to get a child into a particular school. It's all quite stressful.

 

[R_x]

We didn't receive a letter we had to apply online before a certain date

 

[suzib76]

Yes we apply to the school here as well

 

[gingajewel]

We had to apply to the council as well, noone got in touch with us. On the initial application I had to put my council tax bill reference number and then send my council tax bill, if I remember correctly also an up to date utilities bill.
Sometimes they give packs out through your lo's pre school but again you will have to prove where you live when you send the pack back. It really is tough to beat the system as they have had a huge crackdown on it

 

[lindseymw]

For the School nursery, we just rang up and put their name down. They didn't ask for proof of address. We were just asked for a copy of their birth certificate on their first day.

For the School start, a letter was sent to us in the November, we had to apply online and found out in April which school they got in for the September start.

Around here, it makes no difference as to what nursery you go to when it comes to School application. There has been a few children in Jacob's nursery that hasn't got into the School as they are out of catchment and they are completely full.

 

[hayz_baby]

Our council is really hot on this as well and you can get into a bit of trouble if you purposely lie about it. We never received a letter just a leaflet through ds1 preschool which they gave to everyone who's child would leave school. We then gave our council tax reference number on the application. Some schools do a home visit as well however ours didn't. The school ds1 is going to go to is an over subscribed school and they made it very clear in the meeting that if your out of catchment its highly unlikely you will get in (this includes siblings) so I would strongly recommend you put your catchment area school as a choice or there's a chance that they will give you a school with a left over space.
Visit both of the schools ofsted reports are great but don't give you what the school is really like day to day and go in open minded. Good luck

 

[nlz2468]

I wouldn't lie about it that's for sure I just wondered how they actually know you have changed address on my application I'll put 3 schools but all of which are outside of the catchment area so I'll guess I'll just have to hope for the best x

 

[discoclare]

Where I live they didn't send out any letters, it is just up to you to apply at the right time and before the deadline. Our LEA (this is in north London) automatically cross check the address you use on the application with council tax records and contact you if they need further evidence. The school also did a home visit after the offers were sent out and accepted.

 

[Quartz]

I would be wary of just putting 3 schools outside of the catchment as if you dont get any of them you could end up at a school miles away (dont assume you would get the local school)

 

[tommyg]

when they send out school admissions how do they know where you live I mean where do they get your information from? Is is from your health records or hmrc (tax credits/child benefit) or somewhere else? basically we moved house 4 months ago and the school I wanted to send my son to is no longer in the 'catchment area' and the school nearest to us at our new address is not very good (had a lot of negative feedback from parents who's children attend/attended that school so I really want to try and get my son into the school outside of our catchment area as such and I just wondered how they know where you live as we only moved 4 months ago?

I think they get the info from the Council / Education Authorities Nursery / Pre-school records, ie if your child is either in a council nursery or receiving council funding in a private nursery that is where they will get their info.
I know of friend of a work mate who has home schooled her child who because she never registered the child for school, the EA have no record of the child and have never been in touch to check progress or anything.

I can't see it being health or tax records both of those will be strictly confidential and no reason for tax records to hold details of children given the changes to child benefit not all families will even bother to claim it.

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

I had to take a bill in my name x

 

[kanga]

They don't "send the forms out". You have to find them yourself or complete the application online.

They know where you live because you put your address on the application form! And obvs all correspondence will be sent to that address.

If you put an incorrect address down, you won't get away with it unless the person at that address agrees to be "in on it" by forwarding you your correspondence and keeping schtum about the fraud.

Also if the out of catchment school is popular and over subscribed, you can pretty much guarantee that someone will grass you up as not living in catchment and your place will be taken away. This could be very disruptive to your child if they have already started school or if you get found out shortly before the start of term.

 

[tommyg]

In Scotland the council send out a letter (I assume your details come from nursery records) telling you that you have to register your child for school and which is your catchment school. If you want different you has to put in a placing request.