Applying for a school when you are outside the catchment area

tigger123

Hi All,

Looking for any help at all.

We are going to be moving into a particular area, and have our eldest starting primary school in September 2022.

I know if we apply to schools in that area, we will be down the list in terms of priority (which is fair enough), because we don't currently live there; but does anyone have experience in this?

I have a friend currently living in the area, so was thinking maybe I might use their address? We're definitely moving there early next year, but the application will have to already be in at that stage.

Any advice at all is welcomed!

cornflake1

Do you have an address where you will be living, or are you planning to buy in the area? I know in our catchment area you must provide proof of address when accepting a place. Also, make sure you will be in the actual catchment area. We are right across the road from the primary school we wanted for our daughter, but not in the catchment area (linked to parish) so didn't get a place.

I would suggest being honest and call them to ask. If it is an oversubscribed school then they will be thorough when confirming addresses

tigger123

cornflake1 wrote: »

Do you have an address where you will be living, or are you planning to buy in the area? I know in our catchment area you must provide proof of address when accepting a place. Also, make sure you will be in the actual catchment area. We are right across the road from the primary school we wanted for our daughter, but not in the catchment area (linked to parish) so didn't get a place.

I would suggest being honest and call them to ask. If it is an oversubscribed school then they will be thorough when confirming addresses

We don't have an address yet, but are planning to buy in the area. So bit of a catch 22 really.

Thanks for the advice though, and for pointing out the issue of acuallyt being in the catchment area (as opposed to being in just the general area).

How do you go about researching whether a primary school is any use or not?

starbaby2003

Agree with the previous poster. If this school is hard to get into they will verify your address with a utility bill. I know they are really strict in some schools as parents who could not afford to buy in an area where they grew up used their parents address to get a place to the determinant of the actual local kids.

Flinty997

You need to check the admissions policy. School all have different policies.

Some educate togethers have a first on the list rule for example. Others have quotas for non RC faiths etc. to encourage diversity. Some are first come first served and some have by age of child rule only.

Basically you are looking to skip the queue. People have all sorts of tricks, rent a place in the area before you move there. Pretend to be separated and moving in with family already in the area. Things like that. But even if you were in the area, you'd have a long list of people ahead of you with their plans in place.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_Ou3lAGl-M&ab_channel=FoilArmsandHog

Moody_mona

I used this website to help verify the catchment area of my property, caveat though that you should double check with the school itself. https://www.ianhuston.net/2017/04/mapping-dublin-parish-boundaries/
Perhaps there are equivalent websites for other areas of you Google.

bored_newbie

Probably a stupid question but we are considering moving house to the other side of town, which is across the county border into another county.

There is no requirement for us to move the kids out of their current school, right? We’d still only have to drive 10-15 mins to school which we are fine with.

Jim_Hodge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119784552#Comment_119784552

Usually, indeed invariably, there would be no need to change schools in that situation. I know plenty who have been in the same situation.

byhookorbycrook

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119784552#Comment_119784552

No need at all. And it will be lovely for the children to have that chance.