Does anyone know the rules around school catchment areas? Can't seem to find anything specific anywhere.
If one was to rent a house in a catchment area, how long do they have to be there to be eligible for catchment?
If one was to buy a house in a catchment area, how long would they have to "live" there to be eligible? Is land title with your name on it enough straight away?
Have seen that, gives no specifics.
It is very clear.
Your local state school (primary or secondary) is the school which is closest to your home. This is measured by the shortest, most direct route by road—to and from the main entrance of the school.
There are no requirements for how long you had to have lived in the home, just that it is the house where you live.
What is not specific enough about that?
What if I own two houses? What if I buy a house in the catchment area, but rent it out? My name is on the title, but I don't live there.
What if I rent a place in the catchment area, and sublet rooms to others, but don't reside there? The lease is in my name.
How do I prove which is the house in which I live? Lots of articles around the place talk about having bills etc at that address, but I can't find anything from a government source that says this.
What if I own two houses? What if I buy a house in the catchment area, but rent it out? My name is on the title, but I don't live there.
The house that you live in is your home.
How do I prove which is the house in which I live?
Look at the required documents section particularly the part that says "e.g. a current lease agreement, rates notice, utility bill for proof of residency"
https://www.qld.gov.au/education/schools/find/enrolment/how-…
Honestly, it seems like you need to go to school probably just as much as your kids.
@brendanm: But, have you tried using common sense?
Also, I can have all of those things for more than one house.
Sure, but the one that you live in is your home and not just a house.
I am trying to find out to what extent they will check these things.
You want us to help you commit fraud against a state government? Right.
@[Deactivated]: No, I want actual experiences, or clarity on exactly what is allowed. It's hardly fraud if it's within the rules.
@brendanm: Look, if you can't understand a simple sentence then that is on you.
clarity on exactly what is allowed.
The school closest to the house that you live in (aka your home). What is so difficult for you to understand about that?
It's hardly fraud if it's within the rules.
The rule is that you have to live in that house. It really doesn't get any simpler than that.
The rule is that you have to live in that house.
How long do I have to be living in it for? The day I put in the application? A year? A week?
@brendanm: You just have to live in that house. That is it. Once you no longer live there, you're not supposed to do to that school any more.
Imagine if someone moved interstate from NSW, do you think they expect you to take your kids to school in NSW for like 6 months?
This is a really easy concept to grasp, I'm honestly shocked that you're struggling this much.
Once you no longer live there, you're not supposed to do to that school any more.
That's just blatantly incorrect. You can move one street over and be in a different catchment area.
You can move one street over and be in a different catchment area.
So you need to go to the other school then.
Too bad too sad.
Let us know how your fraud goes.
So you need to go to the other school then.
Hahahaha no you don't. You have literally no idea.
You have literally no idea.
Neither do you. Nor do you have any proof for your baseless claims.
At least I am able to comprehend basic English.
@[Deactivated]: No once you are in a school and you move out if the catchment and your happy to keep the child at that school then the school would never kick that child out once enrolled…
@brendanm: Just get your license changed to that address till they accept your placement at the school or i would say the title to the house is more proof then a drivers license…my friend had to show bills as well as they wanted more proof then driver license as u can change your address easy without having to live there u just need to ask a friend to use their sddress
pretty sure just need proof you live there, and once your kids is enrolled all done.
heaps of people i know do a bogus rental in a good area, never move in, then break the lease.
In nsw some require a 100 point check.
https://education.nsw.gov.au/content/dam/main-education/publ…
Yeah, this…had to provide nbn & gas bill in my name
Thanks guys, this is good info, will try to find similar for Qld.
Edit - school emps not currently available, as they are under revision apparently.
Not sure about pre Covid19, but daughter's school asked for documents adding to to a 100 point check via email and also asked for original documents to be brought in on the first day for the office to sight. I emailed and said how do I do this as most of my utilities/documents are paperless now, they never responded.
We didn't bring any documents or get asked for them.
Logistically I can't see how the school office could have sighted all these documents from all these new student parents anyway, especially given we are hardly allowed onto the school grounds these days???
So perhaps they only apply it on a case by case basis…
We have been told if we move out of the catchment, my daughter can still stay if we want, but her younger brother no longer qualifies which sucks, but I suppose I can see both sides…
My friend had the same problem with a younger child as they are a few streets away from the schools catchment now but she just put in the paperwork for her girl to start this year and the school accepted her but dhe did speak to the principal first n explain the situation..so if they have spots they do take out of areas
So perhaps they only apply it on a case by case basis…
Probably depends on the school. I would assume more popular schools would be more thorough in checking that you are entitled to go to that school. Less popular schools would likely not care so much.
All ive ever needed was to show my drivers license to the school when signing up …theres no time frame
Are the questions you are asking OP your actual situaion or just trying to come up with the most convoluted scenario just to prove a point, have you approached the school?
An actual situation. There is an excellent public school semi nearby, in a suburb I would not live in. It gets better results than most private schools around.
It's either get her in to this one, or pay for private. Both will be expensive exercises, however the public one would have lower cost over the long term, and is meant to be an excellent school.
Most of the answers are correct.
Eligibility is based on your address, and the designated areas are listed on the relevant website for each school. It's worth checking carefully, as it can literally be only one side of the street (which was our case).
You must have evidence that it is your primary residence. The period of time varies depending on the state.
Once the child has started at the school, even if you move later in the year, they are still entitled to continue their schooling there, in SA at least.
If a child has a particular interest or expertise, such as music, maths, drama, there are opportunities to apply for a specialist school, even if it is outside your current catchment area. To my knowledge this is only for secondary schools.
The alternative is to pay extortionate sums for private schools which will take children from almost anywhere.
It's unlikely the individual school will have anything different to the standard enrollment policy, the EMP just defines number of students and area. - https://education.qld.gov.au/parents-and-carers/enrolment/ma… - have a read of the lower bit of that.
If it's a good school you're not the first to go rent a house just to get into it. Principals usually have a lot of leeway on who they let in, don't expect to start renting and immediately get your kid in without any questions, especially if it's mid year. You need at least a document of ownership of a house and a bill to prove it. If they feels it's dodgy, they'll keep asking for more info.
If they can show it's not your principal place of residence, then you're SOL. So how far are you willing to go on this? That you're willing to waste tens of thousands to buy and sell a house suggests pretty far, so you may need to look at changing where you're registered to vote, update your drivers license, sign a stat dec, etc. And doing all that falsely, when you don't live in the house, opens you to a lot of legal exposure.
Basically you worded your question wrong, it should have been "what's the minimum I need to do to get my kid into the school I want without breaking the law", the "rules" are designed to stop exactly what you're doing and the school has leeway on that.
That minimum is making the new house your actual place of residence for when you register your kid. Principal place of residence is about as clear as it gets, it needs to be your home, where you live, where you wake up in the morning. Not "I put in a fridge so there's an electricity bill". Plus you get to go through it all again if you want to send another kid to the same school.
https://www.qld.gov.au/education/schools/find/enrolment/catc…