4. Relocation and permanent addresses
Relocation and permanent addresses
Parents must inform the Local Authority immediately of a change of address.
Intention to move
An intention to change address cannot be considered until such a move has actually taken place and proof is available that the new address is the permanent residence.
Proof of a change of address must be sent to Oldham Council
Proof of change of address will be accepted up until the latest reasonable date prior to the final allocation of school places.
Moving before 7 February 2025
You need to provide proof of your new address.
Moving after 7 February 2025
You need to provide proof of your new address.
Your address details will be updated after the allocation of school places on national offer day – 16 April 2025
This means that your old address will be used to determine the school allocated to your child.
Permanent address
A child’s home address is defined within Oldham Council’s admission arrangements as being the child’s normal place of residence, and excludes any business, relative’s or child-minder’s address. Where there is a formal residence order or child arrangements order which states that legal custody is equally shared between parents/carers, then it is up to them to agree which address to use for the purpose of making a school place application.
If legal custody is not equally shared, the address of the parent with the majority of custody will be used. If there is no formal agreement in place the address at which any Child Benefit is claimed will be used.
This protocol relates to the detection of addresses of convenience for any application processed by Oldham Council.
An address of convenience is considered to be an address used for the purposes of gaining a school place which is not a child’s normal, permanent residence.
The normal permanent address is considered to be where the child resides for the majority of the school week and where the child’s primary guardian normally permanently resides.
Oldham Council will investigate if the main carer of the child still possesses a property that has previously been used as a home address, Oldham Council will also investigate if we suspect an address has been used solely or mainly to obtain a school place when an alternative address is still owned and available to them. In cases such as this, renting out the owned property would not deem it unavailable to the family.
There are no set criteria which define and confirm an address of convenience. It is for the admission authority to determine if, on the balance of probability, the address given on an application is the child’s normal, permanent address. Some examples of when an address of convenience may be considered are as follows:
- An applicant applies from an address where the child does not permanently reside, for example a relative’s address.
- A family rents a property, or live with relatives temporarily, and use this address in order to gain a school place, whilst retaining ownership of an alternative property. In cases such as this, the property which is still owned by the family would normally be considered as the appropriate address to assess admission from, even if this property is not currently being occupied by the family.
- Where residence is split between two parents living at alternative addresses, an application is made from the address where the child does not spend the majority of the school week. A court order should be present which specifies the living arrangements. If residency is truly split equally, then parents must decide which address to apply from and only apply from one address.
Oldham Council has a duty to investigate any possible fraudulent application or undertake any spot checks it feels necessary. Whilst investigations are on-going, the current status of your application and any relevant school place offered will be unaffected. Oldham Council may withdraw the offer of a place if it is discovered that false information has been supplied. Giving false information could lead to prosecution.