Primary school admissions - Am i being unreasonable?

[blahblah212]

I didn?t get into any of my 3 choices. My first choice was oversubscribed and I have found out I am number 2 on the waiting list.

In the beginning of October 2012 a family moved into our street further away than i am to my choice of school. They previously lived at an address which was in catchment for the school I am on the waiting list for. Talking about school admissions before the 15th of January deadline this mother said that she had used her previous address that was in catchment for her application and was not going to tell the LEA that she had changed address so that her offspring would get a place at the school. She thinks because she filled in the application in September when the online applications opened and she lived at the address in catchment then she is not doing anything wrong.

I wish she hadn?t told me this as now I know if she had not intentionally neglected to inform them of her change of address my offspring would now be number 1 on the waiting list and closer to getting in.

I have told the woman I know about this but wouldn?t tell anyone. I really feel like reporting her as she has taken someone?s place that is not rightfully hers but then she will know it is me that has reported her. Awkward?.

Am I being unreasonable? Its not going to make my situation any better so I'm going to leave but still annoys me people can do this.

[NotAnotherPackedLunch]

I'd report her.
If it comes down to trekking miles to a non preferred school for 7 years, or causing upset to an acquaintance who tried to cheat the system then it's a bit of a no-brainer.

[Fuzzymum1]

I'm with packed lunch - I would report her. You may still not get a place but you'll be closer to doing so and if she knowingly broke the rules rather than making an honest mistake then she deserves what she gets.

[NorthernLurker]

Report her.

[Snowballed]

She'll also have to provide up to date proof of the address they have her registered at (ie March council tax bill)

[gruffalocake]

Is this actually against the rules though? she is obviously only very marginally out of catchment if she lives on your road. I wouldn't report unless she was actually telling you she knew she had broken the rules and intended to do so and you know it is definitely against the council rules.
It sounds like she thinks she hasn't broken any rules and has simply juggled her house move to fit the criteria. Lots of people do that so I don't think she can be blamed for it

[Flibbertyjibbet]

Report her.

The council will not just take your word for it, they will check with council tax etc so they will be able to tell, and thats what they will give her as the reason if they withdraw the place, not 'someone grassed you up'.

[blahblah212]

She actually said in front of me to a group of people that she wasn't going to notify them of her change of address to give her more of a chance to get in, she knew what she was doing was wrong.

[Olisqueen]

I would report her. At the school my children attend a family were renting in catchment, the landlord gave them notice to move and when she informed the LEA they withdrew her place. She had to appeal and was successful.

tiggytape, what is the council tax history check ? Is it carried out after a school place is offered to make sure parents have been honest?

[AmandaPayneAteTooMuchChocolate]

God, report her. She has cheated someone out of a place. At the moment that person isn't actually your child (you're just further down the waiting list). But if she hadn't lied the person currently no. 1 on the waiting list would have a place and wouldn't be probably going through hell. I hate this kind of thing and would always report.

[AuntieStella]

The system is often crap, but it's not fixed by turning a blind eye to possible cheating. Indeed, it's made far worse.

Nature and timing of cross-checking against any other Council records will vary between LAs.

[titchy]

Agree you should report her , you'd then move to 1st on the list, but she would probably be 2nd an may well get a place anyway so bear in mind you might be in the school together for the next 7 years!

[lborolass]

Report it, let the LA decide. If her place is taken away she can't really complain and it might makes things fairer for others in the future.

[PeanutButterOnly]

All her correspondence re the school place must still be going to the old address or maybe she got a forward put on her mail. on our offer letters we had to inform them if moving before the start date I think.

[5madthings]

Report her and fingers crossed the waiting list moves quickly and you get the place you would like.

[Berilli]

Hi all,
I have seen people moving in and out in the street that I live, which is very close to an outstanding school. I also see people with kids coming from miles away to that school. So I know for sure that they move closer for the admissions and once the kid is accepted to the school they move where ever they want. My daughter was number 1 in the waiting list for in-year admission and within3 months she dropped down to 3. So I called the council, asked them an honest question asking "if changing adress to a further distance after the admission is finalized legal? or is it cheating? I live 1 minute to school and still on the waiting list where as I see all these families walking way way further away from us" Guess what she said?? she said " It is totally normal people doing this, they can of course live in another borough, we dont mind!!!"
Is this normal? I mean I pay the taxes for this school and still can not get a place :(

[prh47bridge]

It is legal to move after you have got a place. It is not legal to use a temporary address to get a place and then move away. So if these people are renting to get a place and then moving back to the family home that is wrong and the LA should be clamping down on that.

[blahblah212]

The child had not got the place before she moved, places were allocated in April. She filled in the application in september, moved in October and then the deadline was in January to get applications in. She didn't tell the LEA she had moved on purpose so she would still be in catchment she knew for 4 months before the deadline she was living in the out of catchment house and still is. Is that legal or cheating?

[prh47bridge]

Agree with tiggytape. This is a clear case of cheating. I would report her.