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Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

Primary education

How information do I need to report this?

137 replies

Ruby2202 · 23/04/2017 16:57

Found out from a friend that one of her friends has used a fake address to get into a very good school in our city which is local to us.

Apparently friend of my friend lives in a deprived area of our city and asked a mutual friend who lives in catchment for the good school in a totally different area of the city if she could move in with her temporarily with her dc so she can put her address down for the admissions to get into this school. She was intending on moving in with her temporarily and then renting locally to the school.

However, when it came to it said friend hasn't let her move in and she still lives the other side of the city to this school but has got a place. Apparently she is looking to rent near the school by September as the commute would be big if she stayed where she is and she's always wanted to live in the area where the school is. As do many people as it's a lovely area and the school is one of the top schools for results in the country.

This is all the info I know. I am wondering if I should report this person? However, I don't even know her name or dcs name. I can't believe these things aren't checked and she'd get away with it! Guess they wouldn't be able to do much without the info?

I am unsure if I should report or not anyway. She's a single mum and i know is just trying to do the best she can for her dc like everyone is. But she wants to move to and send her dc to one of the best schools in the best areas in our city! Doesn't everyone? She obviously can't afford it and there are other good/outstanding schools in the city in less expensive areas. Her expectations are very high.

I know the system is very unfair as only the more wealthy can often afford to move to these areas to get their dc into this school but at the same time she is denying a place to someone else who might have really saved and worked hard to live in that area too and has gone through the system honestly. It's a very oversubscribed school.

OP posts:

Report

Trifleorbust · 23/04/2017 17:08

I would wind it in, to be honest.

Ruby2202 · 23/04/2017 17:12

But it's not fair on another family who didn't get that place is it? I would be devastated and angry if my dc had lost out on a place because someone had cheated the system. Why is this ok?

She may end up renting in the area anyway I guess but then again she might not.

She has picked one of the best schools in one of the best areas for her dc because she's always wanted to live there. Doesn't everyone though?

OP posts:

MovingOnUpMovingOnOut · 23/04/2017 17:12

If you know the address that has been used fraudulently you could pass that information to the admission team at the local council. Every fraudulent place takes away a place from a child who was entitled to it.

How certain are you that this has happened? If you know then report it. If it's gossip keep your mouth shut.

MovingOnUpMovingOnOut · 23/04/2017 17:13

If she was going to rent there why didn't she just rent there?

Not that it matters. Rules are clear.

Trifleorbust · 23/04/2017 17:14

Ruby2202:

I didn't say it was okay. But if I started reporting stuff every time anyone did anything wrong I would never stop. Live and let live, I say.

Ruby2202 · 23/04/2017 17:14

The only info I know is the above. I don't know names or addresses.

Well I heard it from a friend so obviously don't know it's certain first hand but this friend has no reason to lie and has been informed first hand by the lady herself. Pretty stupid telling people you are doing this anyway!

OP posts:

AgentProvocateur · 23/04/2017 17:15

How would you report it? "A friend of a friend, whose name I don't know, is a SINGLE MUM from a DEPRIVED AREA, and she's lying to get her child (whose name I don't know either) into one of the BEST SCHOOLS in one of the BEST AREAS"? Have a word with yourself and find something else to do with your time instead of worrying about what goes on in the lives of people you don't even know. The whole tone of your post is very unpleasant and it seems your motivation for reporting is to make sure poor people don't get into the school.

MovingOnUpMovingOnOut · 23/04/2017 17:15

Nothing to report then is there?

user789653241 · 23/04/2017 17:15

Does it affect your child? If not, I would just leave it. All the info isn't clear enough.

Astro55 · 23/04/2017 17:17

So someone you don't know has possibly lost a place to someone you don't know?

Stay out of it - school will deal with it if it crops up later

meditrina · 23/04/2017 17:21

You don't have enough info to report it.

And this might be urban myth anyhow.

If you knew the person (eg their name) then reporting would be the right thing to do. Because there is child - just as 'deserving' - who was entitled to that place and has been unfairly deprived by a cheats actions.

FerrisMewler · 23/04/2017 17:21

She will probably have to show letters or documents with proof of her address. Usually something like a council tax bill, a tenancy agreement, or a mortgage agreement.

Many primary schools also do home visits before the child starts school. It's unlikely that someone would get away with it.

Ruby2202 · 23/04/2017 17:24

Moving on up- think she was replying on her friend to let her move in with her but then her friend let her down.

OP posts:

TakeASipOfDancingJuice · 23/04/2017 17:33

I had to show council tax bill as proof of address. They don't just take your word for it that you live where you say you do. I'm sure they'll find out if this woman is lying about where she's living so I'd leave it without concrete evidence.

Ruby2202 · 23/04/2017 17:34

Oh agent don't be stupid. That is not my reason for reporting and I am not an unpleasant person at all.

It just doesn't sit right with me. I know the system is unfair and I certainly don't agree with the fact that the most wealthy can afford to move near the best schools in most cases but there are other good/outstanding schools in less affluent areas that she could probably move to without cheating the system. She has picked the best of the best. Surely she didn't need to do this?

OP posts:

Trifleorbust · 23/04/2017 17:37

I am so confused, OP. If she had lied to get her DC into a less good school, are you saying you wouldn't have a problem with it?

You honestly do sound like you are begrudging her the place because it is a school in an affluent area and she isn't affluent enough for your taste.

So she may have lied. It is none of your business and you are listening to gossip.

Ruby2202 · 23/04/2017 17:38

I didn't need to provide any proof of address for dc when he were applying. I was amazed how easy it could be to get away with.

I could find out her name easily. I know which area she actually lives in.

I am not sure about all the people staying out of it as it doesn't affect me or someone I know. That's not the point, it affects someone. Maybe that person who missed out is also a single mum/dad? If the roles were reversed I would be extremely grateful for that person who reported.

OP posts:

Saucery · 23/04/2017 17:39

It has absolutely nothing to do with you. Not one tiny little thing. Why would you try and cause trouble for someone on the basis of foaf gossip.

Ruby2202 · 23/04/2017 17:39

No, whichever school it was wherever I would think about reporting it.

OP posts:

Trifleorbust · 23/04/2017 17:41

Ruby2202:

It is her child who is benefiting. The child is guilty of nothing even if the mum lied. Yes, she shouldn't have done it, but even if the other child who loses out is then allocated the place, the child who currently has it loses it.

Just butt out. You don't have to right every perceived wrong.

Saucery · 23/04/2017 17:41

I know someone who stretched the truth about living/moving to an area with an excellent school. They told me directly. It didn't occur to me to even consider flumphing off in high dudgeon with that info to try and get them to lose their child's place.

Ruby2202 · 23/04/2017 17:44

Saucey- I would be helping someone else. We don't know the circumstances of that person,

OP posts:

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Ruby2202 · 23/04/2017 17:46

Whatever the reasons it's cheating and it's wrong. End of

OP posts:

Trifleorbust · 23/04/2017 17:46

Ruby2202:

You would be intervening to take a school place away from a child. Separating them from their friends. Disrupting their education. All because you are embittered because the mum isn't rich enough to live in the area. Is this really how you spend your time?

Saucery · 23/04/2017 17:47

But you do know the circumstances of the child who has got the place. Could be fantastic for them, just the secondary education they need. You'd be depriving them of that and I'm not entirely sure your motives are as charitable as you make out.

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