To be annoyed a friend lied about their address on a school application to get into an oversubscribed school

I was in the position where I could have done this.

where we live our catchment school is 20 mins away. But 20 mins in the other direction is a much better school and it’s right next to where me and DP work, as well as my parents living right round the corner. It’s the village where our children go to nursery so my parents can help with pick ups etc.

my parents offered to say we lived with them (and we actually had about a year before the application process while we were renovating our home) but we declined.

I couldn’t bear the thought of doing it dishonestly let alone being found out. As well as the fact that they could withdraw the place/sibling priority.

we were really lucky that our DC got in and next year we will be applying for younger DC. And it’s soooo much nicer knowing that DC2 is a higher priority for having a sibling at the school.

I can honestly say I don’t think I could go into school every day with a clear conscience otherwise!

Yes same in my area, I didn't have to send proof on address they got the information from the council tax / electoral role. I think this person will get caught.

Could you please explain how it’s ’beating their antics’ rather than fraudulently leapfrogging, by lying, over a child who ought to have had a school place? Thanks.

Every year people who think it's easy to cheat the system get caught. Local Authority School Admission departments have lots of ways of catching people out, some of them haven't been mentioned on this thread.

We had loads of people do this one year, lots of children in catchment didn’t get in and it was awful.

The person who believes in minding your own business is here to tell you to act differently, OP...

LAs are onto people trying to game the system. It is not easy. Renting generally doesn't work these days. Giving a false address generally doesn't work either.

You don't need to be Einstein to game the system.

It really is very simple and for little cost.

Unless it was my kid who was the one pushed out, I'd just let them get on with it.

I'd happily dodge the system to beat their antics if I needed to.

You would certainly mind if your child was the one missing out on their place because of people lying.

Maybe concentrate on your own life and family and mind your own business.they are doing what they can to better their childrens prospects in life and I commend them for this. Life is not fair, get over it

I think there is confusion because some people are thinking store card like a nectar card or whsmith card etc for collecting points.

I think the OP may mean a store credit card which will send bills usually through visa or Mastercard, with the address The top. Eg a Next account card.

They do in some academies - they are not bound by the county agreed lists (apart from LAC and EHCPs) and often use this to attract teachers to the school.

Some schools do have random allocation. Ours does (v large and sought after school in South London). After looked after children and other legal requirements, and a small number of scholarships. Believe me it becomes something of a talking point when a school does this. There’s a lot of instinctive support for catchments, many would say there are good logical arguments for them.

For my son’s school place, I’ve had to provide proof of HIS address as well as 2 different pieces of proof of my own. I don’t know how people can get away with it!

Let me just say this , you don’t come across as a very good friend if you tell in this .

There's a mum at school who is absolutely furious that her child hasn't been given a place at the oversubscribed Secondary (CofE).

They don't live in catchment, no EHCP, no siblings at the school, but went for the "get the vicar to sign the paperwork" approach. She has attended church less than a handful of times since her child was baptised, so the vicar said no, I can't sign your form - There's no commitment to the church.

Most LAs are onto this kind of thing and won't use a rented address if the parents own a house in the area. However, if you want to report it, tell the admission team at your LA.

Rubbish. There have to be admissions criteria, and it shouldn’t be who can lie the most.

I work in a school and this is very common and many children get a place even if the local authority was informed that it’s a false address , once the place has been offered and accepted they don’t withdraw the offer 🤢

The wealthier families near us rent a house in the correct village 6 months before we apply for secondary school. Seen 3 posts in the last week asking if anyone knows of a 4 bed house to rent in such & such village. They'll then rent their house. Get into the school they want they move back to their house. It's so sneaky and unfair. I wish I knew how to report it

Report it. Utterly reckless.

It's not fair on the child, who risks the devastating trauma of being kicked out of school through no fault of their own, for their entire time at the school. "Your mum's a liar..." is not the parting memory I'd want any child to have from what should be the happiest time and place in their lives.

The LA do all sorts of cross-checks and ours at least has zero tolerance for this sort of fraudulent behaviour. The school place is removed no matter when the truth is uncovered.

Do that child a favour and call the LA.

Someone I know did this. It was reported and investigated; nothing happened and they got away with it. I assume investigation is rubbish as the person’s whole year group knows!

YANBU but they won’t get away with it, so I wouldn’t be too concerned.

Yes. I'd be annoyed. Would not do anything about it, but I would be furious. Cheating. Jumping the queue. Depriving someone who has a right to a place! Entitled. Don't think I would want them as a friend anymore, either, as they have shown they think they can bend rules to suit them.