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Original poster

Cheating admission system

160 replies

Anonymousposter17 · 05/09/2023 18:31

Prepared to take a battering here, but interested to know what others would think.

Two years ago I moved towns to try to be able to get a better standard of high school for my dd who is now in y 6. We don’t live in a part of the country where selection is a thing, although she’s bright and I think she’d pass 11+ given the opportunity. Private education is out of my reach financially.

I’m a Christian who has always attended ce church, even before I had dd. Dd is baptised. There is a brilliant ce state school in a small neighbouring town to where I live. I couldn’t afford to buy there. I researched this school’s admission policy and aside from the usual looked after children, medical needs and children of staff it went like this:

1 children living in the parishes v close to school (where I couldn’t afford to buy) with proof of church attendance

2 children living in a few named parishes slightly further from school with evidence of church attendance (I bought in one of these parishes)

3 children in the nearby parishes with no church attendance

4 children further away with no church attendance (I’m pretty far away given how oversubscribed this school is)

anyway I did a freedom of information request before buying my house to ask on the most recent cohort where the last admitted child came on the criteria and it was criteria 3, meaning me being criteria two would have got dd in that year. I’m aware things change year on year but it gave me the general picture.

Now it’s time to apply and the criteria for the next intake has been amended. It now goes

1 nearby children with church
2 nearby children without church
3 far away children with church
4 far away children no church

their admission booklet shows that this year only one child got in based on 3 far away with church so there’s now almost certainly no way I’d get her a place.

my partners mother owns and rents out a number of houses in the nearby names parishes. This presents an opportunity to rent from her at a very discounted rate (but not easily affordable either) to be living in the right place. If I rented one from her, I literally would move there albeit in the short term as I’d be terrified of getting caught lying but I’m not sure I’d get permission from my lender to let my house out so it may stand empty. I’ve no idea about renting houses out. I can just about take the financial hit of renting from parters mum but it would not be easy.

honestly, if you had the means to do this (and the motive- there is nowhere close to this school in standards near and no other option for a faith education for her) would you? Or am I scum of the earth for even thinking it.

I recognise the irony in someone looking for a Christian education being so devious btw

OP posts:
Original poster
Anonymousposter17 · 05/09/2023 18:55

Even if tenants were in my owned home? How would they know I was renting the home I lived in nearer to school?

OP posts:
ThickSkinnedSoWhat · 05/09/2023 18:55

Goodness me, if this is the type of dishonesty one should expect from members of a church then I'm sure as hell glad I don't attend any!

Original poster
Anonymousposter17 · 05/09/2023 18:54

TeenDivided · 05/09/2023 18:37

That is dishonest and you know it.
Plus if you don't sell your existing home you would likely be found out anyway.

Don't entertain such an idea, you'd feel too guilty. How can you want a faith education if you are willing to get the place in a lie?

If you are that keen, sell your house and move properly.

I can’t afford to sell my house and move properly. The asking prices in the places near the school are 30% higher. I’m curious where you’d draw the line, if I left my house empty and rented a discounted rate for the duration of her schooling, would that be wrong? Clearly that would be insane, but hypothetically. If I did manage to let my house out so that I couldn’t be accused of secretly living in my own house would that be wrong?

I do know it’s wrong but I also know that other people will be doing it, which doesn’t make it right I know.

OP posts:
Nonameoclue · 05/09/2023 18:54

Many areas require you to prove that you have moved permanently & relinquished all ties to your previous address, and to stay at the new address for a certain period of time. If you do this & get found out your daughter's place can be withdrawn.

Maxus · 05/09/2023 18:52

yeahyeahyeh · 05/09/2023 18:40

Everyone else will be looking out for themselves.... do what you need to do.

Exactly people will look out for themselves. Which is exactly why people will report her if the lose out on a place

PuttingDownRoots · 05/09/2023 18:52

Many councils have closed this loophole... if you own a house but rent nearby they can use the owned house as your permanent address.

cansu · 05/09/2023 18:51

You would be leaving your house empty but still owning it. It would be obvious you had rented to get a place. They could ask for more evidence and you might struggle to explain why you were renting this house whilst you owned a house not far away.

cansu · 05/09/2023 18:49

I think you would be caught out tbh

yeahyeahyeh · 05/09/2023 18:40

Everyone else will be looking out for themselves.... do what you need to do.

TeenDivided · 05/09/2023 18:37

That is dishonest and you know it.
Plus if you don't sell your existing home you would likely be found out anyway.

Don't entertain such an idea, you'd feel too guilty. How can you want a faith education if you are willing to get the place in a lie?

If you are that keen, sell your house and move properly.

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