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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Would you report someone that lied about their address on school admissions form?

112 replies

Peanutbutter37tuesday · 20/04/2012 09:44

We live in a town where school admissions is very competitive. Our DS had to go to school 40 mins walk away (we didnt own a car at the time) even though there were 4 closer schools to our home, one just 5 mins walk away.
I know of someone who has recently got their child into an 'outstanding' school by putting their business address as their home address.
I really feel so uneasy about it. I know it's not really any of my business, but I feel so badly for the child that didn't get into that school, even though they lived closer than this family. The school is near 2 council estates and it makes me so mad to think that the parents of the child that missed out could have jobs to go to or don't drive and now because of these parents 'stealing' their place, they might have to fork out money for child care so they can get to work on time or have to go further to the next school.
The mum is a SAHM and the next closest school is 'good' so it probably wouldn't massively inconvenience her her DD had to go there.
WIBU to report it?

OP posts:
WorraLiberty · 20/04/2012 12:14

I had to produce a letter from Child Benefit showing my address as well as a Council Tax letter.

SchoolsNightmare · 20/04/2012 12:15

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MissKeithLemon · 20/04/2012 12:24

YANBU.

I'd report. I know its not nice to grass someone up. (But assume it can be done without your name being brought into it OP?)

But, it is a horrible practice and should be stamped out, far too many "well-orfs" do this sort of thing imo. No better than benefit cheats or burglars or suchlike in my book.

My DD got into an outstanding school this year and I am on the very edge of the catchment, used all 1500 words on the application form to say why I wanted her to go there. I live in a less than salubrious neighbouring area and if I hadn't got a place (because this type of practice is rife) I would've been furious if I'd heard of anyone doing it.

That being said, I have no problem with people who do actually move to an area etc to be near their preferred school. I have friends who think this is out of order too.

Proudnscary · 20/04/2012 12:28

Report

camdancer · 20/04/2012 12:31

Better that you report it soon and it gets sorted out quickly, than it is left to fester until the child starts school.

vess · 20/04/2012 12:58

How can you be sure?

SchoolsNightmare · 20/04/2012 13:02

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Siddhartha · 20/04/2012 13:05

Yanbu. report it. Its not fair or moral and by reporting it you are registering your protest. Just talking about it means nothing unless you act. I'm not judgey at all (can't even spell it!) but this is just a parent stamping on other peoples children.

elizaregina · 20/04/2012 13:13

SchoolsNightmare

But the biggest injustice here is some schools being utterly dire and horrific.

Whether parents work on those somehow? To make them better....or complain to councils and MP's about bad schools....I dont know.

I just hear of all these desperate parents and feel sorry for them. Of course its not fair they are pushing another child out of a place, but the bottom line is - is it fair on any child to have thier entire future ruined because our state and society cannot provide them with a reasonably level playing field and across the board good schools?

Why are parents having to do this - and why - especially primary schools are suddenly masssivly over subsribed?

I am nervously awaiting the results of our applications due on Monday.
If my daughter doesnt get in - the school isnt our nearest but in our catchment - and I found out someone else lied......

I am not going to blame the liars - I am going to say - why arnt the other schools acheiving as well?

I am not going to blame the parents I am going to blame the fact that some schools are simply horrific.

Why do some schools perform dreadfullY> I dont know but if my daughter doesnt get into our first choice I guess I am going to become an expert on it - to see why the next school isnt doing so well?

shrinkingnora · 20/04/2012 13:14

Report it.

vess · 20/04/2012 13:21

I disapprove, but wouldn't report them. Besides, they can easily move to their business address, at least temporarily.

Fizzylemonade · 20/04/2012 13:40

Sorry but I would report it. I class staying quiet as "sinning by silence".

Even if the address is residential Council Tax consider you to have one "sole and main residence" any second home is detailed as such with a reduction of the bill. I used to work in Council Tax. More than likely it is registered as a business and they pay business rates on it.

GrumbleAndGrouse · 20/04/2012 13:41

Do the schools do home visits?

Dd1's preschool (attached to the school) did a home visit before she started and the reception teacher will be doing home visits in September. They use the information given on the registration/application form.

Maybe they will be caught out anyway? But no, yanbu.

Mrsjay · 20/04/2012 14:02

we dont seem to have this in scotland and i only understood it when i started using parenting forums , we go to the catchment school then apply for another school if we want , anyway i think this is madness people moving house lying on forms for a school Shock , Im not sure if i would report it but i think they should be found out and all this school stress stamped out ,

LauraShigihara · 20/04/2012 14:17

I would report it without hesitation.

The school catchment system is flawed, without a doubt, and I'm sure it is tempting to try to work around it but rules are rules.

Besides, we all know that if all the proactive and involved parents send their children to one school, then the other local schools suffer.

GrahamTribe · 20/04/2012 15:02

I'm very much in agreement with elizaregina and valiumredhead and I wouldn't report it.

Beanbagz · 20/04/2012 15:15

youarekidding - a buisness will pay Business Rates which in my experience is an extortinate amount of money for which we received very few services. You don't even get refuse collection (we had to pay a private company for that service). We didn't even get a visit from the police when someone fired a shot through our window!

But it's not the same as Council Tax and therefore doesn't entitle the business owner to use the premises as a personal address in terms of school admissions.

OP - If you're 100% sure that they're doing this then report them.

controlpantsandgladrags · 20/04/2012 15:55

without question I would report it, yes. It makes me very angry that people get away with it.

mrsscoob · 20/04/2012 15:58

Whilst of course to a certain extent I do agree with elizaregina, I think in this case the OP says it is a choice of the "outstanding" school or a "good" one. It isn't a choice of good vs dire or horrific.

There is a lot of snobbery around with regards to which schools people send their children too, which is why outstanding schools always have more applications than places. I would have a lot more sympathy if the person the OP was referring too was in the catchment for a bad school trying to get into a good school, but that isn't the case. Thing is by doing this it could leave some poor kid who is entitled to a place at that school in the situation of no school place at all now, or a place at the nearest "dire" school with places and that is really unfair to that child and their parents.

valiumredhead · 20/04/2012 16:17

schools I would only do it if I didn't have to cover my tracks too much, if it wear just a case of putting down a different address.

In our case we moved instead as schools are much better where we are now.

The system is crap - no wonder people do what they can to get a good school.

tanith 'Pushy' types helping out at a crap school won't turn it around - there will just be more hands on deck. Decisions which make a school 'good' are not made by parents who volunteer a few times a week, and yes I have volunteered loads.

valiumredhead · 20/04/2012 16:18

was not wear

16april · 20/04/2012 16:45

Most people would have no hesitation in reporting benefit fraud so why would this siuation be any different?

valiumredhead · 20/04/2012 16:46

Most people should mind their own beeswax.

FridayOLeary · 20/04/2012 16:52

Home visits are not compulsory, so don't assume that would 'catch' them out, also it's not the reception teacher's job to police the admissions criteria.

I would very angry and think a lot less of my friend who had done this. Would I report them? I really don't know.

Pseudonym99 · 20/04/2012 17:09

Well, its wrong, but what's the difference between lying about where you live and lying about how often you go to church to get into a churchy school? And I'm sure the OP never breaks any laws herself, or wouldn't mind someone grassing her up for speeding or some other petty law?