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

[Peanutbutter37tuesday]

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?

This is why I don't break the law. Because then there are no grey areas. It's been an eye opener going into business with DH because he's a bit of a wheeler dealer type not any more though.

I'm not talking about "helping out" valiumredhead, I'm talking about channeling their efforts into making their local schools as good as the ones they're desperate to access. I'm talking about getting behind the school and supporting it, instead of deserting it like rats deserting a sinking ship, as has just happened at one of our local primaries after an unexpectedly low OFSTED grade.

It really has been bizarre to watch them all scrabbling frantically for places elsewhere - and the teachers at the respective schools have been watching with derision, too.

" lying about how often you go to church to get into a churchy school?"
Priests have to countersign forms, thus minimising possibilities for cheating here.

And surely OP does no need to know 100%? A competent LEA investigation should discover the true facts rapidly. It's better done now, before the DC in question starts school. If there was no cheating, then the family in question should have nothing to fear.

If this was virtually un heard of and one parent had done this - I would feel more inclined to report it.

However the whole bloody country is doing something to get children into school! My neighbours have rented x different houses to get children in decent schools. One school she said was so dire she pulled children out and had huge standoff with council about it.

Freinds in London go to special weekly mass - so the priest can see them there and get to know them, so when it comes to admissions time they can sign them off.

When alot of the parents in the country are at this - it strikes me as something being wrong with our schools. Use the self righteous energy into lobbying MP's and council to pull up all schools.

Surely - ALL schools should be of a certian standard? With only a few being bad.....

Whilst I feel sorry for the child/ children who will miss out because of this sneeky deviant behavoiour - over all I feel more sorry for the x amount of children at dire schools, and at dire schools were many parents dont care anyway.

But the other school wasn't dire, it was good. It wasn't some terrible school that nobody wants their dc to go to.

And the whole bloody country isn't doing it. Many people just apply to a few schools near them and hope they get in, not everyone is renting x different houses or faking religion or lying about heir address.

Maybe instead of using self righeous energy to do something about it, the ones that are spending their energy lying, cheating, renting lots of houses and going to church every sunday could maybe be lobbying MPs instead??

Can't help but wonder what these kids are going to turn out like if thats the example their parents are setting

Its in the media loads about councils snooping on people, elaborate frauds to get into good school, education failing people, businesses and uni's say children get to them and can't do basics? Clammour for Grammer schools coming back, other types of school being promoted.....

Why are faith schools known to be better, why do they have such a good reputation?

i agree they could also put thier engeries into lobbying etc, but I still dont see how you can criminalise a country where an awful lot of parents are worried about schools and just want to get thier child into a good school? Why should you be punished because you dont happen to live near a good school?

mrscoob, where are the children to be educated while the parents are lobbying for improved schools? It's all very well and good to campaign for change but that will take years to come into effect if it happens at all. What are you suggesting? That the parents lobby but send their children to Sink Estate Low Achieving Community School until they're successful?

Yes but as said before THIS ISN'T WHAT THE OP IS ABOUT!!!!!

I have sympathy for people in the situations you describe but this is someone lying to get into an outstanding school instead of a good school. It is a completely different thing entirely.

Yes there are a few areas where the choice is good or bad but in the majority of the country it is mainly people clamouring for places in "outstanding" schools.

Maybe people are having to clamour for places in ourstanding schools because there are so few in the country!

I wouldn't report them, because they are not the problem, the admissions system/lack of decent school places for all is the problem

If someone cheats an otherwise good system I'ld report, but they are cheating something that's so flawed that I can't really fault them as much.

If you report then the place isn't necessarily going to be re-distributed fairly, and you don't know why they did it either, not really.

I know someone who is "cheating" in an attempt to get into a local faith school, I wish them to not get the place (as if my wishes have that sort of power LOL) but I won't report them, I just hope they are as transparent to the school as the are to me

my neighbour house swapped to get her daughter into a school, but how should that be regulated? should people who recently move for ANY reason go to the bottom of the list?

TBH I don't see how the business address thing can be kept up for long, they will get found out wont they?

The fact that the school system is fucked doesn't justify lying to push your children ahead at the expense of other children.

The children of honest parents shouldn't be disadvantaged.

That is hardly going to improve matters.

I would definitely report.

it would just feel like taking it out on the wrong person or "shooting the messanger" somehow

I'm sure they'ld rather not take the huge risk of using a different address, they must feel failed to feel the need to do that

Of course you should report it, like any crime - why the dilemma?

But why would they feel "failed" when op says the other school is good?

yep, i'd report it as it is fraud tbh.

I think you should report it. They're committing fraud and therefore breaking the law (not that anyone has ever been prosecuted for lying on a schools admissions form - in the one case that nearly went to court, the local authority changed its mind).

I heard of a case like this a couple of years ago. The school in question was very very difficult to get into (partially selective) and supposedly one of the top state schools in the country. The family rented a house near the school for address purposes only, and kept living in their original house several miles away. Now I didn't know the family at all, and felt I couldn't report them as it was only hearsay, but it was interesting that the various other people who did know the family and knew the facts also didn't report it.

Interestingly, the family got found out when the child was in year 8 because another family applied from the same address, and the first family had never told the school their real address. But although the parents got called in and ticked off, the child was allowed to keep his place. I still think it's sad that the child who should have got the place didn't. Fraud is not a victimless crime.

halcyondays, there could be any number of reasons why the "good" school is not good in the opinion of the address-changing parents. For example, I know a school which is outstanding in most areas. That sounds great, doesn't it? Unfortunately I also know that there is a hell of a lot of bullying in that school and that the Head denies and/or brushes much of it under the carpet. Would I want my DC to go to this academically successful school with a great OFSTED report behind it? Like hell! Would I lie to avoid that happening? You bet your life I would!

I have been told by teachers to avoid any school not rated outstanding, as the ofsted system is deeply flawed and badly rated schools, steer clear of altoghether. I was told its not hard to impress ofsted so schools that cant even do that...avoid.

The school closest to me is rated as outstanding, but for alot of reasons I do not want my child to go there. I want her to go to the other outstanding school a good 35 min walk away for me.

Cremeeggsandkitkatsoldiers - totally agree getting worked up on the wrong issue here!

the OP says the other one is good, the other parents obviously disagree

eliza every teacher I know tells me to avoid outstanding because they are run by ruthless box tickers

I would report it, blatant cheating the system, which I believe is everyones business. That child has a place, someone else closer has been turned down. But then I'm a black and white type of person.

It's deplorable behaviour but I wouldn't report it.

Besides, the sharp-elbowed middle classes who have the financial means to make outstanding primary schools selective by house price will now share their school with liars, cheats and fraudsters. Which is kind of pleasing.

Also, it's not the child's fault his parents are without a moral compass.