to be annoyed about my friend lying about her address on a school application?

[cavell]

My friend wants her son to go to a very over-subscribed secondary school. They almost certainly live too far away for him to be offered a place in March, but her parents live very close indeed to said school. She plans to put her parents utility bills in her own name so she can claim she has moved in with them (with her son, obviously). Since her parents live almost next-door to the school, she hopes she will get a place for her son off the waiting list. If they do get offered a place, she plans to move house "properly" to live near the school, but if the plan fails then they will stay put and her son will probably end up at a good-but-not-great school.

Half of me says that it is none of my business. The other half is a bit annoyed because I think it is unfair and deceitful and it just isn't something I would ever contemplate doing.

I'm not actually considering "informing" on her, I'm just having a grumble. AIBU?

I considered this and asked my nuesery manager what would happen. She said they do a postcode check to see if the address on the application matches the nursery one.

I would do this in a heartbeat to get my girl a headstart because she needs it.

Daub her in.

Report her! As someone said earlier, she could be taking the place of a child who legitimately lives within the catchment area.

Good luck to her!

If I felt strongly enough I'd report her. This kind of sneaky selfish dishonesty really annoys me.

Do they have to go to the back of the admissions queue and apply again as a late entry?

That's what happened to the family I know of. They were offered whichever schools had places left

I think what happened in their case is that someone complained, which triggered an investigation. It is a small, popular school with a very small catchment so for them to have been offered a place when children who lived in catchment didn't raised a few eyebrows

What's unfair is that parents have consider doing stuff like this just to get their children into a decent school.

I know it's wrong, but I couldn't judge a parent negatively for doing it

I totallly agree.

Op why do you not save your righteous anger and instead write a stiff letter to your local MP?

Cavell its not your business to judge the mothers school choices and why she thinks one is better. she obvisouly rates one much higher than you do hence her battle to get the child in.

i feel really sorry for her

I feel sorry for her children, for other children who wil lmiss out and for all parents having to resort to this.

And whilst I have a lot of sympathy with that, don't you think every parent feels the same about their child?

No they dont!

If they did we would probably have much better shcools!

and round here, out of catchment kids (who miraculously move away from the school half way through year 8) are more likely to be excluded for bad behaviour because the school knows that the catchment school has hundreds of places.

Tiggy, yes its on medical grounds and we have had reports written for us as supporting evidence.Thankyou for not taking that out of context and giving a nice balanced reply The school we chose is less than 2 miles away but not the nearest. The irony is I USED To live opposite said school! If only i knew then eh

I'd report her. The whole system makes me so angry and I'd genuinely act out of rotten spite at anyone cheating it, because I can't/won't.

I wouldn't judge anyone for doing it. Is it so different that moving into a new catchment specifically for a better school? Loads of people who have the funds do it.
I'm sure she's weighed up the risks. Her mistake was broadcasting it.

Thankyou

I'd report her..... to be honest, even if it didn't affect my child, I'd still be making that call. It makes me so angry! Similar has happened in our school over the past few years, 3 parents on average have been caught lying each year and all lost their places as other parents reported them, one lost her place the week before school started. Of its popular, its likely others won't get in and no one will ignore that.

You should listen to the half of you that says mind your own business.

I believe someone has actually been prosecuted for doing exactly this - claiming her parents address as her own - so she didn't just get a rap on the knuckles and a bit of embarrassment for her trouble, she got a criminal record too.

I'll have a google ...

Taking on parents utility bills in order to fraudlently claim residence at an address is significantly different to moving to an address within catchment! Again, I would report her out of principle, she should have thought of moving earlier if it meant THAT much to her.

Had a look for it and they decided not to prosecute, but it was a close call. Mums name was Mrinal Patel.

Always shocked at how many people are willing to act fraudulently when it comes to their little darling. Terrible behaviour.

I remember an example, a few years back when we discovered a girl's parents had lied on their form and actually made it to our school. She looked lovely in her new Yr 7 school uniform; things only came to light because someone in the school office spotted something wrong.
Her mother was called and had to take her away immediately. I didn't feel sorry for the mother at all even though my heart was breaking for the little girl.

The system is immoral, dog-eat-dog, fuck your fellow parent and their kids.

If you can cheat, do so. Just one very simple rule - don't get caught.

And that means don't tell people, who then go blathering about it on Mumsnet.

Not rocket science really.