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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to want to shop another parent to the LEA for Primary School Admission Fraud

252 replies

eminthebigsmoke · 20/04/2015 12:15

A lady I know in passing has scammed her way to a place at the best local primary by renting next to the school for 6 months. Two days after offer day she is back at her original address near us. AIBU to think that she has cheated someone else's child out of a place and shouldn't be allowed to get away with it?

Has no bearing on what will happen to my DC as we're 20 odd places down the wait list for that school.

OP posts:
GratefulHead · 20/04/2015 12:18

Yep I'd be dobbing her in like a shot....perhaps I am not a very nice person though.

Mintyy · 20/04/2015 12:20

I'd report her too.

orangepudding · 20/04/2015 12:22

I think what she did was very unfair. I would be tempted to tell the lea.

Dowser · 20/04/2015 12:22

Gosh she was determined.

I couldn't do it though!

ButterflyUpSoHigh · 20/04/2015 12:23

Yes report. If she has done nothing wrong then no problem but if not she has taken another childs place.

gaahhnonicknamesleft · 20/04/2015 12:25

Report

Gileswithachainsaw · 20/04/2015 12:26

You can try.

I thought that councils used the old address anyway so she may well have provided all proof that was needed if she was able to get them to accept the new adress.

It's unethical sure. But may well not be fraudulent exactly if she was link g in the property and could prove she was living g in the property.

and people are free to move whenever they want.

but go ahead cos if she pulled a fast one then she will have the place withdrawn. If it's genuine then she won't worry about proving it

Dieu · 20/04/2015 12:26

She has to be in catchment at the time of starting school. In fact, the council may well carry out random and last minute address checks. Particularly if you were to put the idea in their heads ... Wink

MissDuke · 20/04/2015 12:27

Is it against the rules if she actually lived there? I don't live in England, so don't know. But where I am, it goes by your address on the application, if you move you aren't obliged to move schools. Obviously not nice of her, but as she was living there I don't see how she was fraudulent as such.

TravelinColour · 20/04/2015 12:27

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MissDuke · 20/04/2015 12:28

Ahh my question has been answered above! Report away then, if you feel the need. I wouldn't blame you.

Original poster
eminthebigsmoke · 20/04/2015 12:28

Awesome, thanks all - got what I came for and if there's any ensuing drama I will of course let you know!

OP posts:
MissDuke · 20/04/2015 12:29

Travellin,, I was under the impression the person was genuinely living there, but maybe I misunderstood!

TaliZorahVasNormandy · 20/04/2015 12:31

She might have to explain to the Reception teacher on the home visit why the live out the catchment area. If they do home visits.

I wouldnt report it too.

Original poster
eminthebigsmoke · 20/04/2015 12:32

I was posting when the new replies came in - the brochure we got suggests that if you retain and old address and rent mainly for the purposes of securing a place then they have the right to withdraw the offer. She was def living at the other place so I guess they may find it difficult to prove that's what she's done, but it is definitely against the rules in our area.

Am just so shocked someone would a) break the rules with all the risk it entails and b) let on to local people that this is what they've done. I guess we'll see if it pays off for them.

OP posts:
PtolemysNeedle · 20/04/2015 12:33

Personally, I don't believe that people who do this are 'stealing' places away from another child. All children have equal entitlement to a good school place regardless of where their parents are living, and your friends child deserves a place at the school her parents have chosen for her as much as anyone else.

I have far more respect for parents who go to lengths to ensure their children get a good education than I do for parents who just take their children to school each day and then do nothing to support their learning.

Blame the system when things like this happen, or blame the schools that aren't doing a good enough job, but don't blame parents who just want the best education they can get for there children.

AnnPerkins · 20/04/2015 12:34

The LEA can decide that you were only resident at an address for the purpose of obtaining a school place, which isn't allowed.

I would report her.

keepitsimple0 · 20/04/2015 12:36

I hate this. Absolutely despise it. Please report.

mewkins · 20/04/2015 12:37

I would report her.

Original poster
eminthebigsmoke · 20/04/2015 12:41

PtolemysNeedle I take your point about equal entitlement. It's not equal any more though if they break the rules while everyone else follows them.

OP posts:
BuggerLumpsAnnoyed · 20/04/2015 12:41

I actually tend to think the school system is a bit unfair and I wouldn't report someone for doing this. It's more unfair that certain people live in areas with rubbish schools and I cannot get angry about people trying to give their children and the best start. I live in a small town with a few terrible schools, one outstanding and one good. I'm very lucky that as a Catholic my son got into the outstanding, but I don't think it's fair that all his friends are mostly going to the failing school. The whole systems a bit of a mess and everyone's doing the best for their child

stinkingbishop · 20/04/2015 12:43

Kind of with ptolemy on this. Yes, she played the system. Because she had to. If everyone just went to the local school then, over time, they would all even out, because they would all have a critical number of parents who, like the OP's 'friend', gave enough of a shit to get involved in their child's education. What she's done may be immoral by societal standards, but when it comes to your own child...Not sure.

I went to Church for 2.5 years, even ran the bloomin' creche, had the vicar round for tea, helped dig ponds etc, despite not believing in god, and gradually withdrawing after admission time, all so DD1 could go to the church primary and not one of the other local schools which were OFSTED 'requires improvement'.

So, should I have been reported and the place withdrawn? And who would that have hurt, exactly?

By all means get angry, but at the right organisations.

crymeariverwoo · 20/04/2015 12:46

I agree with ptolemys

DarlingDaffodil · 20/04/2015 12:47

I don't believe stinkingbishop she had to cheat the system.
I may well dob in if could do it cowardly and anonymously if my child not got a place at the same school and more local.

Original poster
eminthebigsmoke · 20/04/2015 12:47

BuggerLumpsAnnoyed Yep, I'm with you that the real problem is that there are so many undesirable schools in the local area.

stinkingbishop The point for me is that what you did is 'allowed', also props for throwing yourself into it!

For clarity my issue here isn't about the fact it's morally shaky, it's that it's actively against the rules so it's not like you expect everyone who cares about their kid to be doing it.

OP posts:
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