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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:
Original poster
eminthebigsmoke · 20/04/2015 12:51
  • even if they had the money to be able to.
OP posts:
PtolemysNeedle · 20/04/2015 12:51

Enough parents don't care about the rules when it comes to term time holidays that they are fairly meaningless when it comes to morals. Plenty of people on here don't hesitate to advise people that they should take term time holidays if they want to, so it would be a bit hypocritical to agree to disregard that rule while wanting to stand by this one.

Original poster
eminthebigsmoke · 20/04/2015 12:53

I don't really feel the two are related, but I can tell you I'll be doubly hacked off if they cheat their way in there and then spend all their time on holiday Grin

OP posts:
muminhants · 20/04/2015 12:54

Can you refuse a home visit? My son's school didn't do it but other local schools do. I think it's incredibly intrusive - all about seeing who has the nice tidy house with the middle class parents with lots of books on the shelves.

In relation to your first question: none of your business. You might think you know their circumstances but you don't (unless she's bragging about itm in which case someone else will report her). If they are pulling a fast one they are being rather silly not to wait until kid is actually in the school before moving back to the original address.

meditrina · 20/04/2015 12:57

As you say she moved back two days after allocations, then she clearly hadn't relinquished the previous address. In an increasing number of LAs this is explicitly against the rules. I'd report it, and let the LA sort it out. If they don't have a rule against it, nothing changes. But if they do, then the place can be reallocated in accordance with the rules.

Cheating the system makes it worse, not better.

And I really don't see why someone wealthy enough to rent a second home should 'buy' the place of the child who would otherwise have been offered it.

Gileswithachainsaw · 20/04/2015 12:58

Good points ptolemy

the real problems are the shit schools that are not dealt with quickly or efficiently enough. I can't imagine anything worse than uprooting kids from their family home, cramming them into whatever shit hole you can afford on top of your regular nice house just to ensure their future isn't written off age 4.

I can also tell you that dragging kids on and off hundreds of buses a month. is no fun either. but it's the sacrifice yiu make to ensure your kids aren't 2 years behind their peers by the time they leave primary.

We all want the same thing don't we. We would pass up a job we wanted because someone else lived nearer. sometimes you do have to think about your own family than some collective greater good.

I'm. Not sure morally I could do it. but I understand.

Gileswithachainsaw · 20/04/2015 12:59

We wouldnt

Fromparistoberlin73 · 20/04/2015 13:00

Its really really shit, however as much as I would want to grass it will hurt her kids probably

buy would NOT judge anyone who grassed

AuntieStella · 20/04/2015 13:01

"If they are pulling a fast one they are being rather silly not to wait until kid is actually in the school before moving back to the original address."

Not so sure about that. A place can be removed after the child has started, which is presumably far more disruptive.

Original poster
eminthebigsmoke · 20/04/2015 13:03

That's the dilemma for me - should I care about her family more than the one who played by the rules and lost out? Or should I mind my own and not care at all? On balance though, I think I will report only what I know, anonymously, and let them look into it.

In answer to a previous post, pretty sure the daughter doesn't have SEN or the charade wouldn't have been necessary.

OP posts:
momtothree · 20/04/2015 13:03

Yes report her - yes there shouldnt be bad schools - but there are - she has cheated one child out of a local school place - About time they did something to sort the mess out.

Alanna1 · 20/04/2015 13:04

I wouldn't report.

Viviennemary · 20/04/2015 13:09

If she has acted illegally then she should be reported. Why should she be allowed to lie and cheat her way into a school.

quietasamouse · 20/04/2015 13:09

I would report this. I'm usually incredibly laid back, but she has been deceitful just to put herself above someone else.

Whathaveilost · 20/04/2015 13:11

I would mind my own business to be honest. It will all come out in the wash one way or another without any input from you.

mom2twoteens · 20/04/2015 13:11

I did report someone at out local secondary for this. (My children were already there so there was nothing in it for me.)

The council said they had already investigated this person (So someone else had already reported her.) and found nothing amiss.

This despite the fact that they let their house out for six months, rented a house nearer the school then moved back sharpish once they'd been offered a place. Can't get more obvious than that.

It's nice if you've got the money and time to do it.

I've always felt like Stinking, that if everyone went to their local school, like in the 'olden' days things would even out. More children could walk to school which is better for their health and there would be less 4w drives out in the morning and afternoons. Also children would have their friends more local and would be able to see them and 'play out' when they wanted rather than when the parents could drive them. This whole idea of travelling miles to school has changed a lot in the way children grow up and interact. (am I going on a bit now?)

DarlingDaffodil · 20/04/2015 13:12

Gosh- I am surprised how many people think this is ok.
More I read more I think I might report- quietly cos I'm a coward.

Feminine · 20/04/2015 13:18

If parents had no choice but to take their nearest possible school, we wouldn't have all this crap.
Rubbish schools would improve.
Stress would be removed this time of year.
Oh, and school car parking would be eased, therefore making it safer for students on arrival/leaving.
Although, I would be tempted to grass- l think l'd leave it.
Don't you think it'd be stressful to live with?

Feminine · 20/04/2015 13:18

For her l mean (stressful)

DeeWe · 20/04/2015 13:19

I would report. Because I've seen children who have missed out and been one of 60 not going to the same school, and how it's effected them.

Those that have enough cheek and self-centedness (and money) to cheat the system tend to be be those whose children are bolshy enough to cope with a school that's new to them. The children who are shy and quiet and really do need to be going with friends rarely have parents that are inclined to do this sort of thing.

Original poster
eminthebigsmoke · 20/04/2015 13:21

feminine yeah, I thought that - but I guess she won't be the only one so she can befriend the other cheaters!

OP posts:
grannytomine · 20/04/2015 13:23

I have been on the receiving end of being reported, it isn't nice and people don't always know the circumstances. In my case I was divorced, had joint custody with ex and we both lived in catchment area. DS took 11 plus and passed, hooray.

A few weeks after he took the exam and before allocation (it was done differently in those days you took the exam in November I trhink, made choice before results and got allocation in Feb) I remarried, new husband lived across the border in different authority. We were busy doing up both houses to sell and have a fresh start, sleeping for a few days in one house and then in the other depending on if we had water, heating etc. Meanwhile children were moving around with us and spending time with dad, so if you like they had three homes, two in catchment and one out. They were registered for Dr, child benefit etc at my in catchment house. Monday after results came out we were reported. We gave proof of still having house in catchment, father being in catchment and as I could drive and he couldn't our intention of new house being in catchment. He kept his place.

Feb to July was a bit miserable as we didn't know who it was, I don't think they would have been happy either as we kept the place.

It all felt a bit nasty to me, some creepy person spying on an 11 year old to check where he is sleeping.

Model5 · 20/04/2015 13:24

This is a horrible situation all round. I really wanted to take the high moral ground and send Dc to the local school, but in the end I couldn't bring myself to do it and we were fortunate to (legitimately) get into a better school a short bus ride away. I agree with PP that he situation would solve itself to a large degree if everyone went to the nearest school - out local school isn't going to improve while the parents who take a bit of interest in their DC's schooling go elsewhere, but I couldn't sacrifice my Dc to that cause, although I did consider it.

What this lady did (if it's as it seems) was wrong, but I don't really understand why being able to buy/live in the right area makes a family more entitled to the place or means that's it's fairer if they get the place. Except that those are the rules.

OP, being 20 on the list doesn't rule you out, unless it's a tiny school IME, especially if you're in the kind of area where several families might end up going private. So out of self-interest, if you still want the place, maybe you should report.

Justusemyname · 20/04/2015 13:26

PN of course the woman discussed has stolen a place from another child! There is a limited amount of spaces and there will be someone else fulfilling the criteria who didn't get a place because renting woman is two inches closer to school.

hidingfromthem · 20/04/2015 13:29

Report her and make sure your report is followed up.