Suspected School Place Fraud

[SchoolFraudDilemma]

This is more a WWYD.

If you suspected someone had fraudulently applied for a secondary school place, would you report it?

There is a very outside chance of an EHCP but it is unlikely.

I suspect that they've used a different address to their actual address when applying.

They live approx 6 miles from the school. According to the local authority data, the furthest place offered was 1.2m from the school.

Would you report it or just mind your own business?

[IloveJKRowling]

And by the time they get to university, it's too late. The gap is too wide to catch up.

[Nobody2u]

You can fit the criteria and still not get in, if you're the last one to fill in the application form for your D.C's! Living just down the road is not the only criteria, so don't behave as if someones just pinched your toys in the sand pit. Someone else might just have had other valid criteria (key workers on shifts for an example) but they got themselves organised in advance. And by the way this is coming from someone who had 3 children in the state system 20 miles away from home,for very valid reasons, but every year there'd be some local late comer who thought he could complain. Never worked!!

[Nobody2u]

@IloveJKRowling

And by the time they get to university, it's too late. The gap is too wide to catch up.

Quite agree, but while certain people worry about the education system as a whole, others prefer to criticise those they believe to be cheating, or moan because the state has been so unfair to them as individuals, rather than actively doing something to get on!

[prh47bridge]

@Nobody2u

You can fit the criteria and still not get in, if you're the last one to fill in the application form for your D.C's! Living just down the road is not the only criteria, so don't behave as if someones just pinched your toys in the sand pit. Someone else might just have had other valid criteria (key workers on shifts for an example) but they got themselves organised in advance. And by the way this is coming from someone who had 3 children in the state system 20 miles away from home,for very valid reasons, but every year there'd be some local late comer who thought he could complain. Never worked!!

Key workers on shifts is not a valid admission criteria. They cannot be given priority by schools for admissions.

When you filled in your application form is not a factor either. It is absolutely not first come, first served. Provided you submit your form by the deadline you will be treated equally with everybody else.

[Aria999]

Private schools are selective so they do have a head start over state schools. I am in no way bitter about DS totally failing to get into the ones we applied to even though he's seriously smart

[Queenofeverything44]

"If child has an EHCP they would have known they had a place mid February. If they found out when you did they don't have an EHCP."
Not true, my daughter has an echp and I found out with all the other parents. It was her first one so maybe that's it but most Lea's do things their own way.
Personally, while I'd be a bit miffed at liars I'm not such a spiteful cow as to report unless I had ALL the facts. I've never moved but had 3 children in 3 different high-schools. Only one to catchment.. Eldest went on special circumstances because he'd been s"assulted by another pupil going to same school, we therefore set the gossips flapping when we went out of catchment.. All smarming away trying to find the Goss & when I kept silent suddenly there was a flurrie of emails to the head. If I'd set their tiny little bored minds at rest my child's life would've been hell in the playground. There are a myriad of reasons why the child is where he/she is.. Sadly non you're privvy to and fanning the flames of the rumour mill or complaining could make something you don't know about worse. There's a lot of crap going on behind closes doors and in the world in general to be concerned about.. Give you head a wobble 🤦🏽‍♀️

[Aria999]

@Queenofeverything44

That's awful. I worry about our system where I am as I'm not sure you can move if that happens.

[Queenofeverything44]

@Aria999 it was awful tbh. There are ways round it, the lea has a duty of care to the child and any appeals go before panels. It's a longwinded process and difficult process.. No idea why people think it's easy. My child was out of school 6months while they faffed.

[Sheila786]

Totally agree...

[urkidding]

I think you should report it. It isn't fair. Those who say one child doesn't matter are wrong. What if it was your own child?

[urkidding]

Why should someone who sees injustice be a spiteful cow? If it's not injustice, the school will let her know the reason. Just because some children are exceptions doesn't mean that all children are .

[SandyY2K]

When I applied for school places for my DC, it's not just a case of using a local address. There needs to be proof that you live there and the proof was a council tax bill or a tenancy agreement.

Your couldn't just use the address of your brother or other relative in the area.

I'm not saying fraud doesn't happen and I do know someone rented a house prior to the time of applying to
be in the catchment area (they didn't live there and it was empty the whole time.. a year in total) for the sole purpose of having legitimate proof of residency to apply.

[Nobody2u]

Just go for home schooling! Unless there's a cuckoo in the nest the catchment area shouldn't be too difficult to define. Of course if the neighbor happens to help with physics, chemistry or french we'll have to set up an authority to complain to because the level playing field has just flown out the window!
What is going on???? What is Britain becoming? A Nation of snitches?
Do people really have nothing better to do? If they have time on their hands to go round chasing the "cheats" then they've got time to give student support at home. Internet and good will make almost any subject possible

[Nobody2u]

A "Less good school" can actually be an advantage for Uni access with contextual offers and gateway courses.

[MadameMinimes]

I’m sorry but people who have cheated or gamed the system to get their children into a good school have not done the kid that missed out on a place a favour. Going to a less good school is not an “advantage” in university admissions. Contextual offers are just an attempt to mitigate some of the disadvantage that going to a crap school brings.

[AtSwimTwoBerts]

When I applied for school places for my DC, it's not just a case of using a local address. There needs to be proof that you live there and the proof was a council tax bill or a tenancy agreement.Your couldn't just use the address of your brother or other relative in the area

You can create your own tenancy agreement and/or council tax bill on about ten minutes. Just saying.

[longestlurkerever]

On threads like this a lot of people say "there are all sorts of reasons why they might have got a place" - Not really. Schools differ obviously but their admission criteria are publicly available and generally known to those who are applying. Looked after children/SEN would be the ones that might not be obvious, but most people know if their neighbours' children have siblings, work at the school etc. I can't imagine myself bothering to report but it does strike me as odd how strong people's feelings are that reporting is wrong. Do you feel like this about other kinds of fraud?

[therealteamdebbie]

It's clear why you MUST report these frauds

too many people who would turn a blind eye to it, so you have to make sure someone does something about it.

[LolaSmiles]

I’m sorry but people who have cheated or gamed the system to get their children into a good school have not done the kid that missed out on a place a favour. Going to a less good school is not an “advantage” in university admissions. Contextual offers are just an attempt to mitigate some of the disadvantage that going to a crap school brings
This.

Plus if going to a less good school was such an advantage for university then the fraudster parents surely wouldn't be willing to lie to get their child into the better school.

[zingally]

Mind your own business? You say your precious DC got a place, so why do you even care that another child also did? There could be an untold number of reasons behind the scenes why they got a place.
Unless you are that child's direct family, mind your own.

[therealteamdebbie]

oh, naughty OP who cares about another family losing out because someone cheated the system, how dare they.

I hope you have reported.

If the family is that genuine, there won't be any effect on them anyway.

[TakeTheCuntOutOfScunthorpe]

If you suspect it, report it. I can't believe how many people haven't got this into their heads yet. If you suspect someone is a terrorist, report them, regardless of whether it makes you look racist. If you suspect someone is grooming a child, report them. If you suspect someone is a benefit cheat, report them. If you suspect someone is committing school place fraud, for goodness sake report report REPORT.

Ignoring things - turning a blind eye - just results in innocent people being harmed.

[korinthea]

It is, we live in west yorkshire

[Nobody2u]

"A Less good school" can actually be an advantage for Uni access with contextual offers and gateway courses."

This was tongue in cheek!!!

[Nobody2u]

@TakeTheCuntOutOfScunthorpe

If you suspect it, report it. I can't believe how many people haven't got this into their heads yet. If you suspect someone is a terrorist, report them, regardless of whether it makes you look racist. If you suspect someone is grooming a child, report them. If you suspect someone is a benefit cheat, report them. If you suspect someone is committing school place fraud, for goodness sake report report REPORT.

Ignoring things - turning a blind eye - just results in innocent people being harmed.

But where does it stop? 2 miles over the speed limit, visit elderly neighbor not in your bubble, report it, exercise too far away from home, report it. We know where it starts, but do we know where it ends?