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?

[Rillington]

Definitely report. If they have nothing to hide them no harm done.

[Ihatemyseleffordoingthis]

I think it is a shitty system and people behave shittily in it, but I would assume that the child had a right to the place. If they do not live at the house as of start of school term they will be found out and lose their place.

Are you all reporting all the people who found religion about a year before their kids needed a school place?

[SchoolFraudDilemma]

My child did get a place.

The other child is definitely not adopted

[ClarkeGriffin]

Report it. They shouldn't be taking a place at a school they aren't allowed to have, that's why it's called fraud. It's not right or fair. If they wanted that school they should have bought a house closer to it.

[ancientgran]

Someone did it to me, reported that we'd lied about address to get son a place at a school. My ex and I had shared custody 50/50, if he'd gone to a school near me he couldn't have stayed with his father in term time. If he went to school near father it was fine as I drove to work and could drop him off, he also had a sibling at the school. All made clear in application so no issues but we were informed of the complaint.

I do hope the busybody was told they had wasted everyone's time. You don't know other people's circumstances.

[Mummyoflittledragon]

The only child, I heard on the grapevine was perhaps cheating the system had lived most of his life just with his mum. A couple of months after being allocated the place, I heard she’d lost custody due to having a mental breakdown. He then went to live with his dad. This the man, who was know for having abused her during their relationship. I’ve no idea where he lives but the rumour was the boys parents used his grandparent’s address. He is a very vulnerable child and tbh it is more likely that he was offered a place due to extenuating circumstances and the rumours were gossip. I obviously didn’t take that further. However, this is very different from some parents, who use wealth and privilege or a relation’s address. People deserve to be called out.

[VladmirsPoutine]

This is exactly why nobody should ever discuss their business with anyone. Honestly people have absolutely nothing going on in their own lives they make it their business to involve themselves in other people's business. A nation of curtain twitchers.

[ChameleonClara]

Ugh, I hate this kind of question.

Is it a crime? I probably wouldn't report if it isn't a crime.

The parents have done wrong but the child would be the one to pay.

[ancientgran]

@ChameleonClara

Ugh, I hate this kind of question.

Is it a crime? I probably wouldn't report if it isn't a crime.

The parents have done wrong but the child would be the one to pay.

We don't know the parents have done wrong.

[manymanymany]

All those advocating reporting - do you disagree with people having their child baptised to get into the school of a particular denomination? If not then you're complete hypocrites! Honestly, OP mind your own business and wind your neck in.

[Angel2702]

I’d mind my own business. We have had people commenting on us getting into an out of borough high school. No fraud at all genuine reasons we were accepted that are frankly nobody else’s business. Since then a sibling has also got into that school as a sibling place.

If you don’t know them well enough to speak to them then I doubt you know them well enough to know the ins and outs of their application.

[Wondermule]

@manymanymany

All those advocating reporting - do you disagree with people having their child baptised to get into the school of a particular denomination? If not then you're complete hypocrites! Honestly, OP mind your own business and wind your neck in.

Yes absolutely, in fact I just started a thread on this very subject. Hop on over!

[AllThatFancyPaintsAsFair]

@ChameleonClara

Ugh, I hate this kind of question.

Is it a crime? I probably wouldn't report if it isn't a crime.

The parents have done wrong but the child would be the one to pay.

Then the person who suffers if the child of the parents who did nothing wrong but ended up top of the waiting list due to the parents who lied

That is much less fair imo

[Tiddlywinkly]

Report

[ChameleonClara]

@ancientgran

No absolutely, I realised I had typed clumsily after I posted.

If the parents have done anything wrong then they don't pay themselves. And I just wouldn't really have the heart to accuse someone unless I knew they had lied.

So I am in the MYOB camp.

[Brunt0n]

@spongedog

please report. You, or rather one, may not agree with the admission criteria, but at least they are clearly disclosed.

I knew of people locally who moved literally to the next street, rented a house, to get into catchment area (for primary school). House rental was £3500 per calendar month. That isnt rent that a normal family can afford, whilst still paying mortgage on their (lovely) house in the next street. I didnt know what to say, so I just dropped contact as quickly as possible. This person still has local friends and a local business. I dont use their business - their lack of integrity really offends me. But clearly I am a wierdo on this site as it shouldnt be my business. (There was no direct impact to my family). #shocking

You’d think for £3500 a month they’d just send this child private

[hiredandsqueak]

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.

[ChameleonClara]

Then the person who suffers if the child of the parents who did nothing wrong but ended up top of the waiting list due to the parents who lied

That is much less fair imo

The whole world is unfair, especially when it comes to school places

[Rillington]

You have to think of the family who missed out. We lost out as a result of fraud. The family were reported and the child was removed once the term had started. We were offered the place after the term had started. It cost us for two lots of uniform. It ruined my child's settling in with everyone else.

[Levirandal]

I’d report. If they’re genuine it’ll be easy for them to prove it.

[Macey78]

Not sure if I could be asked with it - 1 of mine has just got into our 2nd choice. The local girls school which was our first choice does get a lot of Interest and one of the reasons kids get in even though the catchment is so small. Due to having, grandparents, living closer and giving that address and having things like some
Bills and drivers licenses registered there. Our next door Nbr who now has grown up children openly says how her 3 went to x school. They used her dads address for
Everything who lived down the road from said school. So I do feel it does happen more than we think.

[MechantGourmet]

How do you know they haven't moved? It's not as if people are currently meeting up at the school gates every day.
I would say report if you have absolutely solid evidence and you know they don't meet priority criteria (but you can't know a child doesn't have an EHCP, for example).

[NeverDropYourMoonCup]

I assume you are familiar with the full admissions criteria for the school? Not all of them have distance as a criteria, particularly academies/RC schools.

The child could have the school named in an EHCP. As others have said, there could be other reasons why they were offered a place.

Really, unless you know everything about them and everything about the admissions policy and everything about everybody else offered a place, you can't assume that it was due to misleading/false information provided on application.