Page 15 | Reporting someone for admissions fraud

LaTristesseDureraEntre · 2022-02-18T16:12:14+00:00

NC for this. I've reported someone for admissions fraud/ giving a false address. Someone in my social circle. They've used their old home address for school applications, but that home is now a holiday let (they still own it) and they've moved down the road to a cheaper area. I sent the LA some info and will let them draw their own conclusions. I did it partly because it affects me/my family (in the obvious way - child in the same school year, tight catchment for desirable school). But tbh I find their behaviour awful so I imagine I'd have been minded to do it anyway. AIBU? I know on MN the normal response is "keep your beak out" but, really, would you have kept quiet? And no, before anyone starts, no “Ooh maybe child has special needs / husband is polygamous / there’s a special underground tunnel linking the two properties so that they are in fact one”. Just pure old address fakery. WIBU?

Fordian · 21/02/2022 18:50

@luxxlisbon

I don’t understand why more people don’t see/care about how unfair the school admissions system is anyway. So it’s unfair for them to not live in the house but use the address to apply the school, somehow affecting your child’s place? But it isn’t unfair for kids who live in the “cheaper” area to not have a chance at a good school?

People don't care because they've done it themselves

This isn't a victimless 'crime', is it? A rich child has fraudulently taken a place away from a poorer child.

If you're really okay with this, you need to take a bit of a look at your moral compass.

ancientgran · 21/02/2022 20:22

@christinarossetti19

It's not as simple as that.

All the schools in my London borough are judged to be either 'good' or 'outstanding' by Ofsted. There aren't any 'poor' schools.

Yet there are some that are most definitely favoured by some sectors of the community, and some by others.

But if they are all good it isn't really a problem about who gets which place is it. Bit different if two schools in a town are very different, say one is failing and one is outstanding then people have a reason to be upset if they feel they have been cheated, well everyone does have a reason as no one should have to send their child to a failing school.

I still think the big thing is to make sure all schools are good because every child should have the opportunity to go to a good school.

ancientgran · 21/02/2022 20:23

This isn't a victimless 'crime', is it? A rich child has fraudulently taken a place away from a poorer child. How is the child rich? I thought the family had to move to a cheaper area to get a house.

FreezingToday · 21/02/2022 20:34

*Would you ever tell them it was you though?

Course not. I’d make sympathetic noises when Toby didn’t get into Leafy Primary and wait for them to direct their ire at the council/wherever*

OP, I don't have a problem with you dobbing on your friend to the council (though I wouldn't have), if you feel you must. I do however, have a big problem with this comment you have made about making sympathetic noises. It is incredibly two faced. If you have an issue with your 'friend', be flippin honest about it, or stop seeing her, or at least let her know roughly your disapproval. I hate friends who are one thing to my face, and another behind my back

Fordian · 21/02/2022 21:17

@ancientgran

This isn't a victimless 'crime', is it? A rich child has fraudulently taken a place away from a poorer child. How is the child rich? I thought the family had to move to a cheaper area to get a house.

You haven't RTT, have you?

HTH1 · 21/02/2022 21:30

Yeah, I would totally have reported. I may well also have done the same thing as the CF in those circs as it would have been so important to me (we’ll never know as it isn’t relevant to me; DCs’ school doesn’t work on catchment areas) but I would definitely have STFU about it if I had!

Bizawit · 21/02/2022 21:41

YABU!! Can’t believe the replies on this post. MYOB!!

ThanksItHasPockets · 21/02/2022 22:06

@ancientgran

This isn't a victimless 'crime', is it? A rich child has fraudulently taken a place away from a poorer child. How is the child rich? I thought the family had to move to a cheaper area to get a house.

The house is their second property. They have kept on the flat as a holiday let. A perfect illustration of the saying ‘to have your cake and eat it.’

woodhill · 21/02/2022 22:06

Not exactly hard up me thinks

ancientgran · 21/02/2022 22:21

You haven't RTT, have you? Yes I have, have you? The OP clearly says the other family have moved to a cheaper area, do you think they would move to a cheaper area if they were rich?

The house is their second property. They have kept on the flat as a holiday let. A perfect illustration of the saying ‘to have your cake and eat it.’ They had a small flat in a nice area, to get a family home they had to move to a cheaper area. The flat will be paying for itself and they can pay for the house in the cheaper area. Where is the evidence they are rich?

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 21/02/2022 23:00

Most of us would have to sell one property to fund the purchase of the next one. Without the equity from the flat they must have taken on a huge mortgage on the house or else they had a large capital sum from some other source.

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 21/02/2022 23:02

@Bizawit

YABU!! Can’t believe the replies on this post. MYOB!!

Given her child might lose out on a school place because of the acquaintance's dishonesty, it is her business.

christinarossetti19 · 21/02/2022 23:49

ancientgran but so many factors contribute to what parents believe make a school 'good'.

You see it often enough on MN - people describing a school as 'high EAL and FSM' as though that makes it worse than a school without those things.

Actually, these types of schools are often excellent, but that doesn't stop parents seeing another school as 'better'.

Original poster

LaTristesseDureraEntre · 22/02/2022 04:17

OP, I don't have a problem with you dobbing on your friend to the council (though I wouldn't have), if you feel you must. I do however, have a big problem with this comment you have made about making sympathetic noises. It is incredibly two faced. If you have an issue with your 'friend', be flippin honest about it, or stop seeing her, or at least let her know roughly your disapproval. I hate friends who are one thing to my face, and another behind my back

Hey @FreezingToday, I’ll be here quietly waiting for you to explain where in my posts I’ve indicated that this person is my friend, or even that I’ve had enough close contact with them to have the opportunity to be friends. Off you go - there’s a “See all” button to help you.

OP posts:

Zingy123 · 22/02/2022 07:07

Definitely report them. My DC missed out on a place due to fraud. Someone else reported the child and they were removed after the first term. We were then offered the place. My DC had already been at another school for a term. We are a low income family and it cost us two sets of uniform. My DC had to make new friendships. It's a really shitty thing to do to lie to get them into a school.

ThanksItHasPockets · 22/02/2022 07:39

@ancientgran

You haven't RTT, have you? Yes I have, have you? The OP clearly says the other family have moved to a cheaper area, do you think they would move to a cheaper area if they were rich?

The house is their second property. They have kept on the flat as a holiday let. A perfect illustration of the saying ‘to have your cake and eat it.’ They had a small flat in a nice area, to get a family home they had to move to a cheaper area. The flat will be paying for itself and they can pay for the house in the cheaper area. Where is the evidence they are rich?

Oh good, we have reached the ‘deliberately obtuse’ stage of the thread, where we have to explain to people who pretend not to understand that if you can afford a deposit on a house without having to release the equity tied up in your first property and also pay the higher rate of SDLT then you are probably not on the breadline.

Not ‘rich’, perhaps - that was a pp’s term and one I wouldn’t use, partly because it’s so subjective-but likely pretty ‘comfortable’.

TrufflesAndToast · 22/02/2022 07:52

It’s someone using their financial advantage to screw over a child who doesn’t have the same advantage. They don’t have to be officially ‘rich’ but as PP says they’re clearly not on the breadline. And they are using the resources they have to defraud another child of its rightful school place. Utterly disgusting behaviour. Yet to some middle class people it’s apparently entirely reasonable to steal a child’s start in life at the expense of your own. People who do this kind of stuff have a rotten core. Yet ironically they probably think they’re good people and good parents

Bizawit · 22/02/2022 11:20

She has no idea about this family’s circumstances, by her own admission they aren’t even friends. Nasty behaviour. Shocked by all the people who think it’s fine to behave like this.

downtonupton · 22/02/2022 11:28

@Bizawit

She has no idea about this family’s circumstances, by her own admission they aren’t even friends. Nasty behaviour. Shocked by all the people who think it’s fine to behave like this.

No - other than the parent smugly admitting that they are attempting to cheat the system.

If there are other circumstances then there will be an investigation by the council and no further action taken.

It is wrong to cheat and lie to get something you aren't entitled to. OP would be right to report it.

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 22/02/2022 11:30

@Bizawit

She has no idea about this family’s circumstances, by her own admission they aren’t even friends. Nasty behaviour. Shocked by all the people who think it’s fine to behave like this.

What she does know is it might mean her own child might not a space in their local school. Which could mean they are travelling a long distance.

TrufflesAndToast · 22/02/2022 11:46

@Bizawit

She has no idea about this family’s circumstances, by her own admission they aren’t even friends. Nasty behaviour. Shocked by all the people who think it’s fine to behave like this.

If they have mitigating circumstances and have done nothing wrong then the report will come to nothing.

I’m disgusted by the people like you who think that stealing a school place from a less privileged child is less shocking than reporting it to the relevant authorities. To put it bluntly, your moral compass is fucked and I dread to think what else you condone/engage in yourself

Whatwouldscullydo · 22/02/2022 12:03

What does she need to know?

You don't get allocated places on the basis of family drama/circumstances. Unless the kid is in care. In which case no need to lie becuase lac are top priority.

CailleachGranda · 22/02/2022 14:08

@Bizawit

She has no idea about this family’s circumstances, by her own admission they aren’t even friends. Nasty behaviour. Shocked by all the people who think it’s fine to behave like this.

I would agree that it's nasty behaviour. By the cheaters

Life would be nicer for everyone if people challenged this sort of behaviour

I'm amazed at the people who think the lying, cheating parent is hard done by because they might have issues.

cherryonthecakes · 23/02/2022 15:22

@Bizawit

She has no idea about this family’s circumstances, by her own admission they aren’t even friends. Nasty behaviour. Shocked by all the people who think it’s fine to behave like this.

You have no idea of the family who missed out because of this fraud either. In an ideal world all schools would be equally good

If there are circumstances like adoption then the council will ignore the report

Pipsquiggle · 26/02/2022 14:37

I don't know / understand why some people are having a go at OP.

Every single council has very clear, explicit, published rules - not 'guidelines' - as to how school places are allocated.

This CF acquaintance is trying to play the system and is stupidly broadcasting this fact to all and sundry. OP has every right to report this CFery particularly as it may have a negative impact on her own DC. The council will investigate and make their own conclusions.