To be annoyed a friend lied about their address on a school application to get into an oversubscribed school

[Liverpoollass2]

I've recently found out a friend has lied on their school application by using another family members address to get their child into an oversubscribed school. The school is one I would have considered but would have been unlikely to get in as its very popular. Friend lives quite far but plans to move within the next few years closer to the school so wants their child at the school now. Its just annoyed me as I know many people who didn't get a place who are more local and feels Iike friend is misusing the system. Friend was able to get a letter with their name on it at the address by signing up for a credit card/store card I believe. I know its none of my business but I just feel annoyed about it now

I wasn't feeling at all bad to start with.

Also didn't you say you were leaving some time ago? 😂

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🙄

Report her to the local council who deal with school admissions. Who cares if she guesses it was a friend? Do you really want a friend like that?

You had one though. Which is the point.

Also - risk not having bills in your name.

A lie is not the same as admissions fraud.

The school is not in Liverpool and I don't want to reveal where it is.

I checked the admissions criteria and it looks like 2 pieces of evidence are needed and I suspect that this was planned out well in advance. It is easy enough to pay a tv licence for a year, open a store card to get a bill or change details on a driving license for a short time and then change back. I have no doubt they will be fully prepared for a visit and probably say they are living there while they sell their house, can't really be disproven

Will you stop trying to shut people down all through the thread? You've stated your thoughts several times, let people post with their opinions now. You're derailing the thread.

@Liverpoollass2 there are plenty of ways a school, local authority or trust can disprove a claim. Your friend sounds like an idiot.

Thank feck.

Risk? It was a grandparent's home, it wasn't my own home, I didn't have one.

I agree it would be easy to pretend. Unless a LA is so strict that people genuinely living with family cannot get a school place either.

Report the cheeky bastards.

Sorry you're absolutely right. Cared for / other categories of children / siblings / in some cases children of staff have priority but aside from that it is distance.

I don't know how it works elsewhere but in my London Borough our school only asks for 2 x proof of address for safeguarding reasons. We want to know where the child is currently living in case e.g. they don't turn up one day. What address the parents gave to the council as part of the admissions process is not our concern.

I would definitely report it to the admissions team though, if what you say is correctly.

Can only check to a point. They won’t have access to Council Tax databases outside their area. Even the person pulling a fast one is in the Council Tax for another address within the same area, you can’t always be sure if it’s the same person or just someone else with the same name.

Would really consider if I wanted to stay friends with this person tbh - it’s not a white lie, it’s fraud and is robbing other children of a place at their local school with their friends. Myself and DH worked incredibly hard to get a place near good schools before we had DC (planning ahead) and sacrificed a lot. I would be fuming if a friend of mine did this, it is so entitled and selfish.

Which is why the coordinated admissions arrangements for Y7 involve councils talking to one another throughout.

I would be interested to see how that works.

Definitely report. Height of entitled selfish behaviour. Awful.

Yes. I'd be annoyed. Would not do anything about it, but I would be furious. Cheating. Jumping the queue. Depriving someone who has a right to a place! Entitled. Don't think I would want them as a friend anymore, either, as they have shown they think they can bend rules to suit them.

YANBU but they won’t get away with it, so I wouldn’t be too concerned.

Sadly i think they will

Someone I know did this. It was reported and investigated; nothing happened and they got away with it. I assume investigation is rubbish as the person’s whole year group knows!