Is this admission fraud? AIBU to report it?

[grammarmom]

Here's the situation.

We live in a grammar school catchment area that gets smaller every year. When we bought our house several years ago, it was very comfortably within the catchment for an excellent local grammar (very high in the league tables), and oh boy was it reflected in the price. Now we're right on the boundary. Among the thirty or so houses around us, some children got in last year and some didn't, literally a difference of a few yards.

Another child on our street, who is in the same class as my DC, only just passed the 11+ (a few points above the pass threshold). We live on the same road, but they are about 50 yards further from the school gate. Based on last year's distances, my child would likely get a place while theirs wouldn't.

Over the weekend, during a sleepover, the child mentioned that her mother has now rented a house much closer to the school to secure a higher priority for admission. The tenancy was apparently signed one day before the cut-off date, making it "legal" for admission purposes. She still owns their original home, but the story being presented is that relatives who were previously "homeless" will now live there free of charge, and all bills and utilities have been transferred into those relatives' names (I strongly suspect that the mother will in fact pay these bills as those relatives are penniless).

She's even moved the children's belongings to the rented property and makes them spend nights there (they hate it). There's no doubt that once the school place is obtained, they will move right back.

This effectively pushes my child down the priority list and means they may now miss out.

Would this constitute admissions fraud? It feels incredibly unfair that someone with £40k to spare for rent can effectively buy their way into a top grammar school, especially when their child didn't perform particularly well in the exam (despite being tutored for hours every day).

Should I report this? I have no more detail apart from what this child told me (and they obviously weren't too sure about some aspects of it due to age).

It matters because admissions allocations are based on applicants' permanent addresses. Most LAs will have a policy that if someone owns and rents a property, the property they own will be considered the primary address.

Its not fraud as she has actually moved house to the address she is using. Rented a property, got tenants for hers etc etc. Maybe the tenants get housing benefit or something and can contribute to rental costs. That they visit, often for several hours is meaningless so long as the other house is their main residence.

Its quite an extreme way to get your child a better chance of a spot at their preferred school but I am not sure it’s even immoral. She just wants the best for her child as do you for yours.

I suspect you wouldn’t care if it wasn’t potentially reducing your own kids chances of getting in but whose to say that another family wouldn’t have rented the house if she didn’t and their kid got the place or another moved to another house thats nearer than you.

You sound horrible tbh. Quizzing the kid, belittling their scores, saying their mum didn’t think they’d get in, no longer wanting to be friends, talking about reporting them (and for what)? Jeez!

If I did what this mum is doing and you reported me I would just stick to my guns and present proof that my children stay there with relatives during the school term.

fwiw I would be as miffed as you are in your situation, but this is life I'm afraid. Don't report her. It won't do any good. And it reveals that you are no different to her - you would stop at nothing to get your child into that school.

We weren't friends.

The school would take this seriously. A family lost a place at my daughter’s school for pretending her grandmother’s was the main residence. The council tax has to be in the applicant’s name.

Can you reference this please

It's interesting that OP thinks that the former friend should spend money on an independent school and OP should not. OP didn't buy a cheaper home and pay for an education, instead she chose to move to England in a catchment of a taxpayers funded school.

They're not pretending though. They are renting that place and can prove it.

Hallelujah
so a colleague, must have made for a tense office environment!

Where I live the schools ask for evidence that you’ve sold your house if that’s what you say you’ve done. If you own it but rent it out they would consider the house you own to be your main residence. Also they want to see a long term rental document. So you never know. I’d report it. I live in a similar sounding area.

Many areas have a paucity of grammar schools but are still densely populated with ambitious parents. Journey times to school can end up an hour plus each way so when you factor in homework too, it leaves little time for much else in a young life.

Perhaps a little competition is healthy but it's noticeable that the successful cohorts are mostly tutored or prep-schooled. I know of one lad who failed the 11+ but parents had him IQ tested and his genius score got him a place.

My child went to a grammar. A super selective one. I am under no illusion at to the fairness or otherwise of the whole process .
I would never have taken my bitterness out on a 10 year old child

Easy to say from the vantage point of someone who’s child got in. Of course you would have behaved entirely magnanimously if they had not. 🙄

Both my husband and I moved to England as children, when our parents came here to work in highly specialised fields. We've been secretly cultivating this grand plan to fleece English taxpayers for almost 35 years now.

Oh and as for saying what size of house someone should live in..! On that basis it makes sense for the family to live in the larger of the two properties. Or are you trying to imply they should all have just lived together?!

Fwiw I live (alone now except for uni breaks) in a 5 bed house but that doesn’t mean I want to, or should be expected to house share. I am thinking of selling up (downsizing) and am considering renting for a bit to put myself in a better position as a buyer. Is that allowed under your weird system of rules about not being allowed to take any steps to improve your position?

Leave them to it, they are just trying to give their child the best opportunity they can, surely everyone does that

I can’t believe posters are trying to say that this woman renting out a house and pretending to live there is the same as OP deciding to buy a family home in catchment of a good grammar. Of course it’s not the same. It’s playing the system and unfair on the children who may miss out and end up in a crap school as their parent has lied. Without a doubt, this place will be rented until the child starts and that will be that. She has clearly decided it’s cheaper to do that than pay for 7yrs of private school.

I know someone who rented out their house and rented a house within catchment of a good school as all secondaries in their area were poor. She did stay another 2yrs though until her son got into the school then moved back home. At least they actually moved though, unlikely this woman. I would 100% complain if they get a space over your child.

He didn’t pass for the school we preferred. And I didn’t feel any spite towards the child who did. , because I’m not vile

VAT on school fees is increasing pressure on grammar schools in some areas. Some reported record numbers sitting 11+ this year

All of them could easily fit into her owned house without it even coming close to being legally overcrowded. If this were genuinely about necessity, surely that would be the logical arrangement?

Because £40k now saves £160k in future fees for years 8-11.

But you can’t buy brains. Tutoring can only do so much.

Why do you not share a house with family and fund an independent school, as you expect the other woman to do?

if I knew how you’d grilled my 10 year old, I’d be far crosser about that then you are about this.

Where I live, for the grammars if you get over a certain threshold, say 200 points, then it just goes on distance to the school. So child A could get 201 and get in before child B with 299 if child A lived nearer.

This!

Also, what is the relevance that the child passed the exam by only a few marks, it’s a pass, don’t be so unkind.