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Original poster

reported false address to LEA

116 replies

SpeckledHen · 28/04/2007 21:27

My ds has not got a place at the local primary school since the school can only take 30 and we are 31st on the list (special needs, siblings and those closer come first). Someone who I know lives far away but has a brother living near the school did get in, claiming that she was living with her brother. I was gutted at my ds not getting a place and reported them. Wrested with my conscience but am compelled through love of ds and desire for him to attend local school. Am I being unreasonable? What will happen and will the LEA tell the family it was me that reported them?

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rowan1971 · 28/04/2007 21:29

Dunno the answer to your last question, but your action seems entirely reasonable to me. They were trying to cheat, and they got caught.

Original poster
SpeckledHen · 28/04/2007 21:30

I wonder how it could be proven definitively one way or the other.

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fryalot · 28/04/2007 21:31

seems fair enough to me. I can't see them telling the family who grassed them up.

Without meaning to sound all holier than thou, the rules are there for a reason - and your situation just proves the point.

Well done

rowan1971 · 28/04/2007 21:32

Proving which - where they live, or who reported them?

I'd guess the LEA wouldn't give out your name - it's probably a Data Protection matter.

CarGirl · 28/04/2007 21:32

They will probably look at council tax payments etc, ask for evidence of the actually living at the "false" address.

pooka · 28/04/2007 21:33

You are not being unreasonable at all. I would most definitely have done the same, particularly since you only missed entry by a whisker (I'm about 17th on our waiting list, so would have to find a large number of cheaters to get in - but am on the lookout ).
I am certain that the LEA will not tell the family it was you that provided the information. Do you think they'd be able to guess?
I hope they do an investigation. At least by reporting early, they have the chance of finding another school before September. And you might be bumped up the list

Original poster
SpeckledHen · 28/04/2007 21:33

wsn't going to do it. hate the idea of a fight and hate the idea of something so lovely being so sour. also hate the idea of a little child other than mine potentially not getting in. On the other hand, this family were prepared to do it to my ds! It was realising that and realising that I have one chanceto rectify this and I need to act now or forever hold my tongue that sis it.

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noonar · 28/04/2007 21:33

oh gawd, they could get prosecuted for fraud. dunno what i'd have done, tbh.

my dd1 is at a local school. we want to move, but if we do her sister wont get in as the sibling link rule wont apply if living 2 miles away or more. have toyed with the idea of using mum's address

ScoobyDooooo · 28/04/2007 21:34

Maybe they will be asked to provide some evidence of there address, like a bank statement with there name & address on o something?

What you have done is right & i would do the same in your position.

Don't worry they wont give your name out.

pooka · 28/04/2007 21:35

With our applications we had to provide utility and council tax bills as well as the Child benefit statement showing address. I wonder if they've been incredibly thorough in the ruse, going so far as to change address details for utilities and council tax, and if they have, how they can be caught out?

octo · 28/04/2007 21:36

I have just been through this with my ds - luckily we won our appeal last week and he has got in - I would have been very very annoyed by someone giving false info - they obviously knew that saying they lived with the brother would give them a better chance and took it - you are not being unreasonable to report them - but would you have done the same thing given the chance? DH and I seriously considered renting a house closer to our school and saying we lived in it which is probably just as bad The last 6 weeks have been an absolute nightmare waiting for the appeal - ds1 is already at the school but the places filled up with people closer - the sibling rule only applies within 2 miles here.

The LEA won't tell them it was you who reported them - they will ask them for proof of residency/occupancy and may go check it out.

You are next on the list - so a place could become available - fingers crossed for you.

Original poster
SpeckledHen · 28/04/2007 21:36

Tjanks for all responses. Was s* ing myself. rowan, I meant proving their address. I know there is electoral roll but that is only updated every so often. Also council tax bills and other utility bills. Neighbours of this person say that she is separated from her husband but most definitely does not live at her brother's address.

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Original poster
SpeckledHen · 28/04/2007 21:38

Noonar, I don';t condemn you for toying withthe idea of using your mum's address. Don't really condemn this family. It is just that there is a human casualty and that is my ds who I love more than life. Pooka, my dear is that they may have been thorough.

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Original poster
SpeckledHen · 28/04/2007 21:39

I meant fear not dear!

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Original poster
SpeckledHen · 28/04/2007 21:40

Octo, well done on your appeal! Tell me, what were your arguments that swung it for you? This is so upsetting.

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pooka · 28/04/2007 21:41

I have to admit that I toyed with renting nearer to the school. But then decided not to because I couldn't bear it if someone who was genuinely closer and higher up the list missed out. But then it's easy to say that becuae fortunately the other local (though not so near) primaries are also very good, so it would have been more for my convenience than for dd, who will be fine at the school we were given.
Fingers crossed for you SH.

noonar · 28/04/2007 21:42

actaully cant use mum's address, would have to use SIL's. can you believe, the school secretary lives next door to my mum!!

octo, dont know if others agree but i think lying if you have a sibling at the school is a bit less of a crime. i mean, the catchment area is so small, why should the older sibling have to move school to ensure that thwy both can go to the same school?

pooka · 28/04/2007 21:44

Our LEA doesn't have any distance limit for siblings. Quite a built up area and 400m catchment, so even if there was, the siblings that are further than me would still have been within 2 miles. Ho hum. Jsut one of those things.

Original poster
SpeckledHen · 28/04/2007 21:45

Yes Pooka, I don't think the family meant harm to anyone but they may not have considered that they have actually hurt someone very badly. It has caused a stor at playgroup since everyone knows we only just missed out. All mums are tipping me off and pressing me to act. It has caused bad feeling about this family whihc is not a good start at school for their child. They never have anyone over to play (stranngely enough). How would they explain suddenlt in September how come they are actually living elsewhere when their child does start having friends to play??? They are making life difficult for themselves if they get away with it. Not aware that this family has any fiends in the local area nor of any parties for thie child. Another thought strikes me, this child probably has freinds where she lives - my ds knows no one at the school we have been allocated.

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pooka · 28/04/2007 21:50

That's the thing though, if you get your child into school on false information, someone genuine will lose out and then you have to maintain the deception.
It's such an emotive thing - and I'm sure it wasn't like this when I was going to primary school.

Original poster
SpeckledHen · 28/04/2007 21:51

Pooka, I don't think they will be able t oguess. I don't really know them. They don't talk much to me or anyone. It is others on the committee who deal with payments and those living near the brother and the general busybodies who have repeatedly tipped me off. Some fellow mums feel so strongly about this that I would not be surprised if they did not also do it on my behalf. (Iam not sure that I would do this on someone ele's behalf I have to say. I was complelled to do this since this was affecting my child. I am not a natural sneak)

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Original poster
SpeckledHen · 28/04/2007 21:54

Anmy tips about appeal welcome. Also, I tipped off by letter 3 days ago. Asjked for confirmation of receipt. I guess LEA will be unable to ignore this. Wonder what I will hear and when. My fear is that the investifgation is superfial and that the family have covered their tracks to some degree. On the other hand, surely govt can prove whether someone lives at an address or not.

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UnquietDad · 29/04/2007 10:54

speckledhen - I wouldn't have done it unless there was something in it for me. In your case there was, so entirely reasonable!

Sometimes, confronted with our foolish school system, you can understand why people want to cheat it. I tend to blame the system rather than individuals. But it's still wrong.

We appealed successfully for DD a couple of years ago. Look at "How to Win Your School Appeal" by Ben Rooney, and talk to the Advisory Centre For Education who are VERY helpful. Their website is here .

Good luck!

DominiConnor · 29/04/2007 11:16

The rules are merely there to make life easier for council officials, or actually simply chosen at random on the spur of the moment, hence the way they vary so much.
If council had bothered to build and run good schools, this would not be an issue.

But to me a good first pass at working out the ethics of a situation is symmetry, and I absolutely agree with the idea that if they're prepared to do it to you, then doing it back is legitimate.

I sometimes wonder if there is a site which lists how to fool council admissions staff ? They're not the smartest people on Earth, but presumably some small % of them are not completely incompetent all the time.