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Primary education

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Original poster

Do I notify the authorities?

22 replies

ednakenneth · 16/05/2011 15:55

My daughter goes to nurseery at the moment at is to start school in september this year. All school places have been allocated and I understand from talking to other mums some are not very happy and are in the process of appealing. My dilemma is this. I know her best friend has been giving a place at a school definitely not in her catchement area and she lives about 5 miles away. Do i inform the LEA as I see other parents who are at the wits end to try and get their kids into good schools and I can see that they have blantantly lied. The parents have been very cagey about what school she has got as they know that we know where they live and my daughter is due to go on a play day with her.

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QuinnFabray · 16/05/2011 15:59

I would. I did, anonymously, and it worked. The case was investigated and the child's place was withdrawn. It was a subject dear to my heart though, as my son didn't get a place at the same school as his two siblings.

roadkillbunny · 16/05/2011 16:26

I was going to say you need to be sure as just because they are a distance to the school doesn't mean for sure that they have made a fraudulent application, there could be many valid reasons why they have been allocated this far away school (SEN, Social and medical need, the school was not oversubscribed) but I thought again and if it was a genuine application they would look at it, know it was genuine and move on. I think you should flag this with the LEA for them to investigate, I have no time for anybody who commits fraud be it benefit or school applications, there is always a victim to these crimes despite what some people say.

whomovedmychocolate · 16/05/2011 16:28

I absolutely would have no hesitation in doing so if you are sure of your facts.

southeastastra · 16/05/2011 16:28

fgs no keep yer beak out

SenoritaViva · 16/05/2011 16:29

Very tough about whether you want to get involved but I think probably what roadkillbunny says makes sense.

coccyx · 16/05/2011 16:30

Are you sure they have lied???
If you are then maybe

TheVisitor · 16/05/2011 16:32

I really don't think it's any of your business.

Hassled · 16/05/2011 16:49

If you are absolutely positive that they have lied, and with no shadow of a doubt, then yes, I'd report. Without hesitation.

roadkillbunny · 16/05/2011 17:11

To the people who say it is non of the op's business how would you feel if your child didn't get a place at any school because of people making fraudulent applications? If we want to have a hope of making the school application process fair then cracking down on people lying to get a place at the expense of other children is everybody's business.

whomovedmychocolate · 16/05/2011 17:15

I did not get a place at any of the schools I applied to. I know of one case where they definitely lied about where they lived. This makes me very cross and had I any definite proof I would absolutely notify the authorities.

sunnyday123 · 16/05/2011 17:15

You must say something (i'm angry and its not even me!) - even if you dont want to give your name and even if your are not sure. If you have made a mistake then the authority or school will establish the facts and there wont be a problem but if they have lied - someone is missing out as a result . Just send a letter to the school or LA naming them - type it up if you have to.

You MUST do this - in my DD school 7 siblings in catchment didn't get in this year and people know 2 children from out the area without siblings have gotten in through lying. This is beyond unacceptable - siblings in separate schools because of someone's selfish behaviour.

Not telling is equally dishonest imo. I can only suspect people who tell you not to do this haven't been on the receiving end. Next year we are applying out of catchment to a school and are 50/50 as to getting in. Honestly if the process is fair then i will accept both kids in separate schools but if i end up doing 2 school runs for £250 a month because someone lied i'd be furious, and more so if i knew people knew and didnt do anything.

Please do something!

emy72 · 16/05/2011 17:55

I would only do it if you were 100% sure of the facts.

For example does the child have any special needs (medical, etc), or are the parents separated and the child lives 50/50 with another parent or carer, do they have an older sibling at the school?

Not entirely sure how you could lie anyway, do you mean give a false address?

megapixels · 16/05/2011 18:00

I don't agree that it's none of your business. What about the children who miss out due to the fraudster parents who do this? Is it tough luck for them because fraudsters should have the right to go about their business in peace?

However I don't know if I'll report it if it was a friend of mine. I know it doesn't make sense, but I couldn't do it and I'm not sure exactly why that is...

mrz · 16/05/2011 18:09

The problem is you could be jumping to huge conclusions with not a scrap of evidence to support them. I would be very careful before making formal accusations.

GiddyPickle · 16/05/2011 18:24

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

mrz · 16/05/2011 18:32

How do we know it's serious GiddyPickles the OP is guessing that something is amiss

I can see that they have blantantly lied isn't the same as I know that they have blatantly lied...

roadkillbunny · 16/05/2011 18:39

Is it not better to raise a question with the LEA about an application that seems suspect and have it be that it is all above board, I would guess in may cases of it being a genuine application the family involved probably wouldn't even know it had happened as it would be easy for the LEA to check the facts. It would be quite hard to know all the facts about a case before reporting and this only report if you know 100% it is fraud opinion really helps this almost culture of fraudulently applying for school places because the people who do it know that so many people wouldn't report and the chance of being found out is slim.
The only way to stop it is to report cases that look suspect and leave it up to the LEA to find the truth. It always boggles me to see how many people say they wouldn't report school place fraud or benefit fraud because 'it's no of their business' yet complain about benefit claimants playing the system and people driving miles to a good school while children on the doorstep are forced to drive miles to a less well regarded school, I just don't understand this attitude.
For the record as well, I am not bitter, I am lucky enough to have no problems with getting my children into the outstanding local school and there are no cases of fraudulent at least in the last few years at our school. I just sympathise with those struggling to get into their local school when there is case after case of fraudulent applications, some of the people actually coming and talking about it here and that's without even covering the faith school side of the argument. I hate, hate, hate this attitude of 'Only the best for my child, the deserve the best but screw every other child, they don't matter.'

whomovedmychocolate · 16/05/2011 18:40

If they haven't lied, the admissions authority will enquire into their circumstances, they will provide proof and that will be the end of it.

sunnyday123 · 16/05/2011 18:42

i agree 100 % totally with giddypickle

i don't understand the need for proof - if the OP sends a letter etc saying they live at X address the LEA will know straight away whether the address on the form is the same. If the child got in on social need etc then the LEA will see that the address is correct and the parents wont even know anyone said anything - if things don't add up then they will let the parents know because they will need to clarify - in which case the parents should be investigated as their is an error on their form.

Getting your child in a school is one of the most important things for their future and the consequences for some families is massive if people do this. In my DD school, this year older siblings are being moved out of their school into other schools to join their younger brothers and sisters who didn't get in - thats affecting the entire family and the effect on a young child is massive - and preventable.

You only need suspicion - the lea will do the rest

nowtundercontrol · 16/05/2011 19:16

I agree that you should report this without making accusations. It's disgraceful that people think that they can get away with this. It makes me v v angry!

We had one woman explaining in the playground how she gets away with it. Sticks her out-of-catchment home up for sale at too high a price, moves in to catchment, gets place and due to no offers (of course) on her house and moves out again. Nowt fraudulent of course but people who have lived her for 15-odd years can't get in and she can. Makes me fume!

prh47bridge · 16/05/2011 22:55

I agree with those who say you should report this.

There may be a perfectly valid reason why this child was admitted despite living so far from the school, in which case the LA will take no action. However, if the parents have lied about their address in order to get a place, they have deprived another child of their rightful place at the school. As far as I am concerned, that is not "doing the best for your child". That is just plain wrong.

serendipity16 · 17/05/2011 17:28

I suspect that my SIL did this to her my niece into a very good London school. She 'split' from my brother, moved to my area for a few months, she got into the school & now shes back living in her area.
I feel very uncomfortable about this as its stopping a child who lives much nearer getting in.

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