Lying about a child's age to get into a hothouse school

[avidskier]

There is a child in my DC's highly selective, private school who is over a head taller than the rest but is supposedly in the correct year for its age. The child looks much older than everyone else (in terms of maturity in the face) and also had two fully grown front teeth at least a year before anyone else had even lost the front two.

I suspect that the parents have lied about the child's age in order to pass the entrance exams.

The child was born abroad in a country where it is easy to obtain forged birth certificates. The child's caretaker also seems to be confused as to the child's age when asked (and thought that the child was a year older than what the school has been told!). The child is one of those doesn't-do-playdates-as-it-does-extra-English&Maths-every-waking-minute.

It annoys me for all sorts of reasons.. I don't think parents that would make a child lie about its age for its entire school life should be allowed to be at that school. I mean REALLY?? Are people really willing to go that far to get their kid into the school of their choice?

As any child would,it enjoys its physical superiority. It likes to use its classmates to play leapfrogging (this child weighs about three times as much as DC and it caused a back injury!). The school has tried to stop this but is struggling to contain it.

I have no real proof of the age so cannot complain to the school.

Any ideas?

When I was boarding in a NZ at a private school one of the girls from a pacific island was married and 16 in the 3rd form . My brothers school actively gave places to island boys who played in the 1st 15 and clearly weren't school age . I think it's regulated now but at the time this pupils were given an education which they paid for in someway . Not a crime iMO .

You have really damned this poor kid, whatever happened to innocent until proven guilty OP? Why would you even be bothered ...

.....Unless you maybe jealous that this kid has physical superiority over your DC. Even worse, he/she might have intellectual superiority - maybe your child needs the extra Kumon Maths too.....

Just measured my dd aged 9 for a bike at Halfords. She was off the top of the scale that goes to aged 12

Oh dear, if this is true, what does it matter, how does it affect your child?

I detect a hint of sour grapes, jealousy etc.

If its not true, why do people make things up on here, bizarre?

Has the OP been back

I am still trying to understand what the OP is actually complaining about.

That a child has gained access to a highly selective private school by lying about 'its' age (How would this be an advantage? And why is this relevant if the OP's child clearly also has a place?).

Or is the problem that 'it' is physically bigger and stronger than the OP's child and the school are not tough enough on rough play?

Or is the problem that the OP objects to a 'forrin' child being taught alongside her dc (from a country where birth certificates are apparently not worth the paper written on )?

I simply don't see where exactly the problem is.

SocietyClowns I think your 4th paragraph hits the nail on the head.

Perhaps one of the OP's friend's DC failed to get a place at said "Highly selective, private school?"

In some indie's it is not at all uncommon for children not to be in the correct year for their age. A friend of mine has both her summer born sons in the year below. This decision was made as they weren't felt ready to start school in the Indie environment at just 4. They are not the only ones in their classes. The school advertises that all child from the prep department pass the entry exam to the secondary school, so keeping some children down a year helps!
The only time it is a problem for her is with sports teams as they cannot play competitively with their year group but must play with their age group.

I haven't read through every post and I know lots of people have already pointed this out, but this makes my blood boil. My DS is huge- easily the biggest in his class- but he is the youngest in his whole year group! It's very hard on these kids who are expected to behave the age they look not the age they are. They can also be unintentionally rough with other kids purely due to their size. My poor DS has been knocked to the floor by a girl half his size because he's had it drummed into him since he was a toddler that by merely defending himself he can unintentionally hurt others. Interestingly, my DS was born in a FURRIN country and goes to an independent school...

I'm sorry but I think you are being silly. Both of my children tower above their classmates and many of those in the years above them. They both also had some adult teeth at 4. My son is a gentle giant and certainly does not exert physical superiority!

Is this child doing better academically than your perhaps?

Notice you haven't come back onto the thread Avidskier.
I WAS going to spend time writing a long message about how tall my son is etc etc.
But you know what, you sound like real nosey, interfering racist cow. Have a (it's my first one, don't ya know )