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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

School wants copy of birth certificate!!

81 replies

Charlene1 · 09/09/2008 22:03

Anyone know why a school would demand a copy of a birth certificate - and send a note home today saying they "must have it by tomorrow" for my DD who has just started reception???? No explanation given, just the note!!! No saying "we will copy the original" - it said "provide a copy"
I have copied it to take tomorrow(are they going to pay for our printer ink and paper????), but have not been asked for DS's, nor did they ask when he started (he's now Yr 2).
It seems a bit weird and "big brother-ish" - are they checking who's got father's names listed/who's married/British/Parent's occupations etc for "statistics" or some other stuff that is really none of their business???
What could they do if you refuse to give it to them????

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

DoNotAnnoy · 09/09/2008 22:58

No birth certificate has the address on.

You get one birth cert when you are born. You do not update it when you move.

It has place of birth on - but that is not the same, and will obviously be the same throughout life no matter how many times you move.

WendyWeber · 09/09/2008 22:59

As psychomum says this goes back years - DD1 started school in January 1987 & we had to show her birth cert then.

Shocking & amazing as it sounds, there are people out there who lie about their children's ages

DoNotAnnoy · 09/09/2008 23:00

scaredoflove · 09/09/2008 23:00

Why is what donotannoy showed shocking? It is standard practice

And why do you not believe us all? It is to prove the childs age and they are in the right year, nothing sinister

I have a different surname to my children (I never changed it when I got married) It is on all documentation and once the school get to know you, they remember to say the right name. Even if they don't, it's no big deal and I put them right if I can be bothered

NoBiggy · 09/09/2008 23:03

It bloody has got the address on it you know!

I just looked, there was the usual address of mother and father.

DoNotAnnoy · 09/09/2008 23:13

Has it?

Never noticed (but then it arrived, I filed it, got it out to apply for passport and filed it again when it came back...not somehting I have studied)

That wouldn't be vaild proof of address though cos things used for proof of address have to be dated within teh previous 6m (i.e. to try and make sure you havn't moved recently.

The address on the birth certificate is probably about national records & statistics.

NoBiggy · 09/09/2008 23:31

Also has my place of birth and occupation.

Fascinating for my descendants researching family history, I daresay.

cat64 · 09/09/2008 23:44

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Original poster

Charlene1 · 09/09/2008 23:58

scaredof - i was shocked they actually check addresses of carers - our LEA only does it if they think you are lying to get in a school and you dn't live in the area, so that's why I was shocked that the one on the link did it as standard - and I do believe you!!!

OP posts:

Flibbertyjibbet · 10/09/2008 00:11

The school we just applied to states in its 'prospectus' that they check addresses.
But my friend whose dd is also going next sept with my ds, lives next door to the school secretary. They don't actually routinely check addresses as standard, they just SAY they do, to put people off putting a false address. Then if they do have reason to check an address, they can.

janinlondon · 10/09/2008 09:40

"legally British" ?????

nervousal · 10/09/2008 09:44

lol as opposed to "illegally British"? I suppose??

hippipotami · 10/09/2008 09:45

Yes, we had to provide a copy of the birth certificate when we accepted the dc's places at school.
It is to do with funding. Schools need to prove which children they have on the register adn what their ages are.
I also vaguely recollect that schools only get funding for Foundation Stage children in teh term before they turn 5. So again, teh birth certificate is proof of the children's ages.

neverforget · 10/09/2008 09:46

My dds school ask for it for funding in reception for those under 5.

We had two cousins in a class I used to teach in, one was quite obviously a year too old for the class and the other was quite obv in a school year above where they should have been, parents had lied so they could go in the same class together. This was proved and the children were moved to the correct year after much agro.

Anchovy · 10/09/2008 09:49

Interestingly we had a call from our HV after DS was 5 (who is very nice but I haven't had anything to do with since weigh-ins stopped) asking where DS was at school.

He is at a private school and I think they don't have the same regime (although we could do, because we have to take in birth cerificates for Nursery Grant every sodding term).

I think they were doing a cross check to make sure that children registered with drs are all accounted for at school/schooling. Which may sound a bit brother'ish, but I actually thought it was fairly heartening to know that there weren't huge cracks that children could fall through without someone saying "hold on, shouldn't he be at school".

Madsometimes · 10/09/2008 10:10

I think it may be a best practice, child protection thing. Did anyone see on the news last night that a 21 year old man had lied his way into a school pretending to be 13 and then ran away with his 13 year old girlfriend? On balance it is probably not a bad thing to have to show birth certificate, and I am someone who is very sceptical about big bro snooping, databases etc.

Saggarmakersbottomknocker · 10/09/2008 10:17

It's just to confirm DOB.

Long version birth certificate has the parent's address at the time of the birth so isn't relevant, short version doesn't. School should be happy with the short version. The school don't routinely check where you live.

largeoneplease · 10/09/2008 10:49

We had to. It's just to confirm DOB and make sure you're not packing them off to school early.

Lucyjane29 · 04/10/2021 21:08

My ex partner was abusive and at 6 months old I took my son just got with nothing but the clothes on our back. I just thought having nothing better then this. His dad completeky out of the picture now. I put his dad surname on his birth certificate. I now call him by my surname. I'm so worried that when he starts school they going to want to call him by his legal surname. He going to get confused to who that name is. Is there not a away I can write preferred surname down?

Orchidflower1 · 04/10/2021 21:24

@Lucyjane29

Hey @Lucyjane29 just so you know this is a “zombie” thread. I’m sorry you went through an awful time. Well done for being brave. In terms of when your ds starts school, in England he will have his legal name only on the register and his end of year report but can be known as Micky mouse or anything else you like on books, make name cards, peg names etc. It’s only official documents that’s for legal names. If he has to see S and l for example or OT. Hope that helps 😀

Lucyjane29 · 04/10/2021 22:27

Hi so when the teacher does the register they would read out his legal name?

Orchidflower1 · 05/10/2021 06:12

No they would have a known as name to call out and the teacher would know that corresponds to the child.

As part of my job, I visit various schools and this has always been the case. Eg it says Fredrick on the register but the teacher calls out Freddie. I did go in to observe a child when the class had a supply teacher and that was different. Most schools only call out the first name so that shouldn’t be an issue to you.

prh47bridge · 05/10/2021 08:05

I'm afraid OrchidFlower1 is wrong.

Schools must not use a "known as" name unless everyone with PR consents or there is a court order in place. If they do, they are breaking both the law and government guidance on the subject (which correctly reflects the law). Using Freddie for a child named Frederick isn't going to cause a problem, but using a different surname is illegal.

Of course, some schools will do it even though it is illegal. If the school co-operates, there will only be a problem if the father finds out and goes to court to get a Prohibited Steps Order. But don't rely on schools being willing to use a "known as" name for your child.

Orchidflower1 · 05/10/2021 08:48

That’s what I said - changing the first name @prh47bridge ALL documentation will be in legal name and ALL reports etc sent to school will be in legal name. Eg- If I observe a child called Suzanne Barton and in phonecall with parent they say “she’s known as Dixie “ the name part of a report will say Suzanne Barton but in the body may say “known as Dixie”. Suzanne Barton will be on the register but her teacher may call her Dixie Barton. That is perfectly legal.

StoatMilk · 05/10/2021 08:54

Pay you for printer ink and paper? Give over OP

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