Secondary School App Lies

[Itsear]

For context there is an outstanding school in our area along with 2 requires improvement/special measures. My yr6 DS has a good friend that has told him and other mates that he is guaranteed a place at the best school as he is in the catchment. I know that he is not in the catchment and infact lives outside as his family moved a couple of years ago to get a big house in a cheaper area. His parents have also told other parents that they are guaranteed a place at the outstanding as they are in catchment. It all points to them using a fake (grandmothers) address and telling lies. I am not sure what to do about this?

Are there actually catchments? Most schools don't.
I'd say it more likely points to them being mistaken the way it works. If they're using a false address surely they'd not want to draw attention to them.

I wouldn't get involved.

I wouldn't get involved. False address or not, they are doing what they feel they need to give their child the best chance at life. Is it fair? No. But it's none of your business, chances are they'll be caught out.

But it's none of your business, chances are they'll be caught out.

It is OP's business if her ds is less likely to get a place because someone else has lied. How will they get caught out if no one reports them?

Thanks for your responses. In theory it could have an impact as if they admit outside of catchment we are a lot closer and have obviously applied for the outstanding. Of course there are children even closer that could suffer. My gut instinct is to just leave it but it does seem unfair, if we hear in March that they have got in I may take it further.

Email your local school admissions section in the council. You don't need to give your name. Give as much detail as possible. They'll investigate. You can send a letter in if you don't want to email. Much better to do it now than wait until March.

Plus, if it's outstanding and popular they are not always guaranteed a place even if they are in Catchment.

I think it's every man for himself when it comes to school admissions unfortunately

Or maybe he's guaranteed a place for other reasons but don't want you to know what those reasons are so use catchment as the reason?

Agree with nicebit - email admissions if it bothers you. It would bother me, I hate cheats. And if they're not cheating, no harm done.

I'd imagine if they were lying to be in catchment they wouldn't be telling people.

Unless they know they're moving soon, or think they are actually in catchment.

They may be mistaken or they may be planning to cheat on the application.

I’m saying mistaken as a possibility as there are sometimes myths flying around about secondary applications. I know a Mum who moved her DC to a primary closer to an Outstanding secondary, in the mistaken belief that would have more meaning than her address. In reality places are allocated by who lives nearest within the feeder school group and she has actually reduced her DD’s chances.

You and she will both find out about her guaranteed place in March.

That said, I don’t subscribe to the Mumsnet none-of-your-business mentality. Cheating the system isn’t victimless, it costs another child a school place. If I was certain someone had cheated, I would report them.

I think that would be quite spiteful if you did anything, unless your child didn't get a place and theirs did but at this point, don't be mean.

It wouldn't be spiteful at all OP. What you would be doing would be helping to ensure that all children get the place they are entitled to, not just yours. School admissions will investigate and take action if necessary. It may be like another poster said that their child is entitled to a place because of other reasons and if this is the case school admissions will already know about it.

Not sure why everyone has jumped to the conclusion that the other family must be using a false address.

I suspect it's more likely that the Y6 has got the wrong end of the stick (or possibly even that his parents have told him something that's not entirely true to reassure him).

I certainly wouldn't "do" anything, until I actually had some facts!

The number of families cheating the applications system is surprisingly high. Common ways are renting a property very near the school until then child starts in Y7, using a relatives address and saying the child lives there (and often change the addresses on child benefit recipients) or just plain lying. The people who do this are in the vast majority wealthier families who can afford to. In other words, those whose children are already massively advantaged.
It's morally reprehensible to facilitate a child in lying about such a significant thing.

Are there actual defined catchments?

Being in a defined catchment won't guarantee a place anyway, if there are more children in catchment than want a space...

If you are sure something is wrong, then do as others suggest and email admissions. It's pretty easy for them to check.

Are there defined catchments for this school? What is the exact wording in the admissions criteria?
Are you sure that there is not some other reason for this child being sure of a place? ex LAC? Statement naming this school? Religion etc? How well do you know the other family?

Bear in mind that this information has come to you third hand via two children. The chances of a misunderstanding/misinterpretation somewhere along the way are high.