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More parents lying for school places
There has been a large increase in the number of parents giving false addresses in order to get their children into high-performing schools.
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Home » News » Issue 5 June 2008
More parents lying for school places
There has been a large increase in the number of parents giving false addresses in order to get their children into high-performing schools.
An investigation by the Local Government Association (LGA) found that, of 31 councils surveyed, 24 had experienced an increase in the number of parents caught lying on application forms. Most of the bogus applications were based on false addresses within the catchment areas of popular schools.
Although the numbers remain low, council leaders are concerned about the increasing number of parents prepared to break the law. The numbers detected in 2007/08 were three times higher than the previous year and nine times higher than in 2005/06.
The worst-hit council was Richmond Upon Thames, which saw the number of such incidents rise from five to 50 in three years. Others affected include Cheshire, Coventry, Bristol, Trafford, Poole and Gloucestershire.
It is illegal for parents to lie about where they live to get a school place and they risk prosecution under the Fraud Act 2006.
Councillor Les Lawrence, Chairman of the LGA’s Children and Young People Board, said: “Councils are taking this very seriously because they are elected to put local people first. It is every parent’s nightmare if their child fails to get a place because another parent has lied to get their child into a school instead.”
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Quote PS0118
It is every parent’s nightmare if their child fails to get a place because another parent has lied t(...)
Cllr Les Lawrence, Chairman of the LGA’s Children and Young People Board