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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| School places cheating report due | School places cheating report due |
| (about 8 hours later) | |
| An investigation into the problem of parents cheating to get places for their children at over-subscribed schools is due to be published. | An investigation into the problem of parents cheating to get places for their children at over-subscribed schools is due to be published. |
| England's Schools Adjudicator has been examining the scale of the problem and the ability of councils to tackle it. | England's Schools Adjudicator has been examining the scale of the problem and the ability of councils to tackle it. |
| The probe was prompted by the case of a mother accused of lying about her address to get her child into a popular school in Harrow, north-west London. | The probe was prompted by the case of a mother accused of lying about her address to get her child into a popular school in Harrow, north-west London. |
| She denied lying and the case was later dropped by Harrow Council. | She denied lying and the case was later dropped by Harrow Council. |
| Children, Schools and Families Secretary Ed Balls asked the adjudicator, Ian Craig, to look at the issue as part of his annual report. | Children, Schools and Families Secretary Ed Balls asked the adjudicator, Ian Craig, to look at the issue as part of his annual report. |
| It's really important that parents who are properly playing by the rules aren't disadvantaged Ed Balls Children's Secretary | It's really important that parents who are properly playing by the rules aren't disadvantaged Ed Balls Children's Secretary |
| The report looks at whether the scale of the problem is more significant than had been thought, whether the powers authorities have to withdraw places are being used and whether they are sufficient to deter parents from unfairly playing the system and breaking the rules. | The report looks at whether the scale of the problem is more significant than had been thought, whether the powers authorities have to withdraw places are being used and whether they are sufficient to deter parents from unfairly playing the system and breaking the rules. |
| It also looks at whether any further powers are needed. | It also looks at whether any further powers are needed. |
| Fraudulent or misleading applications might include giving a false address on an application form or renting a second address near to a popular school. | Fraudulent or misleading applications might include giving a false address on an application form or renting a second address near to a popular school. |
| Some parents are said to have attended church for years, despite having little or no faith, to get children into a faith school. | Some parents are said to have attended church for years, despite having little or no faith, to get children into a faith school. |
| HAVE YOUR SAYI think I would go to any length to ensure my child got a good education, and did not go to a 'sink school' Bert, UK Send us your comments | HAVE YOUR SAYI think I would go to any length to ensure my child got a good education, and did not go to a 'sink school' Bert, UK Send us your comments |
| Other ways of cheating include pretending a cousin or even an unrelated child with the same surname - who is already in the school - is a child's brother or sister to secure a place through the sibling rule. | Other ways of cheating include pretending a cousin or even an unrelated child with the same surname - who is already in the school - is a child's brother or sister to secure a place through the sibling rule. |
| Announcing the probe back in July, Mr Balls said: "It's really important that parents who are properly playing by the rules aren't disadvantaged by some parents who break the rules or provide false information. That's not fair." | Announcing the probe back in July, Mr Balls said: "It's really important that parents who are properly playing by the rules aren't disadvantaged by some parents who break the rules or provide false information. That's not fair." |
| 'Cheating green light' | 'Cheating green light' |
| Harrow was the first council to attempt to prosecute a parent over allegedly lying on an admissions form to get a child into a good school using fraud legislation. | Harrow was the first council to attempt to prosecute a parent over allegedly lying on an admissions form to get a child into a good school using fraud legislation. |
| It abandoned the legal action after being advised that this legislation could not be applied to such cases. | It abandoned the legal action after being advised that this legislation could not be applied to such cases. |
| It called on the government to close what it said was a "legal loophole" and critics of the system said the situation gave "a green light to cheats". | It called on the government to close what it said was a "legal loophole" and critics of the system said the situation gave "a green light to cheats". |
| Harrow prosecuted Mrinal Patel for giving her mother's address when applying to Pinner Park First School for her son. | Harrow prosecuted Mrinal Patel for giving her mother's address when applying to Pinner Park First School for her son. |
| On the application form she said this had been her address for 14 years but she later admitted this was her mother's address and that she had only stayed there temporarily while she was separated from her husband. | On the application form she said this had been her address for 14 years but she later admitted this was her mother's address and that she had only stayed there temporarily while she was separated from her husband. |
| She later said this was because her mother had been living there for 14 years and that she had been "under a tremendous amount of stress" at this time. | She later said this was because her mother had been living there for 14 years and that she had been "under a tremendous amount of stress" at this time. |
| Getting closer | Getting closer |
| She said her biggest mistake had been not telling the council when she moved out. | She said her biggest mistake had been not telling the council when she moved out. |
| Some commentators believe the problem of parents trying to cheat the system is under-reported, while others believe it is a relatively small issue. | Some commentators believe the problem of parents trying to cheat the system is under-reported, while others believe it is a relatively small issue. |
| Last year a survey by the Local Government Association suggested the number of cases had grown over the previous five years. | Last year a survey by the Local Government Association suggested the number of cases had grown over the previous five years. |
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| Headmaster Norman Hoare used private detectives | |
| Poole Council was criticised after using new terror laws to spy on families suspected of putting false addresses on application forms to pretend they live closer to a chosen school. | Poole Council was criticised after using new terror laws to spy on families suspected of putting false addresses on application forms to pretend they live closer to a chosen school. |
| Three-quarters of councils surveyed said more parents had lied on their application forms. | Three-quarters of councils surveyed said more parents had lied on their application forms. |
| A Department for Children, Schools and Families spokesman said: "We've toughened up the School Admissions Code significantly to stamp out covert admission practices, which used to penalise families, and give every child a fair, equal and transparent chance to get into a school of their choice, regardless of their background. | A Department for Children, Schools and Families spokesman said: "We've toughened up the School Admissions Code significantly to stamp out covert admission practices, which used to penalise families, and give every child a fair, equal and transparent chance to get into a school of their choice, regardless of their background. |
| "We've given the adjudicator far-reaching powers to deal with breaches of the code and send out a clear message that all admission authorities must comply - no ifs or buts." | "We've given the adjudicator far-reaching powers to deal with breaches of the code and send out a clear message that all admission authorities must comply - no ifs or buts." |