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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
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| Crackdown on school place cheats | Crackdown on school place cheats |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Tougher action should be taken against the thousands of parents who lie to get their children into popular schools, England's school places watchdog says. | Tougher action should be taken against the thousands of parents who lie to get their children into popular schools, England's school places watchdog says. |
| Schools Adjudicator Ian Craig said an estimated 3,500 parents lied on school application forms each year. | Schools Adjudicator Ian Craig said an estimated 3,500 parents lied on school application forms each year. |
| Local authorities should use all means open to them to deter parents from cheating the admissions system. | Local authorities should use all means open to them to deter parents from cheating the admissions system. |
| This includes removing places from the guilty and pursuing them through the courts, possibly using the Perjury Act. | This includes removing places from the guilty and pursuing them through the courts, possibly using the Perjury Act. |
| Although Dr Craig said currently people had "nothing to lose" if they lied to get a place, he stopped short of calling for school place fraud to be made a crime. | Although Dr Craig said currently people had "nothing to lose" if they lied to get a place, he stopped short of calling for school place fraud to be made a crime. |
| 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 |
| He said he was not persuaded that the courts would use short-term prison sentences in such cases. | He said he was not persuaded that the courts would use short-term prison sentences in such cases. |
| He added that fines would not be effective against parents who could afford to rent a second property close to a popular school. | He added that fines would not be effective against parents who could afford to rent a second property close to a popular school. |
| False address | False address |
| The detail of how parents caught making misleading or false applications should be punished is to form part of a second report ordered by the Secretary of State Ed Balls. | The detail of how parents caught making misleading or false applications should be punished is to form part of a second report ordered by the Secretary of State Ed Balls. |
| This first report on "fraudulent or misleading applications" was commissioned by the government following the case of a mother accused of using a false home address to get her child into a popular school in London. | This first report on "fraudulent or misleading applications" was commissioned by the government following the case of a mother accused of using a false home address to get her child into a popular school in London. |
| She denied fraud and the case was dropped by Harrow Council. Children, Schools and Families Secretary Ed Balls asked Mr Craig to look at the issue as part of his annual report. | She denied fraud and the case was dropped by Harrow Council. Children, Schools and Families Secretary Ed Balls asked Mr Craig to look at the issue as part of his annual report. |
| Fraudulent or misleading applications include giving a false address on an application form, renting a second address near to a popular school or faking a marriage breakdown. | Fraudulent or misleading applications include giving a false address on an application form, renting a second address near to a popular school or faking a marriage breakdown. |
| 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 that 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 in a school that gives priority to siblings. | Other ways of cheating include pretending that 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 in a school that gives priority to siblings. |
| Mr Balls said: "I am reassured that the vast majority of applications are honest; but remain concerned that some places may be being obtained by deception while other children are being denied their 'rightful' place. | Mr Balls said: "I am reassured that the vast majority of applications are honest; but remain concerned that some places may be being obtained by deception while other children are being denied their 'rightful' place. |
| "I take this issue very seriously and it is vital that it is also taken seriously by schools, admission authorities, and parents. | "I take this issue very seriously and it is vital that it is also taken seriously by schools, admission authorities, and parents. |
| "The small minority of parents who break the rules must understand that obtaining a place by deception is not fair to everyone else." | "The small minority of parents who break the rules must understand that obtaining a place by deception is not fair to everyone else." |
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