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| Version 8 | Version 9 |
|---|---|
| Crackdown on school place cheats | Crackdown on school place cheats |
| (about 23 hours 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. |
| In his government-commissioned report Dr Craig said currently people had "nothing to lose" if they lied to get a place, but he stopped short of calling for school place fraud to be made a crime. | In his government-commissioned report Dr Craig said currently people had "nothing to lose" if they lied to get a place, but he stopped short of calling for school place fraud to be made a crime. |
| It is a form of theft and surely we ought to be saying wherever we can that this is not right Dr Ian CraigEngland's Schools Adjudicator | It is a form of theft and surely we ought to be saying wherever we can that this is not right Dr Ian CraigEngland's Schools Adjudicator |
| 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. |
| However, he described lying to get a place at a good school as a "theft" because it deprived another child of that place. He called on the media to send a message to parents that this was wrong. | However, he described lying to get a place at a good school as a "theft" because it deprived another child of that place. He called on the media to send a message to parents that this was wrong. |
| The detail of how parents could be deterred, and any sanctions to be taken against those that make misleading or false applications, are to form part of a second report ordered by the Secretary of State, Ed Balls. | The detail of how parents could be deterred, and any sanctions to be taken against those that make misleading or false applications, are to form part of a second report ordered by the Secretary of State, Ed Balls. |
| In the meantime he urged councils to make use of their ability to remove school places from children whose parents had been found cheating. | In the meantime he urged councils to make use of their ability to remove school places from children whose parents had been found cheating. |
| 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. The case was denied and later dropped. | 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. The case was denied and later dropped. |
| False addresses | False addresses |
| Dr Craig asked the 150 English education authorities to provide information on the scale of fraudulent or misleading applications their area. | Dr Craig asked the 150 English education authorities to provide information on the scale of fraudulent or misleading applications their area. |
| Two-fifths of the 123 councils that responded to Dr Craig's inquiry said the problem was a growing one, with some authorities reporting as many as 100 cases. | Two-fifths of the 123 councils that responded to Dr Craig's inquiry said the problem was a growing one, with some authorities reporting as many as 100 cases. |
| In total 1,100 incidents where local authorities had taken action were reported by these 123 councils. | In total 1,100 incidents where local authorities had taken action were reported by these 123 councils. |
| Dr Craig said if this was extrapolated across the remaining councils the number would be more like 1,300 cases. | Dr Craig said if this was extrapolated across the remaining councils the number would be more like 1,300 cases. |
| Officers then said they believed they were only catching about half the number of school place cheats. | Officers then said they believed they were only catching about half the number of school place cheats. |
| Dr Craig said: "The majority of parents are honest. If we put this in the context of the 800,000 reception class entries and about 800,000 children transferring to secondary school. | Dr Craig said: "The majority of parents are honest. If we put this in the context of the 800,000 reception class entries and about 800,000 children transferring to secondary school. |
| "That's 3,500 out of about one to two million school place applications." | "That's 3,500 out of about one to two million school place applications." |
| 'Marriage breakdowns' | 'Marriage breakdowns' |
| He added: "It is a form of theft and surely we ought to be saying wherever we can that this is not right." | He added: "It is a form of theft and surely we ought to be saying wherever we can that this is not right." |
| He blamed parents and not the schools admissions system for the problem, saying: "This is about the parents bending the rules and not telling the truth." | He blamed parents and not the schools admissions system for the problem, saying: "This is about the parents bending the rules and not telling the truth." |
| But he said there needed to be consistency between local authorities about what, for example, could be deemed a "permanent address". | But he said there needed to be consistency between local authorities about what, for example, could be deemed a "permanent address". |
| Ways of cheating included using relatives' addresses and renting a property for the duration of the application. Parents also faked marriage breakdowns and used vacant properties | Ways of cheating included using relatives' addresses and renting a property for the duration of the application. Parents also faked marriage breakdowns and used vacant properties |
| 'Small minority' | 'Small minority' |
| Mr Balls said he was reassured that the vast majority of applications were honest, but he was concerned some places were being obtained by deception. | Mr Balls said he was reassured that the vast majority of applications were honest, but he was concerned some places were being obtained by deception. |
| "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." |
| Shadow schools minister Nick Gibb said he did not condone parents making fraudulent claims but that the government was dealing with the symptoms rather than the causes of parental dissatisfaction. | Shadow schools minister Nick Gibb said he did not condone parents making fraudulent claims but that the government was dealing with the symptoms rather than the causes of parental dissatisfaction. |
| Liberal Democrat schools spokesman David Laws claimed the government was in a complete muddle over the issue and considering a media campaign to highlight this issue. | Liberal Democrat schools spokesman David Laws claimed the government was in a complete muddle over the issue and considering a media campaign to highlight this issue. |
| "It is wrong for parents to cheat the system. However, the problem is more likely to be solved by creating more good school places than a daft media campaign." | "It is wrong for parents to cheat the system. However, the problem is more likely to be solved by creating more good school places than a daft media campaign." |