admission fraud

[Guest55]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-34014556" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Looks like an interesting programme tonight ...

[ToadMum]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-34014556

Looks like an interesting programme tonight ...

I have a feeling something similar has been on before?

Wonder how many folk have already responded to the BBC's invitation to boast about how they did it themselves?

[Tinkers]

Admissions fraud was covered as one of the issues in The Big School Lottery a few years ago.

[Sally-Anne]

Oh, dear. The case of the boy who may have missed out because of "pew jumping" has got to me.

IMHO, faith schools have always been far too trusting and lenient in their definition of what constitutes regular worship, but I'm not sure that abandoning the criterion completely is the way forward.

Otherwise, the documentary was an interesting insight into admissions fraud beyond the grammar school system.

<turns telescope the right way round>

[Daogroupie]

11 out of the 20 did not set foot in the church after getting their offer in March.

If you leave the house you applied from before starting in September then that would endanger your place, so if you leave the church you applied from the day you get your offer that should also endanger your place.

The family who thought it was ok to rent a 2 bed flat 200 metres from the school and then still be living in their large detached house some miles away would have got away with it without the fraud team.

The parent who thought she could claim benefits in one borough and a distance school place did not take council records into account.

Very sad that the family from the church who had been regular attendees for two generations failed to get the place, but she was some way from the school and if the church abandon the church places she would have even less chance.

Interesting that Havering Council seemed very aware and quite used to using the term "educational tourism" DG

[Tolstoy]

Haven't seen the program so could someone tell me how long you have to have been a regular worshipper for it to count?

[Tinkers]

DDs primary school asked for a year, of at least once a month. To my mind that's not enough.
Twice a month for at least a couple of years would be better, along with withdrawing of places if you stop going. Real church goers wouldn't object to that I don't think.

(Edited to change months to years. I was in the car trying to navigate at the time)

[ToadMum]

DDs primary school asked for a year, of at least once a month. To my mind that's not enough.
Twice a month for at least a couple of months would be better, along with withdrawing of places if you stop going. Real church goers wouldn't object to that I don't think.

Our Scouts 'hang out' at a local United Reformed Church. As that was something we knew was part of the set-up, even as a family of atheists, our DC were all there at church parade every month - probably the only ones who were, apart from four children whose families were members of the church anyway. What with yours truly helping with the post-service refreshments for quite a few months, we would almost certainly have qualified for local faith school places, had we wanted them. Which of course we didn't.

A couple of years ago, monthly church parade became 'very sporadic church parade'. I did wonder at the time whether the new minister wanted to knock on the head any possibility of those less scrupulous than us taking advantage .

[Tinkers]

Catholic schools often ask for baptism certificates as well. The baptism also has to be within a few months of birth, so no 'finding religion ' later either

[yoyo123]

Our Catholic school asks for baptism certificate if child is Catholic.

For other faiths "Evidence of membership of the faith provided by a priest, minister or religious leader of a designated place of worship will be required".