School cheats and whistleblowing

[T.i.p.s.y]

Yoyo, that price is excessive and even a government official said it was "shockingly excessive".

[Alice Wonder]

The fact that their trying to stop parents cheating to get their child into their desired school highlights that there are too many undesirable schools.

Instead of making a song and dance about this side issue why don't they tackle the main problem which is to get all schools up to a good standard that would make parents want to choose them.

Then all children could go to their local schools and parents would not need to cheat, buy on the doorstep of the school desired pushing out other genuine local childein who have lived in the area for years. They would not feel compelled to tutor and use other methods to manipulate the system in their favour.

[sherry_d]

Instead of making a song and dance about this side issue why don't they tackle the main problem which is to get all schools up to a good standard that would make parents want to choose them.

Exactly I cringe everytime I hear these politician try and pass the buck to parents. I really condone parents who cheat the system but the government has to tackle these issues than pass the buck. In a way I just feel like I am also part of those cheating the system by sitting my DD for 11+. Why does it have to be that way?

[Looking for help]

It is impossible though with the diversity in this country, there are schools whose catchment is 'not as good' as other schools. The reasons are many and varied, and will impact results of the school. Results based league tables then identify schools with good results and highlight schools with bad results. There has been just released data suggesting that higher than normal numbers of schools are now classed only as 'satisfactory' or 'failing' by ofsted- this is due I believe to the new 'safeguarding children policies' just brought in, and also the fact that the ofsted grading now takes account of SATs results etc. I'm not saying that all schools cannot be made to perform to the same high standards, just that due to the world we live in they will not all be perceived by the public to be so.
I am no different, I have chosen the GS route for my children, and a very far away school as back up because I will not let my children become one of the more than 50% of children in my town who cannot get more than 5 GCSEs incl Maths and English - deep down I know they'd never be in that category wherever they went to school, but I cannot take the risk However I would not resort to cheating to get my child into a school, and I do expect there to be measures in place to prevent it.

[Gman]

TIPSY I would agree the quality of procurement in the public sector needs improving. However on the flip side, without this many private firms would be far worse off.

I can see in a good LA, that parents do lie, cheat, steal to get their children into the schools, but I fully understand their motivation.

These parents resort to this because they are priced out of the are.

Which is worse school by mortgage or school by dishonesty?

[Just1-2go]

Its a sad fact but there are a lot of parents who have little interest in education and the education system, due to their own upbringing or experiences. Where there is a large % of such attitudes concentrated in one area, a school will always have an uphill struggle to raise its standards.

(very controversial opinion, tried not to sound pompous)

[Snowdrops]

. I really condone parents who cheat the system .....

Did you really mean to say that Sherry D???


I really have great difficulty with anyone trying to cheat the system and if I knew of anyone doing it, I'd be thinking very hard as whether or not I'd inform the LEA.

It's not right, when everyone else is abiding by the rules, to cheat - just imagine if it was your child who lost a place at a school because someone was cheating, how would you feel then (a generic question, not aimed at anyone) ?

[sherry_d]

Snowdrops,

You are right I didnt mean that, I had to read the dictionary meaning of condone and its not quite what I wanted to say but I hope you got the gist

[Snowdrops]

I think you just omitted the words 'I don't' before the word condone

[Rob Clark]

As snowdrops says, the thing to remember is that this isn’t a ‘victimless crime’ – for every child who gets a place by cheating the system, another one is denied their rightful place at said school.

Of course we all want the best for our DCs, but that can’t include breaking the law.