Zoopla: Over a quarter of parents ‘lie or break rules’ to get children into their preferred school
Admission Impossible: Over a quarter of parents admit to ‘lying or bending’ rules to get their children into preferred schools
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Over a quarter (27 per cent) of UK parents admit to flouting the rules to get their children into schools, rising to 38 per cent in London
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The number who admit lying is on the up from previous years, likely impacted by the VAT increase on private school fees
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Some parents pay on average £65,000 more for a home in their desired catchment area, increasing to £115,750 in London
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Lying about home addresses (30 per cent) or pretending to be religious (25 per cent) remain the most common mistruths, while some temporarily rent or buy a home in catchment areas
The number of parents who admit to bending or breaking the rules, outright lying, or ‘playing the system’ to get their children into their preferred school has increased over the last three years, according to a new study1 from Zoopla, one of the UK’s leading property websites.
The study reveals that over a quarter (27 per cent) of UK parents admit to flouting the rules so their children can get into their preferred local school. This is an increase from 24 per cent in 2022 when Zoopla previously conducted the research. This figure increases to two-fifths of parents in London (38 per cent) where competition for school places is particularly high.
Table 1: Percentage of parents by region who admit to breaking or flouting the rules
|
Region |
Percentage |
|
London |
38% |
|
East Midlands |
33% |
|
East of England |
23% |
|
North East |
31% |
|
North West |
28% |
|
Northern Ireland |
26% |
|
Scotland |
30% |
|
South East |
19% |
|
South West |
20% |
|
Wales |
33% |
|
West Midlands |
27% |
|
Yorkshire and the Humber |
17% |
Several factors have likely contributed to the increase, including the addition of VAT on private school fees, a move that could see an estimated 40,000 pupils enter the state school system2.
Amongst those who bent the rules, 12 per cent said their children previously went to a private, fee-paying school, but the fees were no longer affordable, or that they intended to send them to one.
Of those who could no longer afford the fees, nearly half (45 per cent) said the VAT increase was the reason.
Doing it by the book can be costly
Not all parents bend the rules, with a fifth (18 per cent) choosing to move to the catchment area of their desired school. This can be costly though, with families paying an average premium of £65,333 for a home in their desired catchment area. This premium rises to £115,750 for families who moved within London.
However, some parents have taken a different approach. Ten per cent admitted to making ‘voluntary donations’ to the school ahead of applying, with the average amount parents ‘willing to donate’ being a whopping £17,800.
How do parents break the rules?
Given the high costs involved in moving to a desired catchment area, it is unsurprising that some parents choose to break the rules. Of the 27 per cent that admitted to flouting the rules, the most common form of deceit was registering children at another family member or friend’s address (30 per cent). This was followed by 25 per cent of parents who exaggerated religious beliefs and attended church services just to secure a school place.
Other parents have gone to extraordinary lengths to secure a place. One in ten (nine per cent) temporarily rented a second home inside the catchment area while seven per cent went even further and moved into the catchment area for the application, only to move out once their child’s place was secured. The form of breaking the rules that has increased the most since 2022 is using a family member’s address, which has increased from 21 per cent to 30 per cent.
What do parents think of those who break the rules?
Nearly half (48 per cent) of parents say they know of other parents who have bent the rules. However, there seems to be little justification with 53 per cent feeling that it’s an ‘unfair practice that needs to be stopped’.
Amongst those who know other parents who have cheated the system, a tenth (eight per cent) say they have ’dobbed them in’ and informed the school. Additionally, among those who do admit to cheating, 51 per cent feel guilty about doing so.
Daniel Copley, Consumer Expert at Zoopla, comments: “In 2022 we were shocked at the number of parents going to extreme lengths to get their child into their desired school, so it is even more surprising to see that number increase. It’s clear that the removal of VAT relief on private school fees is placing even more competition on school places, flouting the rules is even more endemic, no matter where you are in the country.
“Our Draw Your Search tool is a great way for parents to find homes for sale in the catchment areas of their choice. All you need to do is draw the area and we’ll do the rest.”
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