ATL

School report calls for whistle-blowing hotline

11 March 2010

A hotline should be established to enable people to report parents who may be cheating to secure their child a place at a top school, a new report has said.

The report, by England's Chief Schools Adjudicator Ian Craig, also recommends local councils make random checks on 10 per cent of all school applications in a bid to crack down on fraud.

Commenting on the report, Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families Ed Balls MP said: "I take this issue very seriously and am keen to address it.

"I am reassured that only a tiny minority of parents apply dishonestly [but] I am also clear that every place gained by deception is denying another child their rightful place."

Further recommendations made by Dr Craig include a clear indication of the consequences of fraudulent submissions in school application guidance issued by local authorities to parents.

School adjudicators are public appointees of the schools secretary, but work independently of the Department for Children, Schools and Families.