Principle is backed if not the method... (From Bournemouth Echo)

Principle is backed if not the method...

7:00am Saturday 12th April 2008

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LILLIPUT First School yesterday spoke out to distance itself from the council spying scandal.

However, it did back Poole council in its attempts to prevent families trying to falsely claim school places.

In a letter sent out to all parents, headteacher Julie Jeans and chair of governors Anne-Maria Lush said: "The headteacher and governing body of Lilliput CE VC First School are not responsible for administering admissions to the school and did not instigate the investigation into this case.

"The local authority has a duty to ensure that school places are offered to those parents who fulfil the requirements of the published criteria for a school."

The statement pointed out that when a complaint is received, the council is "duty bound" to investigate it and said in a small minority of cases it may be necessary to make an application to use the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA).

The statement concluded: "The local authority has to ensure that, in the interests of fairness to all parents, those with a genuine claim for a school place at their catchment area school should not be deprived of an offer of a school place by actions of a small minority of parents who are prepared to go to such lengths to secure a place, knowingly using fraudulent or intentionally misleading information."

Reaction from parents at the school was one of shock, though many also backed the council's reasoning, if not its actions.

Katy Waterman, 28, from Lilliput said: "If it was my child losing out on a place to someone not in the catchment, I would be angry, but I don't think the council should spy on people.

"I think it is over the top and there must be other ways to go about it."

Another mother, Nicola Ruggier, 48, said she thought the council's response was "awful" and it should spend the money on making sure schools aren't so over-subscribed.

Anthony Wolstenhulme, 62, whose grandchildren attend the school, said: "It is a very hard school to get into but spying is over the top."

Sue Warwick, 35, from Whitecliff, said: "I think it's important to make sure people are in the right catchment area but this is a bit creepy."

Another parent, who asked not to be named, said: "I know some people use slightly dodgy ways to get their children into the school, so it's only fair the council check. But I think surveillance is a bit too far."

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