PARENTS have had their child’s school place withdrawn after lying on the application form, figures reveal.

As the applications open this month to apply for secondary school places, Hampshire County Council is warning parents and guardians not to give false information, or they risk losing a school place.

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Figures obtained by the Gazette through a Freedom of Information request show that the number of parents caught lying on application forms for school places is very low.

Since September 2019, just five school places for infant, junior and primary schools were withdrawn after parents were caught lying, and for secondary school places none were withdrawn.

Two of those withdrawn by the county council were in the school year 2019 to 2020 – one at an infant school and one at a primary school.

Two were also withdrawn in 2020 to 2021, both at primary schools. For the most recent academic year from 2021 to 2022, just one place was withdrawn at a primary school.

All five school places were withdrawn because a false address was provided on the application form.

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A spokesperson for Hampshire County Council said it takes fraudulent applications “very seriously”.

They added: “The vast majority of Hampshire families give a genuine address when applying for a school place, which helps to ensure that places are allocated fairly.

“However, a very small minority of people each year have places withdrawn because they have given a false address.

“The county council takes this issue very seriously. We investigate all allegations of false addresses, and we do take action where necessary.”

Information on Hampshire County Council’s website advises that an address provided on an application form for a school place “must be your child’s permanent address on the application deadline (even if you are planning to move after this date)”.

It warns that the address of a business, workplace, relative or childminder “will not be accepted”.

Where parents are separated and a child lives at more than one address, only one address can be used.

The council advises: “This must be the address of the parent with whom the child spends most of their time.”

Applications to apply for a secondary school place for Year 7 starting in 2023 open on September 12 and close on October 31.

Applications to apply for an infant or primary school place for Year R starting in 2023 open on November 1 and close on January 15, 2023.