TRYING TO BEAT THE SCHOOL SYSTEM
A third of parents would consider moving home to beat school ‘postcode lottery’
(1st September 2008)
With the 2008/09 academic year upon us, children will be starting at new schools this week up and down the country. However, with nearly a fifth(1) of kids (18 per cent) expected to miss-out on a place at their first choice school and a further seven per cent not even receiving an offer at one of their first three choices of schools, parents are having to go to extreme lengths to secure their child’s first choice of school.
New research(2) conducted by Sheilas’ Wheels home insurance reveals that, despite the credit crunch and current housing market woes, a shocking 33 per cent of parents would consider moving home to secure their child a place at their first choice school. However, less than a quarter (24 per cent) of parents polled said they would consider appealing.
Five per cent of parents with children aged between 4 and 16 said they would even buy an additional property in the catchment area of their favoured school to guarantee their child a place.
Perhaps even more surprising is that approximately a quarter of a million UK parents (261,694 or 4 per cent) would consider changing their religion to secure their child an offer at their first choice school, with three per cent prepared to baptise their child solely to gain entry into a Catholic school of their choice.
Nearly one in ten (8 per cent) parents would also consider trying to ‘sweet-talk’ the headmaster or decision-maker at their chosen school, and more sinister, an estimated 65,423 (1 per cent) of UK parents are prepared to resort to bribery.
Top worries for parents if their son or daughter was not offered a place at their first choice of school:
• Their child would not receive such a good, well-rounded education (34 per cent)
• Their child would not be with their friends (15 per cent)
• They would have to make a longer journey to take their child to school (14 per cent)
Jacky Brown at Sheilas’ Wheels home insurance, commented: “Our research reveals that parents would rather move house and resort to other extreme measures, rather than appeal for their child to attend their first choice of school. Given the number of children who will struggle to gain a place at their preferred school, it’s surprising that more parents aren’t prepared to fight the decision.
“Some parents may be puzzled by the process or feel that they don’t have the time or money to appeal. Sheilas’ Wheels home insurance supports parents by offering family legal protection which covers legal representation and guidance if their child does not get a place at their top school.”
Family legal protection is offered free to Sheilas’ Wheels home insurance policyholders for the first year when bought online. Policyholders receive up to £50,000 of cover for legal assistance which includes legal representation for a customer’s child if they do not gain entry to the school of their choice. Customers can make a claim under their policy, by phone or in writing. Policyholders will be asked about their legal dispute and will be provided with advice. Terms and conditions apply.
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About Sheilas’ Wheels home insurance:
Sheilas’ Wheels provides both buildings and contents cover – with a contents no claim discount:
• Alternative accommodation if utilities in the home, such as gas, water and electricity are lost due to events such as flooding and can not be lived in – for contents and / or buildings cover.
• New for old cover on clothes –reductions for wear and tear are not applied for clothing stolen or destroyed in the home (contents cover),
• Family legal protection – Free to policyholders for one year when bought online. For £18.99 policyholders receive up to £50,000 of cover for legal assistance. It also provides assistance in finding emergency registered childminders while the insured person is attending jury service, and legal representation for a customer’s child if they do not gain entry to the school of their choice.
• Pest cover – optional additional cover for the removal of grey squirrels, wasps and hornets’ nests, rats and mice from the home at just £1.67 per month.
• Optional Home emergency cover – cover for the call out charge and up to two hours labour and up to £100 (inc VAT) for parts and materials, and subject to an overall limit of £500 (inc VAT).
• For an additional premium, personal possessions cover away from the home provides cover for accidental loss, damage and theft of personal possessions that are temporarily removed from the home.
• Unlimited rebuilding sum insured.
• High market limits for contents in the garden – up to £2,500.
• High market limits for contents in outbuildings – up to £5,000.
Terms and conditions apply to Sheilas’ Wheels home insurance
For further information please contact the Sheilas’ Wheels press office at Mischief PR on 020 7100 9999 or email sheilaswheels@mischiefpr.com
Visit the media centre: www.sheilaswheels.com
Visit the official fansite for Sheilas’ Wheels: www.ilovesheilas.com
An ISDN line is available for radio interviews.
Notes to Editors:
(1) Figures based on last year’s government figures. Source: Department for Children, Schools and Families.
(2) ICM Research interviewed a random sample of 880 parents aged 18+ with children aged 4-16 by telephone between 19th - 26th August 2008. Interviews were conducted across the country and the results have been weighted to the profile of all adults. ICM is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules. Further information at www.icmresearch.co.uk
(3) 196,270. (There are 6,542,340 parents in the UK with children of school age according to the Office of National Statistics: Table S014, 2001 Census).
Lengths that parents would go to to secure their child’s place at school:
1) Moving nearer to the school (33 per cent or 2,158,972)
2) Appealing (24 per cent or 1,570,162)
3) Offering time to the school – such as joining the PTA (17 per cent or 1,112,198)
4) Using a relative’s address on the application (14 per cent or 915,928)
5) ‘Sweet-talk’ the headmaster / decision maker (8 per cent or 523,387)
6) Buy an additional property near the school (5 per cent or 327,117)
7) Change religion (4 per cent or 261,694)
8) Baptise their child to gain entry in to a Catholic school (3 per cent or 196,270)
9) Pledge money (2 per cent or 130,847)
10) Bribery (1 per cent or 65,423)
About Sheilas’ Wheels:
Sheilas’ Wheels was launched in October 2005 to offer women drivers cheaper car insurance and female targeted product enhancements. In February 2008, the brand moved beyond car insurance to also offer home insurance with product enhancements including alternative accommodation (buildings and contents cover) in the event of loss of utilities in the home (terms and conditions apply), new for old cover on clothes (contents cover) and family legal protection cover which also includes assistance in finding emergency registered childminders while the insured person is attending jury service, and legal representation for a customer’s child if they do not gain entry to the school of their choice (terms and conditions apply).
Sponsorship:
Sheilas' Wheels sponsors the ITV National Weather: “Whether skies are grey or blue, Sheilas’ Wheels could cover you.”
