to think that there will be no lasting damage if I send my non RC DD to a RC School?

[thedollyridesout]

That's it really.

I have read the various faith school debates on here and I'm not quite sure which side I come down on.

I will not however be faking religion/lying in order to improve DD's chances.

It's just that I'm going to look around a Roman Catholic Middle School tomorrow that has an excellent reputation in the area. What bad thing/s could happen to DD if she went there?

[Mongolia]

Gosh! just imagine! she can become a Catholic!

TBH If you don't like the ethos of the school or if you are so scared of what could happen to here if she attends a faith school, be true to yourself and embrace the lesser options that you have.

I'm a Catholic and through out my life I always said I would never send a child of mine to a faith school. Then I moved to the UK, where religious indoctrination is not hammered into the children attending faith schools as it is in other parts of the world, and I realised I could put my fears to rest.

[nickytwotimes]

My ds is going to a catholic school when he is 5.
Our local one has about 30 % non catholics at any one time, both the primary and the secondary. The teaching staff are a big mix too.

It is a good school in that it gets good results but also does a lot of good community stuff. Also, the primary class sizes are small.

The religious stuff can be opted out of and stuff like extra masses, etc happen during extended lunch breaks.

I live in south west Scotland, well known for it's sectarianism, but have to say I haven't seen any evidence of kids being sectarian because of the school - it is down to knobbery on the part of their parents and to football. The kids in our street play together all the time, regardless of which school they attend.

[MaggieSultana]

god i wouldnt
all that holy water crap and anti aboriton crap

[nickytwotimes]

Oh, btw, I am a Catholic, just so you know my bias. DH is not, but is happy for ds to go to the school as he has worked in it and seen how good it is.

[tinierclanger]

Well I guess the damage might be ending up a Catholic! Not a burden I'd want to lay on my DC but if you want to take that risk, I guess the other benefits might be worth it.

[nickytwotimes]

Yes - the anti abortion crap is annoying. There are a load of us Tims involved in a pro-choice Catholic group though. And most catholics use contraception. The church is very out-of-touch, and I do struggle with this aspect of it very much.

[DecorHate]

Maggie, v unlikely either of those things would be mentioned at primary school. WTF is Maggie Sultana btw (not you but whoever youare called after I mean)

[PrammyMammy]

YABU.
What do you mean by "long lasting damage"??
If you think your child may be DAMAGED by attending a RC school. Why would you even consider sending her? What a joke.
The catholic school that i hope my dcs can attend is packed full every year. Lots of people are let down and their practicing children don't get spaces. Why would you want your child to go?
You will probably find that you will need to be practicing to get in anyway.

[thedollyridesout]

I've heard that the school is obliged to take a certain percentage of non RC DCs - how likely is that?

[Galena]

I went to a RC school from 7-17. I'm not RC, but CofE. I survived.

[Angelcat666]

I was christened catholic but would describe myself as agnostic nowadays.

My non christened daughter goes to a catholic school. It's a good school and the one she wanted to go to.

[fiveisanawfullybignumber]

I actually find it quite offencive that you are worried about bad things happening to your DC in a faith school.
I'm CofE, DH is Catholic, it's not some weird cult you know!
If you're worried about the "effects", let the space go to someone who'll appreciate it!

[MiladyDeWinter]

I was a Catholic child sent to Catholic schools and now I'm not. If that helps?

[fiveisanawfullybignumber]

Sorry Offensive, was typing in a slightly outraged hurry.

[nickytwotimes]

dolly, our catholic primary struggles to keep the numbers up!

The secondary does okay and there is not an official limit for catholic/non catholics, but there is a good chunk of non catholics and LOADS of non-practising.

[DecorHate]

No such obligation in this area. I've never heard of a child deciding to become a Catholic just because tthey went to a catholic school . IMO far more likely that an early exposure to organised religion will give them a healthy disregard for it.

[Littlefish]

I am CofE. I went to a catholic school. Admittedly it was a convent school, so probably more extreme, but we had the anti-abortion, guilt, stuff shoved down our throats.

I would want to be quite sure what level of the catholic religion was being displayed/taught/discussed before I made a decision.

[thedollyridesout]

Damaged in the sense of being spoon fed a particular type of religion to the exclusion of all others (bar the odd lesson about them). I suspect it will be no 'worse' than the Methodist school she has currently been attending.

[ChippingIn]

I think it depends if you can support what they do (prayers, religious songs, stories & activities) and what they are told (without any ). Personally I couldn't. Having said that, some are more 'religious' than others, so some might be OK & more like schools were when we were younger - the Lords Prayer, All things bright and beautiful - then a 'normal' day...

[StrictlyKatty]

Personally I will be sending my RC son to a RC school so he is taught in an RC way surrounded by RC people.

It really annoys me when non Catholics want to jump on the good school bandwagon! Find another school for YOUR religion or non religion.

[nickytwotimes]

Oh, fgs Katty!
That's a lovely christian attitude that is.

[Littlefish]

and at Strictly. What an appalling attitude.

[Mongolia]

I grew up in a catholic country and never heard of the Catholic Guilt until I moved to Britatin

TBH Very very veryfew catholics, follow the advice of the church to the letter, and when they do, most other catholics consider them extremist

I guess that happens with every single religion of the world.

[PrammyMammy]

I don't understand why yu would want your child to attend a rc school if you think they may be damaged by it. I really don't get it.

[StrictlyKatty]

Why? I wouldn't send my son to a Jewish school as I know it's important for Jew's to be educated in a certain way and as we do not practice Judiasm my son would be fulling involved in the school.

A Catholic school is for children who are practicising Catholics in my opinion and parents who send their children to them for results alone are not involving their children properly in the school and means actual practicising Catholics cannot get places...