I need some reassurance about my choice of shcool for my son.

[pepsi]

My son will start reception in Jan. Although we are not catholic we have decided on a catholic school as when we looked over the schools this one just felt right. the other school was nice too, but this one was much smaller, 100 fewer children in all. both are the same academically. We are not religious but am happy for our children to be taught the catholic faith. Im guessing that at primary level everything is very low key. I posted about this somoe time ago but it still niggles me. when people ask where he will be going and a say a catholic Ii get raised eyebrows and oh your not catholic are you, or I didnt realise they took non-catholics. I just need a bit or reassurance one way or another about if I am storing up problems for the future. It really is a lovely school and I have heard a bad word about it from anyone. Please help.

[Chandra]

A bad word about the school or a bad word about sending your chil to a catholic school?

I am catholic but I always thought I would never send a child to a religious school, however, at this moment my first choice it's a catholic one, but not because it's catholic but because I liked what the Ofstead report said about it. If you feel the school is the right school for your child don't pay attention to other people. I'm sure that there are plenty of non catholic children in catholic schools, and byt the way... we are not such a bad lot!

[happycat]

As you said pepsi it feels right so you must know in your heart that you have made the right choice.My children go to a c of e church aided school and I was faced with the same choice as you 4 years ago.( we have a school at the top of our road with the same grades e.t.c.it is a large school with 4 classes per year.My childrens school has 1 class per year with only 235 pupils in all the school.The head teacher knows all the children and treats everybody as a family which I feel is important and all the teachers know my younger sons name and they have never taught him.I think it is wonderful.The head even calls me by my first name and not mrs.. The school felt right to us the minute we walked in there was a carm attmosphere it is quite strict with high expectations of the pupils behavior but thats not a bad thing either.So I think you have made the right choice there.

[happycat]

Who do you get the comments from are they catholic mothers with children attending the school?

[muminlondon]

If you are happy for him to be taught in a catholic ethos, then congratulations for getting in at a good school. Where I live all the best primary schools by far are catholic. I didn't realise they accept applications from non-catholic parents. My sister-in-law's niece has just had her first communion through the primary school, and it was so sweet to see her there with her school friends it nearly had me converted.

[pepsi]

Chandra - I meant I hadnt heard a bad word about this particular school. It really did feel like the one when we visited, it wasnt my first choice but both hubby and I felt it had a lovely atmosphere and all the pupils looked really happy. Its people in general that give me the odd look, people at play groups and the like. I just wondered if it was a normal thing to do. Hope I didnt offend you chandra when you say catholics arent a bad lot ....sorry if I did. My son possibly has learning difficulties hence my concerns. I think the catholic school in question might be better for him as I believe it will be a more caring environment. I hope Im right. Im just a bit worried that he might find it all a bit confusing, but I tell myself that as we dont practice a religion at home he shouldnt question it. Oh Ive got myself in a state about it again.

[happycat]

We are not practicing c of e but my son gets on o.k.TBH I wish I had gone to a church school and it interests me.If you a not conflicting religions he has no reason to become confussed and he could teach you a thing or two. I go to most of the church services with the school now and church when I can.My son has SN and I feel in a smaller class/school they get more attention.Don't get in a state you really are doing the best you can.My friend is a govenor at a catholic school and they take other than catholic children too.

[happycat]

I don't have anything against larger schools and I am sure you would get good care but we felt that a smaller school was the right choice for us too.

[roisin]

I'm sure he'll be fine pepsi! And though the religious teaching will have an effect on every aspect of school-life, it will be fairly low-key. I'm sure he won't be 'indoctrinated' or anything

My dh is a Baptist minister, so the boys have always had a lot of exposure to 'religion'. Their school is not a church school, but does have a real emphasis on Christian teaching and values. But despite all this ds1 (7) is a complete agnostic. He certainly doesn't unquestioningly accept our beliefs, and we wouldn't want him to. Last time we discussed the matter he saw no reason to believe in heaven, God, Jesus, or anything the Bible says .

HTH

[pepsi]

As it happens the catholic school has 250 pupils, which means ds and then at some point dd will be in a class of we think about 20. In the other state school we have a place in the class is 28 minimum. The smaller size of the school does play a huge part in our decision. My problem is that Im sure the other state school would be good to as it is well up in the league tables. I lovve the current private school and would love for him to stay there, but boys can only stat until they are 7, so we would have to go down this road at some point. The private school for whenn he is 7, where we have a place, has now become a no go for us. It has an excellent academic record, but I have heard stories how boys have beenn unhappy there because of the pressue, they really work the boys hard. I want that for my son. Although money is not an issue for us at the moment, one can never be sure it wont become one and with two children it would be a pricey game. If ever the worse did happen and we couldnt afford private it would be really hard to move our ds and then find a good state school. I know my hubby doesnt want to live with that pressure. It will be nice to be able to send both children to the samme school......and a lot easier on the school run. Its never easy is it. Im very uneducated where religion is concerned so this will be a good opportunity for me to learn too. My dh believes that if our son is to struggle in life it may be that a faith may be of some help. Im going to start another thread to see if I can find another mumsnetter who isnt catholic who has a child in a catholic school to see if we are that different.