Religious discrimination in CE schools admissions criteria - how to explain it to 7 year old?

[random12]

How do you explain to an 7 year old that they can't go to the same local village CE school as their friends because their parent (me) doesn't go to the right church?

It's a good introduction to the world of religious discrimination.

It's made me militantly opposed to the Church of England and pro-secularism.

The school's admissions criteria prioritises the children whose parents go to particular Churches. The other schools nearby are also CE :-/

[hellomarshmallow]

Keep it simple: it's a school for children whose parents go to c of e churches. I would try very hard not to get into a discussion about the ethics of the whole thing. Then arrange lots of play dates to keep the important friendships going.

[catkind]

I don't know the answer to your question, but this is why the state shouldn't be funding religious schools. Really sad for your DD. And presumably you're then lower down the priority list for the nearest non-religious schools as out of catchment/more distant.

[Dixiechickonhols]

200 years ago poor children didn't go to school and so churches set up schools so children could get a little education. They own the land and school buildings so they prioritise children whose parents go to church just like In the olden days. Is there any chance of a place once ics no longer applies in juniors. Sounds tough, how far are you having to travel to a non c of e one.

[MoreThanUs]

If it's a local school, couldn't your DC get in on other criteria? Unless the local churches are very popular and the school is very small, I wouldn't have thought the school was full of church-goers.

[C0untDucku1a]

How far down the list are you?

[GrimmDays]

Check the criteria and see if you can appeal based on it. My kids go to a c of e school and we don't attend the church. Very few people in the school do.

[smellyboot]

I'm baffled. Does your DC go to a different school as you didnt get in at reception entry due to not being CofE? Surely they have other friends?

You just say that you chose a different school as you are not CofE.
Same as my DC know they dont go to the RC school as I chose a different one. DC dont get into schools for loads of reasons.
The school is funded by the CofE church and until that changes, which it won't they can set admissions criteria that favour those who fill their pews.

[Edna1969]

My local CofE School will prioritise children from the village and have even gone over number to accomodate them all.

[Campfiresmoke]

Are you in catchment? Most C of E schools are priority to looked after children, siblings in catchment, catchment, siblings out of catchment, church attendance in that order.
What school were you offered and what criteria did you fit for the C of E school?
C of E school are generally very popular so you often have to live close. Was it religious discrimination or was it that you were in a low down criteria? Can you give us more information?
I wouldn't tell your daughter anything about the school you didn't get, just tell her great things about the one you were offered.

[nonicknameseemsavailable]

I really don't understand why it is an issue for a child to know about. We live exactly between a non denominational state primary, a CofE primary, a Catholic primary and a private primary. we know children at all of them, it makes no difference to the children who goes where and why. it is only an issue if you make it one.

[mycavitiesareempty]

If the child asks I do feel it's really important to give an honest explanation.

[peukpokicuzo]

Do you actually want to nurture a sense of having suffered injustice, and encourage your DD to develop a chip on their shoulder at the age of 7?

Your DD doesn't need to know the details of the system. Just that all schools have a limited number of places and not every child can go to their first choice.

BTW religious discrimination would be if you had to prove a religion to get a place. You do not. There is no test of faith or strength of religious enthusiasm. Just a record of whether or not you were in a specific location at specific times.

[RueDeWakening]

Campfire I'm not sure most C of E schools work like that - the two near me use looked after, younger sibling who attends linked church, child who attends linked church, siblings who attend other local anglican churches, other children who attend other local anglican churches, then "catchment" (straight line distance in this case).

They have never to my knowledge admitted anyone from the "catchment" category.

[halcyondays]

I'm confused, if there's already at different schools, I wouldn't have thought they'd query it much. In our street the kids go to about five differnet primary schools, nobody queries this.

[halcyondays]

They're not there's

[mycavitiesareempty]

It's not teaching them a sense of injustice. You can tell them "the school has chosen to give higher priority to those who practice that religion. Some people do think it's an injustice. Some people don't." That's just factual. If we don't teach our kids about different ways of seeing the world and about critical thinking, how do they learn this vital skill??

[catkind]

Halcyon and nonickname, in towns it's much more common for kids to be going all over the place to school. From the little OP has said this sounds more like a village with a single school. Where friends live all the local kids run around together and all go to the village school. A child not going to that school would feel really left out.

As regards different entry criteria - our local C of E has 15 community and 15 church places. But community places are mostly taken up by siblings of church place children! Because there are nominally community places it is an assigned catchment school, pushing you to the bottom of the list for any other schools. Nice little twist of the knife there. Oh and local schools prioritise catchment over siblings, so even if you get one in somewhere it's no guarantee for subsequent children.

[BackforGood]

Agree with others who say it just isn't an issue for 7 yr olds, unless you choose to make it one.

[CrazedZombie]

Keep it matter of fact/factual. We go to X church and the school is for people who attend Y church.

As you attend "the wrong church", I'm assuming that the new school will be great.

[mycavitiesareempty]

It was an issue for my 7 yr old.... they are kinda interested in beliefs and social justice at that age....

[Strix]

You could start by not referring to it as discrimination. Unless you want her to describe it to her CofE friends that way. They will probably repeat it to their parents. And you will have more issues than a different school.

[BarbarianMum]

But it is religious discrimination. If you are a Christian you might be able to go, if you aren't then you go to the back of the queue.

[lougle]

"Some schools have decided that people who attend church will benefit from an education which is from a church school more than those who don't, so give priority to people who attend that church.

They tell everyone that rule at least two years in advance, so that even if people don't believe the same as them, they can follow the rules, and still get into the school just by attending the church - they don't actually have to believe the things the church teaches to get into the school, they just have to show up as many times as the rules say they do, for as long as the rules say they do.

People who really want to get into the school and are willing to follow the rules will do that, even if they don't believe the same things as the church. People who don't, will just moan that it's religious discrimination."

[mycavitiesareempty]

It isn't discrimination in the legal sense, i.e., under the Equality Act 2010. But you could see how it could easily be, had faith schools and authorities not been succesful in gaining exemptions from parts of the Act.