So we did not get DS1 into any of the Catholic Boys Secondaries, and the reason was the baptism criteria. This will also be the case for ds2

.... and 2% low attainers........

Has Cardinal Vaughn changed then? It appeared to have 71% high attainers last year......

"Unfortunately anti-Catholic bigotry gets trotted out on many threads relating to Catholic schools. Ignore it."

Such a stupid thing to say!

And that's not 'anti-Catholic bigotry' by the way. I'm very equal in my dislike of all faith based admissions (and actually brought up a Catholic myself). Sometimes it can seem as if people are anti-Catholic in these discussions, but I think it's actually because the most egregious criteria do tend to be in Catholic schools such as Cardinal Vaughan (which has a truly shocking percentage of low attainers entering y7).

Hello Pure, I think it's a shocker that you didn't get in because your boy didn't get baptised in time.
But then it's even more of a shocker that a looked-after child won't be given priority unless he or she is a Catholic looked-after child.
And, frankly, if I'm going to object to those criteria then why not to any criteria that refers to the religious beliefs/commitment/sussed-ness of the parents.
That's the thing, you can't object to one rather petty rule (e.g. baptism) and not object to them all. Having any faith based admissions is utterly illogical. I'm really sorry (genuinely) that you haven't got the school you want, but I think it's unfair that you had far more options than those of us without faith in the first place.
And I really despair of this business in Richmond. I mean god forbid that a Catholic school should have to give half its places to heathens in an area with a desperate shortage of school places...

I think it is unlikely you will get DS2 into CVMS. He was not baptised within 6 months of birth and your reasons in his case don't seem to justify making an exception. Sibling priority will not override that. You have a better chance with Gunnersbury who do not appear to require baptism within 6 months. If that is correct DS2 should get in on sibling priority.

Unfortunately anti-Catholic bigotry gets trotted out on many threads relating to Catholic schools. Ignore it.

Be happy that your DSs are getting a far more balanced, rounded and less bigoted education by not going to a RC school.

Why are you not interested in going for the new Catholic school - they must have plenty of space because non Catholics have been offered it, I hear. Isn't that the purpose of this new school - to provide capacity for families like yours? It can't be too far away, given the other schools you mention

edam - Just for clarity, there is no requirement for any schools to give priority to children on social/medical grounds. Many do but it is by no means universal. With regard to looked after children, many faith schools do give top priority to all such children. I have a lot of sympathy for the view that all should do so.

sashh - It is highly unlikely a challenge to the admission criteria on the grounds you suggest would succeed. The school is required to have an objective method of determining whether or not a child qualifies under faith based criteria and has certain exemptions from equalities legislation to allow them to do this. Since the Catholic church requires infants to be baptised "within the first few weeks", a requirement that a child be baptised within the first 6 months to gain priority is perfectly acceptable.

sashh One of the schools OP is applying/appealing to serves a large Polish community and the diocese have used their increasing need for places to assert that people who live in OPs vicinity will no longer be able to get places at that school and so a new school will be needed, though not for some years (so the new school was not needed just desired and therefore they didn't have to go through the Free School process . So clearly they are planning for Eastern Europeans to continue to be able to access the school in increasing numbers in spite of the admissions criteria pure www.richmond.gov.uk/home/council_government_and_democracy/democratic_processes_and_events/browse_committee_documents.htm?mgl=ieListDocuments.aspx&CId=163&MId=2758&Ver=4 these are the minutes in which the Bishop and Paul Barber the diocesan education officer make the assertion about rising birth rates in West London. It doesn't specifically mention Ealings Polish community in the minutes but I am pretty sure Paul Barber was explicit about it at the meeting. There is a link to the webcam of the meeting so you can see exactly what he says. I have no idea if you could use it in an appeal but it certainly suggests that G may be relaxing the criteria. I don't know if you could follow it up with any Polish community organisations in Ealing, especially if your DH has Polish connections, there may be a community awareness of what you need to do to get around this?

Many popular Catholic schools use baptism by 6 months as an admissions criteria simply because they are swamped with genuine Catholic applicants and have to find a way of choosing between them.

To put it another way.

Many eastern Europeans do not baptize their child before their first birthday and this keeps those nasty ESOL children out.

OP

It is actually a form of racism, indirect, but probably still illegal, you could try that.

Admission the Rite of Reception, as it is called, is a process by which children, or adults, who have previously been baptised into a Christian church recognised by the Catholic church, may subsequently be received ( or admitted, if you like) into the Catholic Church. It is not a substitute for Christian Baptism.
As Admissions Officer for a Catholic school in a Diocese whose only requirement is for children to be baptised Catholics, or to have been received into the church through this Rite; no mass attendance, priests reference, flower arranging etc, I do find all these criteria dispiriting. The view taken by the Diocese here is that Catholic children have a right to a Catholic education, regardless of whether or not their parents have been able, or willing, to bring them to mass or to take part in parish life.

I was thinking of St John Bosco's current location tbh. Although surely when it moves it won't be much further in distance (if at all) than CVMS? Is St RR much different?

I think your reasons for wanting the schools you want is completely understandable. But their advantages are still linked to them being selective. It's much easier and feasible to provide strong pastoral care when all the pupils are all from supportive families.

FWIW, I have a choice of approximately one(1) secondary school unless we go private. Thankfully, it's reasonably well regarded but I've no idea if it's going to be the ideal school for my dc. I do occasionally hear tales of bullying etc, and I'm afraid I just have to stick my fingers in my ears and sing "lalala", whilst praying that it isn't the fate of my own offspring. Fact is, even at the supposedly happiest schools, there'll still be some children who are unhappy.

This is all really shocking. All stuff that isn't the child's fault. I hope Pope Francis sorts out the church.

There appears to be a little used mechanism which is called the certificate of reception into the catholic church. This is I am told is the correct way that a priest can confirm that they accept that a child was not baptised quickly after birth but is considered to be a practicing catholic.
I only know about it because it came up at an admission appeal. If parents are looking to get into a catholic school then can I suggest that they look into getting this certificate organised in plenty of time and that having got they formally ask the schools concerned to confirm that they will accept this as evidence equivalent to on time baptism. If the school does not accept it, even when you have got it, I personally would at an appeal be very minded to say that the governing body as the admission authority have not carried out their correct admission process under such situations,