Non catholic child going to a catholic school?

[mumaw]

Does anyone know if this would be possible? We're moving to a new area and there is a school in particular rated Outstanding by Ofsted that I would want to add as one of DCs choices.

Does he have to be baptised for this?

Tia

My DC went to a Catholic school for a while, they are Catholic, only 25% of the pupils were Catholic

If it's not a reception place or a year seven place that you are applying for at the normal time, then you have to be given a place if there is one. Catholic or not.

@FiveGoMadInDorset ah thank you. Wasn't sure if he had to be catholic or have one catholic parent

Not quite that simple. The best way is to look on the school’s own admission policy. Catholic schools often include a SIF (supplementary information form) which can include things like requests for your and your children’s baptism certs, which mass you attend, and a signature from the priest.

My children’s Catholic school is ofsted outstanding and over 80% Catholic.

There will be an admissions policy on their website. This will give you the criteria for over-subscription - work your way down the list until you see where your son fits. It will determine where he sits on the waiting list. In some schools, there will be ten children on the waiting list and this usually runs through in a year or so; in other schools, there will be a waiting list of hundreds. The admissions secretary will be able to tell you about this if you phone the school.

Cross-posted, Shouldcolder.

They could go there but they will be in a different rank from baptised children. You can find the ranking on line but it tends to be fostered (maybe adopted not sure) looked after the baptised children with siblings, then baptised children (not sure about within catchment are but I think it’s just baptised) then children with siblings in the catchment area then children in the catchment area. Please think about if you want to baptise your child though. A Catholic school is very different to others. We have assembly everyday which are very much “God based” although these are based on morals. Hymn practice is once a week and church very often. Yes they can be outstanding but it’s up to you how much they may be “indoctrinated”. What are your thoughts on religion?

Ah yes, they’ll be taught Catholic Things. Bear that in mind. Its not for everyone.

Yes as PP have said it's not that simple. You need to check out the admissions policy.
I think catholic children will be allowed admission before non catholic but it depends on their priority

If there is a space and no waiting list, the place must go to anyone who wants it.

If there is a waiting list it will be held in accordance with the admissions criteria which will almost certainly prioritise Catholic children. However that’s not to say that those on the waiting list would necessarily be Catholic either!

^^what ichoosewine said. Please don’t send your dc to a catholic school and then complain about how much catholic religion your child is being exposed to/taking part in. Even my catholic friends who send their son to a catholic school sometimes say the religious aspect seems to take over sometimes. I imagine to the non religious at the school, it might seem completely over bearing.

Thanks everyone.

I'm not particularly religious now as an adult, but went to a church school so learnt Christian teachings as a child.

I'm not particularly bothered about the religious aspect of things as I do want him to learn them anyway

I think it depends where you are. My DC goes to Catholic school (I am Catholic but DH is atheist), and only about half of the school is Catholic, but I gather from reading MN that in some areas Catholic schools are much more oversubscribed with Catholics. Priority for admissions will be given to children who have been baptised as Catholic, but remaining places will then be allocated according to the school's admissions criteria which might include having siblings, being baptised in a different type of Christianity or distance.

My daughter is in a catholic school and both me and her dad aren’t catholic. In fact in her class of 30 only 4 children are catholic.

Is this the admissions policy? What does it mean?

At the Catholic church my DB attends he has been complaining for over 30 years that people are getting their kids baptised just to get to a Catholic school.
the hypocritical bugger doesn't actually go to church

Some Catholic schools have very few non catholics in most years... Others it's more mixed with less strict requirements. Depends on area, popularity and birth rate.

Please go for a look around and key question to ask is about how school is different than a non church school. I went around 3 local Catholic schools and that question plus general feel made me realise one would be too religious for me to be happy. The other two I really liked as it was very much around being a supportive community and being a good person.

OP it means that Baptised Catholic children get a place before Other Children

Are you looking at applying for the school as reception or Y7? That means any Catholic children take precedence. They will likely ask for details of the priest and the church you all go to.
And Catholic is not the same as a C of E church school.

Your child will only get a place if it’s undersubscribed, op. As it’s rated outstanding this is unlikely to be the case.

Yes Maryann (not sure how to tag!) for me as a Catholic teacher in a Catholic school I automatically build it in to my whole day. Especially as there is the morning assembly then prayers before lunch/after lunch end of day. Plus Mass which depending on the year/school would be once a week. Plus there could be classes going to stations of the cross/exposition of the blessed sacrament. It’s a very different environment than a secular school (which I’ve also worked in) and there are many none catholic teachers and there is a massive difference in how they teach. It all depends on your attitude. In my school there are many different denominations and of course they are all welcomed but it is the attitude of the parent that matters. I often make comparisons as I believe all religions are important but we have some Muslims that don’t want their child to attend church so keep them out but I don’t think they realise the faith is intertwined in every day. So yes keep them out of mass but I see them in hymn practice singing their hearts out. I realise people will read this and think this is wrong but hey that’s my opinion.

The admissions policy you've posted means that your non baptised child will come after all other children.

It might not be an issue if they have places or not many on the waiting list but if they are outstanding then I doubt that's the case.

As others have said, you need to be prepared for just how big a deal religion is likely to be.

At DSs primary school there were prayers 5 times a day, and mass very regularly plus a very strict discipline. Some parents didn't realise just how big a deal it was, and moaned about it - don't be one of those!

Assuming your child is not baptised or a previously Looked After Child, you will come under the Other Children category, so bottom in terms of priority. It is likely that distance is used as a tie breaker (it should say somewhere in the policy) so you would be above Other Children who love further out, but below Other Children who live closer.

Again, this only matters for waiting lists for in year admissions.

It does also mean that if DC did get a place, any younger siblings would come after all Catholic children for admission.

Depends if it's oversubscribed or not. My nearest Catholic school you need to live in the parish and attend church regularly and even then you might not get in if there's lots of siblings. My old primary school is undersubscribed and hardly anyone put it as their first choice last year so most of the kids probably aren't Catholic.

(We're applying for primary schools in Autumn so I'm very clued up on my local schools at)