I know, I know...
I really didn't want DD1 to go to a faith school. If other people want to bring up thier children within a faith, that is thier choice, but it is not ours. While we teach them to respect other faiths and belief systems, and of course we want them to have a good knowledge of the bible etc for cultural reasons, I really was not keen on sending her somewhere where she would be taught it as fact. But then I didn't want her at school full stop, so there you go.
However, we applied, on time, to the eight nearest schools (all the ones within a half hour bus ride) and none of them had a place. Eventually, just before the schools broke up for the holiday, we got a phonecall to say a place had come up at the outstanding-ofstead, right next to the ILs (who do a lot of childcare for us), academic reputation (which would fit with our family - not that we are all clever, but we are bookish) and loads of green space school where DH went to nursery. He didn't however go to the actual school, because it is Catholic, and his parents are not. In fact, nobody in our families is.
DH was very keen for her to go - he admires the work ethic that he says catholic schools have, he thinks she will get much better teaching in public speaking, the classics, latin and so on. I doubt that any primary state school does this, but the school does seem really nice, and it was pretty much the only option without her being sent to the other side of the city.
I asked on our visit about the catholic aspect, and the teacher reassured me that it is just two prayers a day. We prayed at my secular school, so that is fine, and I really don't mind her learning to cross herself etc. According to the admissions data, only about 40% of each year is Catholic anyway.
We decided that we would just not volunteer for churchy things (mainly because I wouldn't know what to do if required to do anything beyond bowing my head respectfully, and would feel a bit insulting towards the Catholics if I was to fake it, iyswim). With DD, we have gone for a "some people believe the bible is true, some people call God different things like Allah, some don't think he is real, and they are all fine" kind of approach.
Apart from that, we are fully behind the school, we go in to read, help with the fete, everything.
But this week, the homework was the usual reading book, sharing book, maths game, sound book, flashcards (sounds like a lot put like that!) and a letter to ask for the child to bring in something from their baptism. DD1 keeps crossing herself randomly, and there seems to be much more praying than I expected. The involved parents - PTA etc - all seem to know each other from church.
AIBU to be a bit, well, alarmed is the wrong word...wobbly...about all this? Does it carry on like this through the school? Should I be reading a book about Catholism to find out what on earth they do? I admit to knowing very little outside of TV.
AIBU?
to be getting alarmed at how Catholic the Catholic school is?
ButterP · 18/10/2011 01:22
OP my son is in a Catholic School (by choice) and there is about the same mix of Catholic/ non Catholic. He too has had the 'Baptism' homework and the ones not baptised were asked to bring in a piece from being a baby.
DS1 also attended the same school with the same mix 20 years ago so when it came to things like First Communion there were not really 'left out' as there were a number not taking part. The DC's doing First Communion went out to do a seperate lesson. All the school attended the Mass I(in school) for FC and those not of the faith go up and are blessed, as are the younger ones.
If I attend school Masses or Assemblies I tend to sit at the back (well usually only two rows of seats anyway) and join in as and when I wish. Not all, even the Catholic parents, take Communion so you wouldn't be the only one and I dare say no one would notice if you didnt take part.
Both my DC's got a place easily at this school as at the time of applying it was undersubscribed (and numbers have gone down from 150 in DS1'S time to 80 now). There was a while when even Catholic children couldn't get in, (just after the first SAT's where the school scored well).. They are back to taking allcomers now 
haven't read all of this but my children are Catholic and attended Catholic primary school but secular secondary. The understanding in attending the Catholic primary is that ALL children are expected to attend Mass regardless of faith.If you don't like it, don't go there. However all faiths are studied - Ds recently brought home a card to celebrate Jewish new year, and has studied Islam and celbrated Diwali, even though almost all the children are Catholic, or Christian. When the Catholic children are preparing for the sacraments, then non-catholic children do other work but along a similar theme of caring for others, sharing, being kind. A few years ago, the children put on a play in the Church and the role of Jesus was played by a Pakistani Muslim!
I can't get over how often you have to post on a thread to point out something that was obvious in the OP and people still don't get it 
choice isn't something everybody has when it comes to schools
most parents I know have put their children in the failing, least-value-added secondary in the country; it's not because they like the idea of their children getting a poor education: it is because every other school within travelling distance is oversubscribed and bursting at the seams
so if you can't afford private, it's Hobson's choice
which seems to be pretty well the situation the OP finds herself in
we got dcs into a better school on medical grounds but I wouldn't have the sheer cheek to go round telling my friends that "well, what do you expect if you put your child in a school with that reputation? "
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