has anyone sent their child to a faith school when they are not of that faith?

[janettargaryen]

I am considering sending my ds to a specific (non-Christian) faith school that has a very good reputation and because all the other schools in my area are very oversubscribed and I don't think he will get in elsewhere. The school is not very orthodox but it is a faith school and they accept applications from people who are not of their faith.

I just wondered if anyone has experience of sending their dc to a faith school where they are not of that faith (eg. Jewish, Muslim, Christian) etc? If so, how have your dc got on with the other children and did they find it strange going to a school that they weren't the faith of? Did they feel included? Was the experience positive or negative overall? thanking in advance.

All schools have to include religious teaching, there is no such thing as an atheist school.

Yes, I did. It was the nearest and had a good reputation for behaviour and good GSC to A level results. I worked with the husband of the school secretary and he recommended it to me. It was C of E school. We were not church goers and I wasn't even christened.

crashdoll - that doesn't mean that taxpayers aren't funding the school. Presumably, parents want to send their child to a good local school despite discriminatory admission policies.

GCE results

My son is Catholic and attends the Catholic school locally. Abut 40% of the children there are not Catholic. It makes for a healthy mix imho.

Most schools have discriminatory admission policies. You have to live in the catchement area, something a child has NO control over, much like their religion....

So if you want a faith school because you have the perception it is the school that disciplines (it isnt actually it's parents with a common mindset and values) if you all sent your children to the local comprehensive, you could through parent power, drag that school up by it's bootstraps.

In my opinion discriminating on the grounds of religion, ethnicity or disability is totally wrong crashdoll - ALL children should be able to attend their local school.

I wish that the collective worship aspect of my DS's school was a token gesture - they have god-botherers in there all the time all high on Alpha and Jesus etc. Might as well have sent him to a sodding faith school.

Imo religion should have no place in a state education system, beyond a cultural "this is what some people believe" kind of thing.

Of course it's wrong but discriminating on grounds of socioeconomic status is wrong too, yet you are not complaining about that.

Crashdoll, do you think that organisations peddling superstition to children should be state-funded?

if you all sent your children to the local comprehensive, you could through parent power, drag that school up by it's bootstraps.

Nice theory, but an individual parent cannot do anything, they have to work within the system as it is. Pretending to be religious is, for many parents, the best way to get their kids the best education.

Secondly, why would anyone want to send their child to a school that is 'discriminatory'?

Because they value their child's whole future more than a few years of taking the moral high ground and achieving nothing.

"peddling superstition..."

I refuse to rise to the bait and engage with you on this. For the record, I am not sure what I feel about religion but I respect everyone's right to believe and would never belittle their beliefs.

Ok then. Do think that organisations peddling religion to children should be state-funded?

I didn't want to specify the religion but it is a (very good) Jewish school that we are considering. We are atheists (but do things like Santa, Easter etc). It is not an Orthodox school though. I know Jews have a bit of difference between their culture/traditions and religion so I am trying to get my head around how this works educationally (I think there are quite a few non-religious Jews at the school).

Wallison There are no athiest schools. So, you'd better home educate.

Or go private.

Most faith school admission policies give preference to those of the faith and only give places to other faiths if the school is not oversubscribed. Have you researched whether you have a chance of getting into this school? I think I know the school you are talking about and know how difficult it is to get into.

For me the 'lure' of the faith school (remembering that we only have two primaries) was literally all about gut feeling. The two schools had identical OFSTEDs (satisfactory at the time, now both good), identical intakes (quite a lot of children coming in behind where they should be) and identical policies re uniform. So I went on the feel that the C of E school gave me - there was a warmth to the atmosphere, the children seemed happier and more relaxed, the teachers were more approachable.

No really a rational decision at all, but it has worked out really well for my DDs.

Many private schools are of a specific faith too, so home education for all those parents who are so anti-religion.

Even the non orthodox schools Jewish schools are pretty full on religiously and many aspects will be very different to a secular or Christian school. You can expect to be invited to the Chanukah show, to take part in the Passover Seder, to see you children on the sabbath table. They will come home singing Hebrew songs. There won't be a Xmas play, there won't be decorations and Xmas trees in school. They will ask you not to bring meat in packed lunches. Even if the school is not orthodox it will be very different. Don't let this put you off just go into it with an open mind. Jewish tradition and practice isn't confined just to RE lessons, it's an absolutely fundamental part of the school ethos even if it's not orthodox.