To consider a Catholic primary school?

[MrsMuffins]

DH and I are not religious, however our nearest primary is Catholic and Outstanding. It also has space, so we would probably get in regardless of the fact that we don’t attend church. However, we would have some concerns - things like the amount of religion in the curriculum, how they teach sex ed and relationships, attitudes (amongst staff and parents) towards LGBTQ issues, etc. Would this be an issue? Would we feel part of the school community as non-churchgoers?

@mrsmoleofclare also I’m not sure what you meaning by expecting them to ‘teach your beliefs’?! I’d hope that they are able to be inclusive and open and loving, for example regardless of sexual orientation. I don’t feel that’s an unusual expectation nowadays, and I would hope that it would be the case for a Catholic primary, which many other posters agree with. But you seem to be suggesting otherwise - I’m just glad that you’re not the Head of the school, as you are clearly none of those things.

Well, now you know!

You can expect then to teach the Catholic religion, including ALL their beliefs what ALL their sacraments are for.

It's not up to you-prize though you may think you are-to say what bits your children will be attending.

@mrsmoleofclare wow, are you Catholic?! Because if you are an example of the religion then no wonder people are advising me to steer well clear. And it absolutely is up to me, as a parent, to say ‘what bits’ of my child’s education I think are appropriate or not.

My dgs attends a Catholic school. 10 dc in his class of 30 are Muslim, overall the school has less than 50% of children who are Baptised Catholic but has a very Catholic ethos . All dc attend Mass every week (parents welcome), pray the Rosary every day during May and October, have daily RE for 30 minutes and have prayers 3 time per day plus say Grace at mealtimes. In year 3 all Baptized Catholic children have lessons to prepare for First Communion, likewise in Year 6 for Confirmation. At Mass all Year 1 & 2 children are given a blessing as they sit, all older children go up to the Priest for either a Blessing or Communion regardless of their own Faith. Some Muslim families attend Family Mass on Sundays, which is led by DC from the school, if their Dc are in choir etc, some just drop their dc off with Catholic friends and collect them after Mass. Not all Catholic families attend Mass every week, or at all. Dc learn amout other Faiths for 2 or 3 weeks per year but Respect for other Faiths is always stressed, as are Christian/Human values. Relationship and Sexual Education is taught throughout the school and follows the Catholic curriculum - the school has a policy document outlining what is taught and how to each Year group.
From speaking to friends the amount of religion taught/practiced is pretty typical for a Catholic primary school, in our bit of the Country at least. I'm Catholic but didn't attend a faith school, my dd attended a Catholic secondary school which had voluntary Mass once per term and daily prayers which was more honoured in the breach. I was a bit surprised at how Catholic dgs's school is, as was my DD but she really likes the school as it is has a lovely, caring ethos and values (so do I if my view is relevent) If this seems excessive to you OP then I wouldn't send your Dc to a Catholic Primary.

Well, you hope I'm not the Head!

Catholics have their beliefs and they won't want to see your face up at the gates every day, moaning and complaining.

Put your children in a school that suits you and as you already have a long list of criteria about what you will and will not expect, a Catholic school is not for you: nor is an Islamist or a Jewish school.

There are many non-religious schools-don't foist yourself on a religious one.

No, it is not up to you to say what bits of a Catholic education may be taught to your children if you send them to a Catholic school!

Are you a bit dim!?

Our DC have attended Catholic schools. We are not Catholics. We chose a Catholic school which was, as school always is, a compromise between the different criteria that are important to us as a family and what is actually available. Part of the compromise is accepting that the school’s attitudes to some social issues are informed by a fairly conservative Catholic mindset. We do not challenge this except on the rare occasions that our DC have come home crying with laughter at how totally out of touch the school has been on a particular issue. We do then sometimes have a gentle word in the head’s ear, and that is mostly well received. But we are not out to challenge Catholic beliefs.

@Korvalscat gosh that seems like a lot! Thank you for the detail, it’s really helpful.

mrsmoleofclare

@mrsmoleofclare but being baptised and confirmed is not part of their education, it is part of their religion, which I have every right to opt out of. Attending a religious school does not entail being forced to take part in sacraments! Also, I have met the Head and she is lovely, so clearly not you.

But if its your only option be very clear, in writing, that you do not want your child involved in any religious worship or RE classes

Id imagine if you did that at a Catholic school theyd tell you to find another school.

@Redglitter I’m not sure they could?! But either way, I would have no intention of doing that, if we decided to send DS there then it would be because we are happy with him attending RE (as it’s taught in every school and focusses on all religions) and Mass, as that is part of the school life.

You mean she is lovely to your face!!

What are you going to do when the class is preparing for their first Sacraments?

Are you going to keep them in class with a sneer inherited from you?
Are you going to insist the school keeps them out of that class?
Are you going to say they may stay in class but only if the priest/teacher prefaces everything with ,'Some people believe...?'

Are you going to keep them at home?

What will you do when other parents/teachers/priest complain that your children are telling the others that none of it is real?

You sound insufferably arrogant. "I want them to go to Catholic school but I don't want them to be told Transubstantiation is a fact and I do want them to be told all about LGBT.'

You will be more trouble than you are worth.

Oh I know you werent considering that @MrsMuffins I was just surprised a pp suggested that. Id be surprised if a faith school would allow it. Just wondered if anyone knew

@mrsmoleofclare why are you being so aggressive?! You’re basically suggesting the Head would be nasty to me because I’m not Catholic, which is not a very Christian attitude is it?! So here’s my first ever and I won’t be responding to you again.

I looked into our local catholic school. In our case the child needs to be baptised and at least one parent is expected to attend the church. It varies from school to school.

mrsmole and nottonight

You seem to be missing the point that in many Catholic schools not all the children are going to be Catholic. My own experience shows that out of a class of 20, only 5 did First Holy Communion. We chose our particular school because it was lovely, not because it was Catholic. We didn't exclude our child or ourselves from any of the elements of the school day. There are many reasons for choosing a school, faith doesn't necessarily come in to it for most people.

If you have concerns about how religion, sex Ed etc are taught then don't send your child to a catholic school. Children off different religions are welcomed in my experience (I work in catholic schools) however you can't then expect to control what parts of the curriculum they teach your child.

Stop being such a dick, mrsmole. That’s completely unnecessary. Your examples aren’t comparing apples with apples. Damn right if the Islamic school was funded with taxpayer money and her kids met the entry criteria she could reasonably expect them to be able to go. There’s a state all girls RC school in Glasgow and lots of Muslim parents send their daughters. Would you direct the same venomous rant to them? Obviously a private and not state funded school can admit whoever it pleases. And a restaurant again is a private establishment not funded with taxpayer’s money.

Some of these replies are ridiculous. I can understand the viewpoint that she shouldn’t send her kids there if she’s not RC but jeez all she’s trying to do is get the best education she can for her kids. You’d think she was shooting puppies for fun with some of these responses.

Wow, MrsMoleofClare, you’re a piece of work!

My DS is currently at a catholic primary. The focus on RE is a bit different to the CoE school he used to go to, with more emphasis on Mary. But the overall religious input doesn’t seem to be much different in terms of volume. I don’t know how it compares to a non-denominational school as we have none in our area. You get to choose one flavour of religion or another. We chose the school that didn’t have a bully for a head. I’d love to have had the choice of a non-religious school but we don’t.

@Pinkprincess1978 no I’m not expecting to control what they teach, I’m simply asking what I might expect! I think that a huge amount of a child’s education comes from home anyway, so I’d be happy to fill in any gaps, but I wouldn’t want him to go to a school that was actively against our ethos and attitudes as a family.

I'm sending my two girls to the local catholic school. Its our closest school, is outstanding and is generally a really lovely school. I'm not catholic , my husband is but largely non practising. I won't be objecting to anything they get taught / keeping them out of certain lessons ... but I will actively encourage them to talk about what they've been taught at school and encourage them to be open minded about things, teach them scientific explanations at home. I think it'll be fine and they'll end up with a balanced view.

I wonder if the number of children/parents who aren't Catholic in a Catholic school varies by area. I don't recall a single child who wasn't at least loosely Catholic and who didn't make their Holy Communion and Confirmation in my schools. I'm in the West of Scotland. It may be much more divided here.