To have not chosen an outstanding Catholic primary?

[MakingABoobOfIt]

So, primary school applications are done. We are lucky as we live in a rural area and so have a choice of schools, however most are not great. I haven’t chosen the local catholic primary as an option - even though its outstanding and less than 5 minutes walk from our house. I feel very strongly about DS not being Catholic educated, as I have serious issues with the Church, however I’m starting to doubt my decision as lots of local mums insist you ‘wouldn’t even know it’s Catholic’ 🤨 Having been Catholic-educated I very much doubt this, however I’m worried I’ve made a bad decision - should I have ignored my own issues to get DS into an outstanding (and by all accounts lovely) school?

but did you not investigate what actually goes on, and what is the atmosphere at the catholic school near you.
they all vary greatly, just as other schools do.
you have made an assumption based on an adverse experience you had many years ago in a different school.
that's not a very rational way to proceed.
anyway I hope your child settles in well wherever they get a place.

I think that what is more important is not whether the school is a faith school or Ofsted outstanding but whether it's a good fit for your child or children.
A stable senior leadership team, engaged teachers, holistic approach to education not just sats results, inclusiveness for sn kids, what's their take on bullying, availability of sports, fit with after-school clubs ranked much higher for me for a primary school.

@alexdgr8 nope, we didn’t even look round it. I didn’t have a negative experience per se, but I’m very against the teachings of the Catholic Church, and so ruled the school out on that basis. Honestly I felt that, regardless of how lovely the school is, I’m not happy with DS being part of the Catholic Church in any way.

But if you have an irrational prejudice, it’s best not to try and reason yourself out of it when there are other options - schooling choices often come down to gut feels after you’ve tried to reason your way through it.

Even a very moderate catholic school is still going to annoy someone that hates Catholicism.

@MakingABoobOfIt We were set to send our eldest to the less than spectacular local state primary over the outstanding catholic school, but managed to move before he started. The schools then were a choice of local outstanding CofE, and a just come out of 'requires improvement' local primary. We chose the latter and I couldn't be happier with the school. They have been fantastic for all 4 dc with varying needs so far.

Some CofE school are more full on that others. I have friends with kids at the CofE school near me who complain that the kids have to sit through worship etc, and I have no sympathy with them, as they chose a faith school.

**please note, there is a genuine choice of faith/non-faith here, which I know isn't available elsewhere.

I take Ofsted ratings with a pinch of salt. I don't think you can get a real idea of what a school is like from just a day, plus they can change at the drop of a hat. I didn't even consider Ofsted results when choosing DS's primary school.

Ok I would have applued but I wouldn,t apply to a Jewish scxhool as I am nota Jew so why would you apply to a RC school if your not an RC or Christian.

I am a Christian but I would not send my DC to a Catholic primary or secondary, mainly because of all the teachings around 1st communion etc.

I did go to a Catholic sixth form but I was old enough to deal with mass etc.

I should also say, I don't hold much weight by the rating reports, bar anything too shocking of course! Visiting the school, seeing the kids already there, how they interact with staff and vice versa, will tell you much more than rating. The ethos of the school mattered to me much more and I simply don't ascribe to a faith-based ethos. So faith schools were a non starter for me from the get go.

Usually faith schools (especially Catholic) the admission criteria is being a practicing member of that faith and raising your children in that faith. So even though it is 5 minutes from home you would be at the bottom of the criteria list really and unlikely to get a place. (C of E schools are usually more flexible on admissions)

I went to a Catholic primary and secondary. My partner who went to a non denominational school had more periods a week of RE lessons, still had to go to the local church for services and still said a prayer in the morning at primary.

Yes the inspections are so infrequent and box ticking - a head teacher and a few experienced teachers leaving can change a school in weeks. The parent involvement though is something I’d look at, as an indicator of how well supported the kids at the school are overall.

all schools must carry out daily collective worship. It is written in the schools act.

But they don’t all do that, do they?

Think Peanut has a point re. Your gut feeling. Also, surely you've answered your own question, last post, last sentence ( sorry can't remember word for word)

Our first choice is CofE - partly due to the fact that we don’t actually have any non-religious schools in our area

For me, that second bit is the biggest problem of all, but then I'm firmly opposed to all religion in schools

Unfortunately you're stuck (short of home ed'ing) so I'd also choose the school who teach it as belief rather than fact - and IME that's unlikely to be the Catholic one

Don't assume that the CofE are 'sensible' in any shape or form. For a start, they tend to attract Evangelicals to their schools as RC schools have more sense than to have them - and if you think Catholicism is dodgy, well, you have never endured the latest Parent Governor bringing up the Prejudice of Teaching Evolution As The Only Truth and handing over details of 'suitable' people/organisations (that just happens to be/consist of members of their local church) to take all the Sex Ed and PSHEE lessons off the staff's hands.

@bookmum08 this school is always undersubscribed, so the admission criteria is very loose - you definitely don’t have to be practising (although I know this is usually the case).

I put YANBU because its annoying when people choose a faith school then bitch about the faith based education. But I think you are being OTT about what gets taught at Catholic primary school.

We have regular mass (kids do their own thing and its very sweet), daily prayer, easter and nativity plays, RE which seems quite Christian, and thats it. No dodgy attitude to women or sex.

Im not a big fan of some aspects of dogma but I don't expect primary to go anywhere near it. Anyway Im very happy with my kids outstanding Catholic primary. Hopefully you will get on with the community school you chose.

@MitziK

More about selection than religion for us. We don't think schools should select, so we chose not to be part of a system that does. Simple.

I live in Ireland and have no choice but to send my kid to a Catholic school. It gives me no end of rage. Having gone to a Church of Ireland School and a Catholic school I find huge differences between their approaches to faith.

If you consider people who hold different beliefs to you to be 'mental' then the Catholic school has probably had a lucky escape.

@Russell19 most schools ignore that now - I’ve worked in my current school for 4 years and god has not ever been mentioned in assembly.

Did you even bother looking at the school? It sounds as if you didn’t so basing your choice for your child on your own education, presumably a good few years ago (at the same school?), would seem short-sighted at best. Seek s a case of too little too late.

If you are not Catholic, why would you want that anywhere near your child? Well done you for opting out of it.