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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To priest or not to priest? Reception school help!!!

63 replies

Rainbowflashlight · 03/11/2023 22:51

Our DS is due to start reception in 2024.

We are orthodox Christians with strong Christian values, not originally from the Uk, we want our daughter to go to our local Church of England school.

We go to the church as and when though… and the churches we go to are all Orthodox, we are not committed to a specific one.

Would it be appropriate to go to the specific Church of England church that the school is affiliated with and ask the priest to sign the supplementary form? It will be the passport for our DS to go to this school.

We are also relatively new to the area and I haven’t seen this priest ever before in my life…. And it feels weird!

AIBU - Don’t do it, you will annoy the priest
YANBU - Go for it, the priest will understand and help

OP posts:
ttcat37 · 04/11/2023 21:16

I wish this worked the other way around. People can be prioritised for the religious schools by claiming to be religious but can’t be prioritised for a non religious school if they’re atheists.

PaperDoIIs · 04/11/2023 21:49

There's oversubscribed and oversubscribed when it comes to church schools.

For example the Catholic one near us, doesn't even have enough places for all the Catholic,baptised ,church attending children. So while other affiliations is 3rd or 4 th on the admissions criteria, it never ever gets that far. In a bad year, half the places are gone to siblings to begin with.

The CoE is also oversubscribed, but there are a lot less religious(even the bare minimum) parents so other affiliations actually stand a chance and even atheists if they're close enough.

Dogdaywoes · 04/11/2023 22:41

Rainbowflashlight · 04/11/2023 13:07

Tomorrow we will go to the Orthodox Church (starts at 10.30am) with the form and we will try our luck… Baby will have to have his lunch in the church during the service at 11.30am and then he will have to nap in the pram just for 30’ and ultimately miss his 2hour lunch nap.

It would have been unreasonable to do this every Sunday!

Can't one parent attend with the school child and the other remains at home with baby? And then swap week on week?

Original poster
Rainbowflashlight · 04/11/2023 22:56

I read and read again the admission criteria and it’s something along the lines:

  1. Looked after children
  2. Siblings
  3. Attendance at a specific church
  4. Attendance at any Christian church
  5. Medical issues
  6. Kids of staff
  7. etc

Distance is the last criteria!

Question: Would it be worth to translate from Polish and attach to the form the orthodox baptism certificate? Would it add any value even if baptism is not mentioned at all in the criteria?

OP posts:
PaperDoIIs · 04/11/2023 23:03

Rainbowflashlight · 04/11/2023 22:56

I read and read again the admission criteria and it’s something along the lines:

  1. Looked after children
  2. Siblings
  3. Attendance at a specific church
  4. Attendance at any Christian church
  5. Medical issues
  6. Kids of staff
  7. etc

Distance is the last criteria!

Question: Would it be worth to translate from Polish and attach to the form the orthodox baptism certificate? Would it add any value even if baptism is not mentioned at all in the criteria?

Do they ask for a baptism certificate as part of their supplementary information forms? Some schools do and that's where the baptism comes in.
The language and everything else is only relevant if there aren't enough church going children applying. Otherwise you don't stand a chance anyway.

Do the school have a form on their website that you can print out? Then you can fill it in yourself and the priest just has to sign and stamp it. No translation needed.

CecilyP · 04/11/2023 23:03

If baptism isn’t mentioned, it has no relevance. Some Christian churches don’t do infant baptism, but those children would still qualify under number 4.

CecilyP · 04/11/2023 23:06

Just to add baptism certificates are often one of the over subscription criteria for Catholic schools but not so much for CofE.

fedupandstuck · 04/11/2023 23:14

I think it's quite hasty to reject the nearby school that previously was outstanding just because of the new head and the new Good grading. It's likely that the previous inspection was under the previous Ofsted criteria. The newest inspection criteria make it less likely that schools will achieve an Outstanding grade.

Have you read the most recent inspection report?

NannyR · 04/11/2023 23:19

Rainbowflashlight · 04/11/2023 22:56

I read and read again the admission criteria and it’s something along the lines:

  1. Looked after children
  2. Siblings
  3. Attendance at a specific church
  4. Attendance at any Christian church
  5. Medical issues
  6. Kids of staff
  7. etc

Distance is the last criteria!

Question: Would it be worth to translate from Polish and attach to the form the orthodox baptism certificate? Would it add any value even if baptism is not mentioned at all in the criteria?

I wouldn't think so - a baptism certificate isn't proof of regular attendance at a church which is what they are asking for.

Hercisback · 04/11/2023 23:46

I came to say what @fedupandstuck said.

Talipesmum · 04/11/2023 23:50

fedupandstuck · 04/11/2023 23:14

I think it's quite hasty to reject the nearby school that previously was outstanding just because of the new head and the new Good grading. It's likely that the previous inspection was under the previous Ofsted criteria. The newest inspection criteria make it less likely that schools will achieve an Outstanding grade.

Have you read the most recent inspection report?

Yes, this. I’m sure you are Christian and it’s important to you, but it’s interesting that it wasn’t important when the local school was outstanding rated. A good rating is still excellent. Read the ofsted report. Visit the schools.

CurlewKate · 05/11/2023 08:26

I think faith criteria should be abolished. But, assuming that isn't going to happen any time soon, how about if you want to apply for a faith school you're not allowed to apply for non faith ones as well....

cabbageking · 09/11/2023 19:29

There is no set CofE criteria.
We place faith below LAC, Siblings and medical needs, so 4th criteria. We also accept all faiths not just Christian within that category from anywhere.

Another school specifies the closest CofE school to the home and faith is 2nd after LAC. It doesn't count as a faith application if you attend a church further away from your home.
Another school specifies one church and siblings above faith which is 3rd
Another school separates LAC of the faith and LAC not of the faith.
There is no norm you have to check each school

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