To think its unfair that my DD will probably not get into the state school I can see from my window

[dilemma456]

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And, because the people who know enough to work the system are disproportionately middle-class (emotive, but hey...), many faith schools are highly performing. In fact, the headmaster of our local faith school actually said at the recent Open Evening that if we had any trace of religion in us, we should try to find it now.

Anna, I take serious exception to your sweeping and dismissive description of the state education system in France.
God knows the system has its failings, and Sarkozy's current reforms and lunatic policies are hardly helping to solve them, (in fact many who work in my field are starting to suspect that he is in fact out to kill the state system so as to encourage private schools).
But it is just plain wrong to suggest that any pupil who has been to a state school in France is lacking in "proper moral education" and incapable of living harmoniously with others. The sheer arrogance of such a statement is breathtaking and deeply insulting.

I am a bit surprised that someone who isn't a Catholic would want a Catholic school. I think I would have huge reservations, even if they were a very high performing school.

Agree with Abbey A.

I don't think she wants a Catholic school, abbey. I think she wants a good school near her. There is one, it happens to be Catholic - therefore she is unlikely to get in.

Abbey I don't think the OP does want a catholic school- she wants the local school to be accessible to all- a very different matter.
The point is that if a school is on your doorstep, you should be able to attend it, and not be excluded because of an archaic belief system.

I can see a (top of the league) C of E school from my window, didn't even occur to me to send DD1 there, she is at the nearest non religious one down the road. Why would I want her to be at a church school when we neither believe or attend church regularly?

Her school embraces all and educates about all faiths equally....far better IMO. We live in a multicultural society and I want her school to reflect that too. I am a primary teacher by the way.

So, whilst I don't think YABU, I can't really see why you would want her there.

Because the next closest school is dire- OP said that.

Just pretend that the school doesn't exist, OP, and move on.

I think it would be a great thing for society if all faith schools were to be abolished.

In fact, there have been several reports recommending just that, because of the societal divisions perpetuated by faith schools. But politicians just daren't tackle this one.

Ridiculous and unfair.

we live opposite a catholic school that my girls wont get in - i see coaches of children being bussed in to go - at the very least it is appalling for the environment - and it is not serving the local community - they come from up to 20 miles away!!

we need to move with the times people!!

YABU
Choose another School - surely there must be alternatives in your area.

My DS is at a Faith School (C of E) and I feel so fortunate that he is having a good education in academic terms and being taught Christian values such as caring for others etc. I am glad there are other faith Schools in the UK - Catholic, Quaker, Jewish, Hindu etc. I expect all of these faith Schools teach about other religions and not just the religion of the School.

I find it depressing on Mumsnet that there are so few people who seem to want their children to be taught religious values. If religion were to be removed from Schools some children would never hear the other side of the argument and would never have the chance to discover religion and decide whether it is for them or not.

mif - all the state primaries teach religion - so dont worry! this term for my dd it is christianity and sikhism

what i object to is schools excluding some people - surely they should be accepting of all faiths - or no faith?

It's not about learning about religion though. It's about accessing state education. Why should you have pretend to be a churchgoer to get into your local school?

Newgirl - yes you have a point...there should be a geographical cut off point for faith schools so that they serve people of that faith who live locally followed by non believing local people...those who are of the faith but live a long way away should not have precedence.

My last message was in reply to your 20:30 post newgirl..I see our posts are crossing!

miffy -could you perhaps articulate why the OP is being unreasonable?

What makes you think that children who do not attend a religious school will not hear 'the other side of the argument'? Ridiculous!

That is what CHURCHES are for (substitute any religious institution).
I went to a non-faith school, was raised in a dual-religion household, attended church each week until the age of 15.

I had plenty of chance to decide what was for me- school had no part in that. My DC will hear all sides of the argument.

I want my children to have sound moral values- religious tenets are a separate issue, and have no place in a public-funded school imo.

Seems to me that it's always people with a good Catholic school nearby that are the ones bellyaching about the system. I'm Catholic, I go to Mass every Sunday. I want my children to have a Catholic education, like I did. DD will go to the Catholic school in the town. Two roads away there is a state of the art, all mod cons, brand new primary school with lots of outside space and a fantastic reputation, despite its newness. DD can't go there because it's not Catholic. Whinge whinge whinge. I demand that she is able to go there and be taught the religion that we follow, even though it's not a Catholic school. Oh wait, only protestants can demand that.

Your Catholic school isn't at the expense of other schools, it runs alongside them, like every school in the area does. Your children aren't right for it. Tough tits.

You're not Catholic, so don't worry about the Catholic schools. Simple as that.

Sheiky- you can't pretend to be a churchgoer- you need the letter from the vicar/priest.... you can pretend to be a believer however...
but I think that is abominable- hypocritical and underhand.

Sheikyerbati - I'm not sure what the solution is. I only got my DS into the School due to being a churchgoer. If it had gone on those living nearest DS would not have been able to attend the School..most houses nearby cost a fortune...so neither way of selecting is entirely fair! That is why I think it is right for Schools to take a percentage of people on religious affiliation and another percentage on living nearby..then both groups have a chance of getting in.

In my local area there is a good choice of school - catholic, c of e, village school or normal primary so most people have a choice of where to send their DCS

Bloodshot, difference is you CAN send your dd to the new school if you choose. She's not excluded from it. (Unless it's CofE and demands a letter from the vicar, in which case you are actually coming down on the OP's side).

Schools funded by the taxpayer should be open to all children, without discrimination on the grounds of race, class, disability or religion or anything else irrelevant that the child cannot control.

wtf? Eyeballs? The point is- a catholic child may attend any school, but a non-catholic child may not.
All schools in England and Wales teach RE- they teach about all the main religions, not CE.
Are you in NI? Because people in the rest of UK don't use the term 'protestantism'

miffy by your argument- children of poor atheists would be entitled to no education at all

CAn I mention at this point that our church school isn't entirely funded by the state, we have to find 10% of funding every year from PTA's etc etc, I imagine that's the case for all church schools ?

I agree with you Edam old cheese.

I'm not sure about grammar schools though. How do they fit into the scheme of things?