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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Of course, we all have a say in where our tax goes. Because we elect the government that spends it. I wonder why, if they are so unpopular, at least one of the parties hasn't made an issue of it.I suspect they are not as unpopular in RL as they are on MN.

I think they are, actually. Blair pushed faith schools massively. Brown is restoring the balance

The CofE poll did not advocated abolishing their schools (speedreading, so happily corrected).

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In what way? Has he talked of getting rid of them?

They are not unpopular, FM, because families are beating down their doors to get in.

They are only 'unpopular' among families who don't go to them.

But bloss - the catchment changes its area each year. If there are more children born one year, then the circle around the school becomes smaller. Those children got in when they lived in the catchment area- presumably that circle has shrunk because ore children were born in your DC's year groups or because more families with children have moved closer to the school.
If you fall in that circle, you get preference, but you cannot guarantee the radius of the circle each year.

squeaky there are faith schools in my authority that do not have people beating on the door to get in- because they are poorly performing schools.
I know families personally with children in faith schools who are not happy with the education their DC receive, but that is the only school available to them in their area.

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Well- community schools allocate on distance, as the crow flies, so I'm not sure what your argument is. Your place on the waiting list is allocated according to distance from the school (once SEN and LAC taken account of).

Over-subscribed non-faith schools do not discriminate on grounds of faith- isn't that one good thing?

You should all leave the inner cities and move to places where you can choose what type of school your child goes to and not have to pay!

Almost everybody gets in to their first choice of school here!

At my DSs school there are some very wealthy parents but others who are not well off at all...all the children irrespective of family background are getting a good education.

If they are underlying crap, it doesn't matter whether they discriminate on faith or not.

Over-subscribed non-faith schools discriminate on the basis of your ability to buy a house in the catchment area. In London that can easily run to £1M+ in the most desirable areas.

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True miffy -in rural areas, there is often no choice, and children just go to the school.
However, that isn't actually choice, is it, as there are no other schools you can choose to send your DC to?

There aren't many jobs or opportunities in those areas though. Also, if we all moved from the cities to rural areas... they wouldn't be very rural any more, and would require more facilities such as schools.... introducing the element of choice....

You're right bloss - there should be an excellent standard of education available to all regardless of their parental background... but I made that point 4 pages ago

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Because I believe that faith schools discriminate, and that there should be a separation of state and religion. That's all

Each peach there are in between places called commuter towns!! where you can work in london and have a choice of several good schools...faith and non faith

Even in more rural areas you can choose between the village school and the school in the next village or town..the birth rate has fallen and many good schools are undersubscribed.

Sorry miffy I am a city girl, through and through!
And- am not in London.

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Sorry for getting your location wrong! Thank you for the smiley face..i'm off to bed!

what is furphy?
I don't get to choose unless I pay The closest schools to me are faith schools, whether they are good schools or poor performing ones!
Church schools are in the main state schools- they are funded by the state in most cases.

Yes- it is unjust that people who get a better state education are the ones who can pay to move closer to good schools, or the ones who can claim discrimination on basis of faith.

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