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Original poster

Going to see a Church School Thurs, but am not religious. Can you see a problem with this?

83 replies

Mum2Ela · 12/12/2005 14:33

Bit of background: we have just moved house and so we are not in the catchment area for the school which DD and DS's names are down for. They prob won't get in as I think the school is oversubscribed.

There is a Church School literally a 2 second walk from our house. Thought this might be the road to go down as the primary school which is our catchment area school is a bit scummy (sorry, not being snobby although it sounds like I am).

I am really trying to find out if anyone has any experience of this? Will they ask me about religion and how often we attend church (wedon't)?

OP posts:
PeachyPlumFairy · 12/12/2005 16:09

Kelly- mine Do seem to spend half the day praying etc, but the school is also tops and people move here especially to get a place, their education is far superior than in the secular one they attended in England. The obvious exclusion from this of course is the creationism, which actually i don't think they're allowed to do, but do anyway.

bsg · 12/12/2005 16:22

My dd aged 3 and ds aged 4 are in a catholic school in portugal. I am english dh well actually dp is portuguese and catholic. I am not baptised and neither are the children and as you can see we are not married. We didnt really have a lot going for us when we applied and also the children only spoke english at the time and not a word of portuguese. The only thing that got us in was that dh should have been a priest. He was one year short of becoming one when he changed his mind. We do not attend church as dh feels he is still in credit for all the masses attended and praying he did before. Not a joking matter I know but just to let you know that it is possible.

Kelly1978 · 12/12/2005 16:22

PPF, the cofe one here isn't that much different to the other schools, I'm lucky that they are all pretty good schools here. I will def have to look into it. Do you find the religion rubs off at home? We aren't christian at all.

bsg · 12/12/2005 16:33

My son came home doing the cross thing and saying pai, filho espirto santo amen. and my daughter keeps putting her hands together as if shes praying. Its funny but I am not religious at all. It will only be an issue for me if they ask me certain questions but then I do have dh that knows it all.

uwilalalalalala · 12/12/2005 16:38

The Cof E school where I hope my children will attend reserves 70% of the places for those who attend church regularly (defined as once a month for at least the past 12 months), and 30% for those who live nearby. So, your chances are good if you attend the church. But, if you are buddhist but live nest door, then that would get you in too. The school is definitely overprescribed. So, you need to live very very close or make yourself know on Sundays.

uwilalalalalala · 12/12/2005 16:39

And the school prospectus does state that you will be expected to support the Christian teachings of the school.

snowydelight · 12/12/2005 17:32

Just please don't send your kids to a faith school and then start moaning about the fact that they do faith based activities

Tortington · 12/12/2005 17:48

as long as your not bothered when they come home with pictures of jesus, and start singing hymns, and ask if god watches you on the toilet.

they are taught christianity in the sense that the understanding is - everyone believes - which is quite different to being taught about christianity in the context of learning of other reliegeons.

if this doesn't bother you then fine - just done come on mumsnet - like some and complain their kid is the virgin mary in the xmas play, their kid sings hymns and says prayers and how mortified they are becuase they dont believe - which is incredulous to me - as they have taken the place proporting to be christians / catholics, lying to get in becuase the school has better results then want to withdraw the kid from assemblies becuase they say prayers - i dont get it.

so just to forwarn you - your kid will do this stuff so if it doesnt worry you then fine

Blandmum · 12/12/2005 17:55

Mum2ela,
and honest question here, when did they intorduce the mass into stste secular schools in Wales?

They never had a mass in any of the schools I attended in wales in the 60s and 70s I would be abmazed if this is the case now....given the number of non conformist Christians in South Wales!

Agree with Custy, don't be surprised when the kids take the religious 'stuff' on board. I'm not religious and mine go to a C of E school and I have no issues with them being taught a christian ethos at all. If this will worry you, then another school would be better for them IMHO

Blandmum · 12/12/2005 17:55

Mum2ela,
and honest question here, when did they intorduce the mass into stste secular schools in Wales?

They never had a mass in any of the schools I attended in wales in the 60s and 70s I would be abmazed if this is the case now....given the number of non conformist Christians in South Wales!

Agree with Custy, don't be surprised when the kids take the religious 'stuff' on board. I'm not religious and mine go to a C of E school and I have no issues with them being taught a christian ethos at all. If this will worry you, then another school would be better for them IMHO

Blandmum · 12/12/2005 17:55

sorry, computer fart

hercules · 12/12/2005 18:12

We were asked detailed questions about our beliefs and our church attendance as well as any involvement in the community. It is taken as read that ds believes and is taught not to learn about Christianity but to live it if you know what i mean.
I strongly beleive that you should support the ethos of any school you send your child to. If you get away with getting a place, great, but agree with the others about not moaning about how much praying etc they do once in.

hercules · 12/12/2005 18:12

We were asked detailed questions about our beliefs and our church attendance as well as any involvement in the community. It is taken as read that ds believes and is taught not to learn about Christianity but to live it if you know what i mean.
I strongly beleive that you should support the ethos of any school you send your child to. If you get away with getting a place, great, but agree with the others about not moaning about how much praying etc they do once in.

thecattleareALOHing · 12/12/2005 18:14

Isn't it dreadful that you cannot send your daughter to the nearest state school unless you agree to indoctrination!

harpsiheraldangelssing · 12/12/2005 18:30

oh aloha glad to see you here
you forgot to say the nearest 100% statefunded school
that is funded by us all, but only accessible on discriminatory grounds
what kind of outcry would there be if you were denied access to your nearest NHS hospital is your weren't a church goer
(sorry I am in a deeply argumentative mood tonight...)

HRHQueenOfQuelNoel · 12/12/2005 18:38

mum2ela - I haven't read the thread - but if it's a CoE school then chances are you'll get a place regardless of your religious affifliation.

LadySherlockofLGJ · 12/12/2005 18:40

Oh here we go.............batten down the hatches and don yer 'ard hats it is going to be a bumpy ride.

No dispresperct to Aloha or Harpsi but it was only a matter of time.

harpsiheraldangelssing · 12/12/2005 18:45

none taken LGJ but I do object to the notion that Mum2Ela wants to "use the school for her convenience"
she is a 2 second walk away
she wants her child to go there
it's state funded
so she should be able to send her child there
end of story
I don't see why she should be made to feel bad for it

harpsiheraldangelssing · 12/12/2005 18:46

[but yes I am feeling argumentative today, maybe a judicious parpy type exit is called for]

HRHQueenOfQuelNoel · 12/12/2005 18:46

but she hasn't even been and looked at it yet - she wasn't saying "I don't think he's going to get a place" - she was asking "I'm not religious what should I say".

HRHQueenOfQuelNoel · 12/12/2005 18:47

before we moved here - I lived very very close (not as close as I am now) to my then 'catchment' school - but it was cr*p and I'd not have sent him there even if we lived on the school grounds.

harpsiheraldangelssing · 12/12/2005 18:55

yes good point QoQ (again)
please don't let logic or the OP get in the way of the argument I would like to have, if you please

gingernutlover · 13/12/2005 16:16

Hi I teach at a c of e school and we have churchgoers, non churchgoers, orthodox jews, catholics and sikhs that come to us - having said that we are not oversubscribed and I don't know if that would make a difference. All children attend the christian assemblies and take part in xmas plays, easter, harvest etc so I guess if you are not c of e and have a prblem with christian activities that may count you out but if you are not bothered either way there should be no problem

Bugsy2 · 13/12/2005 16:34

Mum2Ela
I don't know where you are based but I think you'll be lucky to get into a Church school if you are not a regular worshipper of some description.
I live in Wandsworth and it was desperately hard to get my children into a Christian school, despite being a regular church goer, with forms all signed etc etc.
They generally tend to be good schools with above average results and are very oversubscribed - often more than 3 or 4 children applying for every one place available.
I wish you luck as the school thing can be very stressful.

moondog · 13/12/2005 16:44

Only committed Christians should have their children in church schools.

Amazing how noone can be bothered with religion until it comes to schooling. If I was the headteacher of such a school I would soooooooo enjoy turning the users and abusers away.