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Original poster

Cant get DC into a faith school

581 replies

angelfireabbey · 26/10/2014 14:46

I know this is possibly the wrong place because it seems the whole of MN is atheist or totally secular. However, there is a lot of discussion by MNers here about getting intofaith schools ( often without any faith because they are good schools).

I am a little bit fed up with it. I take my faith seriously. I take my DC to church and we believe. I wanted my DC to have a faith education. There are only two faith schools where I live. They are oversubscribed by parents who seem to have suddenly aquired a need to attend church to get a vicars signiture.

I had my pastors signiture but we didnt get a place. So instead my DC is stuck in a state school where the teachers and other children laugh and say that they have " imaginary friends" ( or simply they are nutters!) and that they believe in fairly stories etc. Sound familiar MN parents? ( I bet you wouldnt say it if someone were of say Jewish or Muslim faith though would you?). It is offensive you know.

They have an atheist teacher who clearly knows next to nothing about Christianity.

I would settle for any faith school although there are no others ( of any faith ) within 40 miles of us.

So how do I get into one? I have asked my church community. I know they are doing their best and we are praying hard but I am sure some savvy non religious types must know more here. So I am asking.
I see thread on thread where parents are scamming the system.So how does a genuine person get in?

Thanks.

OP posts:
wuzzup · 30/10/2014 19:28

"I am offended " "I find that offensive" seem to be so overused these days and are often a code for " I dont want to hear what you are saying because it might challenge my view of what everyone should be thinking and how the world should be"

Hakluyt · 30/10/2014 19:31

"I am offended " "I find that offensive" seem to be so overused these days and are often a code for " I dont want to hear what you are saying because it might challenge my view of what everyone should be thinking and how the world should be"

Er, is this something else I don't understand, or weren't you talking about Christians being offended by anyone questioning their faith in RE lessons?

SuburbanRhonda · 30/10/2014 19:50

There ain't no cryptic goin' on on this thread, hakluyt

Wink
JassyRadlett · 30/10/2014 20:33

I dont want to hear what you are saying because it might challenge my view of what everyone should be thinking and how the world should be"

Such as children learning at school about all kinds of different religions?

TalkinPeace · 30/10/2014 20:41

I, as an atheist, allowed my children to attend church both with school and family until they, themselves, decided to stop. I knew that they would grow out of religion.

It is interesting that some (but clearly not all) religious types find exposure of their children to other ideas so threatening.

The lads from the plane are utterly unsuited for the modern world.
Their parents clearly like it that way.
Which would be fine if they stayed at home so the rest of us did not have to put up with them in a confined space for 8 hours.

woddayaknow · 30/10/2014 20:44

Discussing many faiths is confusing.

Scarily wuzzup isn't the only one who thinks so ....

"The new education secretary, Nicky Morgan, is about to launch a consultation suggesting that those taking GCSE religious education should have to study more than one faith. It will expose children to traditions and values other than those to which they already subscribe .... The only sadness is that several religious bodies have opposed the move. Their official argument is that there would not be enough time to do justice to two faiths, but it is hard not to suspect they are more concerned about preserving the state of mono-vision in which they seek to cocoon children at faith schools."

( From www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/oct/30/trojan-horse-faith-schools-children )

Poisonwoodlife · 30/10/2014 20:47

Wuzzup but they wouldn't work too well for UK society as it stands in 2014 would they? Like it or not, unless you intend to keep them in a bunker wrapped in cotton wool, and doubtless that is what OP deludes herself is possible, your children may well end up working alongside people from other cultures and religions and believe me, as someone in that position, whether they are Christian or other a bit of knowledge and the capacity for respect goes a long way to overcoming potential problems (and actually enriches your life immeasurably)

What is the major threat to world peace in the 21st century? Arguably the inability of different cultures to understand each other.....

wuzzup · 31/10/2014 07:27

Such as children learning at school about all kinds of different religions?

The difference JassyRadlett, is that I am not taking any offense . I am just saying that it is my opinion that my DC do not need to study other religions and so have taken active steps for them to go to a school wherethey will learn what I think is useful to them.

I am not preventing other people from feeling or doing differently.

I do not think, on balance, from experience, that there is anything to be gained from studying comparative religions in RE lessons.

wuzzup · 31/10/2014 07:30

Wuzzup but they wouldn't work too well for UK society as it stands in 2014 would they?

Does it not work well? That is not my experience. I work alongside colleagues of different cultures but I honestly cannot say that understanding ( or not) their religions as been an issue ever. Similarly my DC in school.

sashh · 31/10/2014 09:42

I have never heard a Jewish, Muslim or Hindu person being asked to justify their faith and beliefs in the way Christians are, both here and in physical life.

  1. really?

  2. Other faiths do not have the privileges Christians have.

Hakluyt · 31/10/2014 09:52

Unless it was a debate about religion, I would never ask a Christian to justify their beliefs either unless those beliefs imposed themselves on me in some way. Which, in this country, they do.

Poisonwoodlife · 31/10/2014 10:20

wuzzup perhaps that is because you go through life oblivious to the way in which your cultural background gives you priviledges in the UK, and that your way of relating to others, your attitudes and perceptions are not necessarily shared by others from other cultures. Religious beliefs are just one part of that. You do not have to adjust to fit in, or be misunderstood. You arrogantly expect those around you to be completely on your wavelength without you having to make any effort in return, which can lead to resentment and alienation.

Going and living in another culture where you are the minority is very enlightening in that respect. As I say a little knowledge and understanding and a capacity for respect take you a long way to have a really fulfilling relationship. I think it is vital for schools to teach about different cultures, in RE, History, Literacy, the other humanities and MFL so that Brits , at the personal and national level ( Cameron is particularly culturally insensitive and has often done us no favours in his so called good will trade missions, I have had to pick up the pieces) do not carry on putting their foot in it. As I say your children may well be working with other cultures, maybe even in other cultures, it defies belief you do not want to equip them to do so. It is a very Little England mindset.....

JassyRadlett · 31/10/2014 13:17

As a manager of many people, an understanding of different cultures and in particular of different faiths is hugely important. It makes me better at my job, both in managing my people and better designing what we do to serve the people we work for - our customers, for want of a better word - better by understanding them.

As such, it's something I also look for in people I hire.

TalkinPeace · 31/10/2014 13:33

I am just saying that it is my opinion that my DC do not need to study other religions and so have taken active steps for them to go to a school where they will learn what I think is useful to them.

I hope that your childrens' options are not too hindered by your opinions.

My opinion is that religion is garbage, but I have allowed my children to be exposed to a wide range of viewpoints so that they make up their own minds in an informed manner.

pointyfangs · 31/10/2014 18:57

I am just saying that it is my opinion that my DC do not need to study other religions and so have taken active steps for them to go to a school where they will learn what I think is useful to them.

A horrifying closed mindset in a world where religious conflict is causing an incredible amount of hardship. Sad

SuburbanRhonda · 31/10/2014 19:01

In what kind of school do students only learn about one religion to the exclusion of all others? Is there such a thing?

TalkinPeace · 31/10/2014 19:17

suburbanrhonda
Yup - state
Catholic
Jewish
Hindu
Moslem
? Quaker

and then you have the private schools like the Exclusive Brethren
or the fanatical private Jewish schools which are bringing Haredi boys up to depend on state benefits

Its exactly the reason I describe "selective" schools as "segregated"

even Bliar has started to realise that faith schools might have been among his dumber ideas

RabbitOfNegativeEuphoria · 31/10/2014 19:32

State Catholic schools do not only teach one religion. RE lessons cover all faiths.

Hakluyt · 31/10/2014 19:43

State faith schools teAch the national curriculum- including Re. Which includes consideration of seceral faiths.

TalkinPeace · 31/10/2014 20:03

rabbit / hak
not according to what DH has observed
Faith schools are allowed to teach RE "from the perspective of their faith" - which magically excludes anything that challenges it Hmm

Hakluyt · 31/10/2014 20:07

The kids doing it for GCSE must get a bit of a shock when they open the exam papers......

TalkinPeace · 31/10/2014 20:16

hak
did you not read the hoo hah about faith schools wanting their own papers

and in fact the boys Jewish schools CBA with GCSEs so do not care about the ebacc : the boys will be brought up to live on benefits would try to sound more chilled but find their non ambition attitude utterly shocking

remember that RE / GCSE are not linked

SuburbanRhonda · 31/10/2014 22:54

Well, sadly, talkinpeace, at DS's school GCSE RE was compulsory. And it was a state comprehensive, not even a religious school.

He couldn't do ICT because there wasn't enough space in his GCSE timetable, but somehow, they managed to squeeze in two years of utterly pointless RE.

Angry
wuzzup · 01/11/2014 07:25

The kids doing it for GCSE must get a bit of a shock when they open the exam papers......

The GCSE papers have the option of teaching one faith. I know this is quite popular in many schools not because they are faith schools or because their staff are radical evangelicals but mainly because, as I said previously, when pupils have no faith background at all ( which is many) then it is hard enough getting them to understand one faith sufficiently to pass a GCSE, let alone two. They do get confused.

So bearing in mind league tables and actually getting GCSE passes, teachers often chose a specification (short course or full) which gives the option of studying one faith because it is often easier for the pupils to grasp and pass that way. (this faith can be tailored to the dominant culture of the school if required. There are options for Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, and Christianinty (either as a whole or a special option for RC).

It is not being blinkered or closed minded. Its just being realisitic in a world where exam results are important.

This of course does leave open the question about how far teaching many faiths in lower school (KS3) has any impact other than confusion on many pupils.

woddayaknow · 01/11/2014 08:07

Wuzzup: This of course does leave open the question about how far teaching many faiths in lower school (KS3) has any impact other than confusion on many pupils.

It helps to make sense of the real world. I'm impressed by how much (most) young people know about other religions, and wish I'd had the same sort of of RE when I was at (RC) school.

Hakluyt: State faith schools teAch the national curriculum- including Re. Which includes consideration of several faiths.

Unfortunately RE isn't covered by the national curriculum, although there are groups campaigning for it to be brought under its safety net.