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Original poster

Getting into out of catchment church primary

57 replies

user987654 · 27/05/2018 13:21

I'm looking for advice from those who have managed to get their dc into a church school through church attendence (I'm not interested in opening a debate on the rights/wrongs of doing so, ultimately this is the system in our country atm).

I moved to an area end of 2017, have a preschool dc. The school we'd probably get is not great so would like to have a fighting chance of getting them into the church school, but we're not in catchment (I have checked and kids from this area do get in with church attendence).

Intend to go to church from now on and get them baptised there.

If you did this successfully, how early did you start attending? Did you get involved in the church any other ways?

Does it matter if only one parent goes?

Concern for me is that they don't seem to take a register so how are they monitoring church attendence in families?

Would be good to hear from people who did this and they still didn't get the school.

OP posts:

sashh · 27/05/2018 13:29

I think you need to look at the school entry requirements. Each school has its own.

Some schools like children to be baptised before 12 months old, you may have already missed that category.

Also are you the same denomination as the church?

You may or may not be able to just rock up and have the child baptised, sometimes the parent(s) have to have attended for a length of time before hand.

PatriciaHolm · 27/05/2018 13:44

You need to check the exact admissions criteria, it should be on their website, and will tell you exactly what you need to do and and be able to prove.

Depending on how old DC Is, you may find it's too late anyway - some schools have a requirement for 2+ years of regular attendance.

Ceara · 27/05/2018 14:10

The requirement for local C of E primary schools here is 2 years church attendance - defined as attending services in any C of E church (no other denomination will do) at least twice a month every month, as at the date applications close (the January prior to school entry). Only 1 parent has to be a church attender. No requirement that the child themselves attends church or is baptised. Areas differ so check your local schools admissions criteria.

Attendance is certified by the vicar when you submit your school place application, so best to check up front with the vicar how they monitor it. If there are local primary schools with priority admission for church attenders, the vicar will be used to such questions... As you've recently moved to the area s/he is less likely to raise an eyebrow about the timing, making it less embarrassing than the conversation could otherwise be!

My DS has a place in a C of E school, although we are out of catchment and not church attenders. It's a rural area so undersubscribed from within the catchment itself, and we were close enough to get a place on distance alone. Would that apply in your case?

Original poster

user987654 · 28/05/2018 08:47

Thanks everyone. It says parent needs to attend the church twice a week for a year. So that's doable.

Doesn't say anything about baptism but assume it would still help, would get us a bit more known?

Unfortunately ceara it wouldn't be undersubscribed as it's an 'outstanding' rated school amongst a lot of not so good ones.

OP posts:

SuburbanRhonda · 28/05/2018 08:49

Who on earth goes to church twice a week?

Madmarchpear · 28/05/2018 08:56

Twice a week!? Sounds like they want you to jump through hoops because parents will for the outstanding school place. I don't blame them. If you're cynically getting played you might as well rope those people in to help.

prh47bridge · 28/05/2018 09:27

Twice a week sounds unlikely. Are you sure you haven't misread that and it is twice a month?

If it doesn't say anything about baptism, getting your child won't directly help. The school has to follow its published admission criteria. It can't have other, hidden criteria.

prh47bridge · 28/05/2018 09:27

Twice a week sounds unlikely. Are you sure you haven't misread that and it is twice a month?

If it doesn't say anything about baptism, getting your child won't directly help. The school has to follow its published admission criteria. It can't have other, hidden criteria.

Original poster

user987654 · 28/05/2018 10:59

Sorry! Twice a month! My mistake!

OP posts:

Original poster

user987654 · 28/05/2018 11:00

With the baptism thing I was really thinking that would be a way of getting in their radar so they recognise me and my kid when we attend.

OP posts:

titchy · 28/05/2018 11:05

I think you just have to be bolshy and introduce yourself to the vicar - and ask where the signing in book is - most churches with a school attendance link have one. If not take proof of your attendance. Diary, photo of vicar

MrsBertBibby · 28/05/2018 11:07

Does your child know you are lying and massively disrespecting a religion just to get an imagined leg up for him/her? And planning to use them as a prop in a central sacred rite?

What a shining example to set.

Lowdoorinthewal1 · 28/05/2018 11:24

Honestly this is the only good school in your area?? You know 'good' really is good in many cases don't you? You don't need an 'outstanding' school. They are seriously considering scrapping the outstanding grade anyway- and lots of outstanding schools haven't been inspected for years and could be totally different now.

I would just choose a 'good' school you can get into without all the deception fannying about. If you say ALL the other schools around you are RI or below, then there is this one outstanding one I won't believe you.

MrsBertBibby · 28/05/2018 11:30

My son's primary was RI (satisfactory back then), and never reached good until after he left.

He was happy, got great SATs , and is top sets all round at secondary. Plus he didn't get the bullying and racism that was common in the naice local "good" C of E school.

It's just snobbery.

prh47bridge · 28/05/2018 13:10

Does your child know you are lying and massively disrespecting a religion

I have to say I don't agree with that. The school's admission criteria gives the OP's child priority if she attends church regularly. There is no requirement to be a believer, either to attend church or to get a school place. So I don't see how the OP is lying. She would certainly not be alone. A lot of CofE and RC churches get a boost to their congregation from people wanting a place at the local faith school.

MrsBertBibby · 28/05/2018 13:52

I was thinking more of the baptism service, tbh. Where she will, presumably, promise to bring the child up in a faith she clearly only regards as a means of getting ahead.

I know it's an extraordinarily commonplace piece of dishonesty and hypocrisy which our idiotic school system sees practiced up and down the land, but just because it's common doesn't make it any less distasteful to me.

Original poster

user987654 · 28/05/2018 14:30

MrsBert I was brought up c of e and attended church/ and church youth groups until basically I left home so although I haven't practiced recently I am from a Christian background, so I don't feel the baptism is any more disengenuous than all the others I've been to where the parents aren't zealous church attending Christians.

Lowdoor there are other ones rated good but I don't know if we'd get into those either, and they're not religious so I can't do anything to tip the balance there.

I agree by the way that the church school system is not a good / fair one but that's the way it is.

OP posts:

lostinsunshine · 28/05/2018 14:32

You get a baptismal certificate when your child is baptised.

Walkingdeadfangirl · 28/05/2018 16:45

Sound like you will only be attending the church for the year. Are you not worried what the other parents at the school will think when you get a place and you reveal you were faking it?

What about the poor child who has genuinely religious parents who will be denied a place because of you?

Original poster

user987654 · 28/05/2018 19:38

walking who says I'll only attend the church for a year, you've just made that assumption.

Why would I be taking the place of another church attending family if they're attending the church as well?

No logic to your post.

OP posts:

Walkingdeadfangirl · 28/05/2018 19:55

who says I'll only attend the church for a year, you've just made that assumption Its a reasonable assertion based on your enquires into the minimum time needed to attend church. Are you intending to go to church every fortnight indefinitely? If so why not ask the priest these questions rather than an anonymous internet forum?

Why would I be taking the place of another church attending family if they're attending the church as well? Because you have said the school is not under-subscribed, therefore when someone fakes it to get a place someone else has to be refused a place.

I wasn't being flippant, just interested to know if it would bother you if people found out you only attended the church to get into the school?

Lowdoorinthewal1 · 28/05/2018 20:03

What rating is the one you would definitely get into?

MaisyPops · 01/06/2018 18:00

Because you have said the school is not under-subscribed, therefore when someone fakes it to get a place someone else has to be refused a place
This.
Notice how it's usually the well-informed middle-ish class parents who are the ones who play the system to get their child into a school (often highly regarded because it's also full of other 'suitable' children).
Never mind others who are entitled to a place that you push down the waiting list by playing games.

Our local primary is CofE. We are a different denomination. Our church attendance doesn't get us a head start. I wouldn't be changing churches for a few years just so i can cheat my way into a school.

Growingboys · 01/06/2018 20:35

This post depresses me.

prh47bridge · 01/06/2018 21:02

Attending church to get a place is not cheating. The parent is not being in any way dishonest. You don't have to be a Christian to attend church. Church is open to everyone, and particularly to sinners. People attend for all kinds of reasons. If the church wants a longer commitment before offering a place at the school it can put that in its admission criteria.

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