Rural location- school choice

[delilahdarling]

Just starting to wonder about schools for DD (currently still only a toddler). No mad panic yet, but I am interested to get views on this. We live right out in the sticks in a small hamlet, no facilities, no school in realistic walking distance. There are two or three very small primaries in neighbouring villages- ranging from 30-50 pupils.

I work part-time and after school care might be very valuable to us- not much in the way of this in the tiny primaries. To find a slightly larger school we start getting into 15 minute drives and one that I really like- no guarantee there would be space of course- is a 20 minute drive.

In addition to this, the very small schools all appear to be C of E- not wildly opposed to this, but we are bringing up DD more within DP's religion than anything and not sure how we feel about her attending a Christian faith school.

I have rooted around on here for relevant threads but would be interested in people's honest experiences of travelling some distance to get to a school that is suitable. So many people seem to have schools in walking distance and talk about the social benefits of this, that I fear I am going to feel very guilty if DD is not living immediately amongst her peers.

Thanks!

I'm not going in, but it does bother me.

Have to say that in my house I would have corrected her and pointed out that Jesus suffocated, he didn't lose much blood from the nails.

But then I am a Scientist as well as a Christian (I'll shuffle back to my corner).

BTW you need to visit all the schools, and my DC's school is a very Christian VA, but it caters well to all faiths, the best assembly is the "thoughtful" one where they spend time in their classes thinking about an issue (vaguely Christian based, such as "forgiveness") and have time to be quiet and thoughtful. However it has also had assemblies based on Harry Potter, visits a Hindu Temple in year 5, and has no creationist biase (in fact I would guess almost all staff are firm evolutionists, some aren't even Christian, One is Muslim).

If you choose to live out in the sticks, you cannot expect to have a wide choice of desirable facilities on your doorstep. Either you make do, or you end up driving a lot!

Says the poster who lives within a country which has such religious tolerance they have banned the burkha

But I do agree with you actually, I chose to live in sticksville (albeit before I had any thought of children) and I do choose to drive my little darlings 25 miles a day for school instead of attend the church schools nearby.

Hi,

Yes, we did choose to live out in the sticks (I love it)! And I don't expect to have lots of facilities- that's exactly the reason I am considering a longer drive to a school that might suit DD better and it's great to hear about what others choose to do. Visiting all the possibilities is obviously the way to go.

Does anyone know what the deal would be about DD wearing the Sikh Kara bangle- she currently wears it all the time- to primary school? Would this be unacceptable in a C of E school?

delilah - a religious bangle would be acceptable if they have a uniform policy only underneath the uniform and would have to be removed for sports. But yes in general terms schools seem to be okay about them.

I wouldn't rule a school out because of it's denomination, but i would visit and talk to other parents (with children at the schools) to ascertain what it is like.

We have moved areas and my DC have moved form a large primary to a tiny village school which is Cof E. It does have the priest visiting, but in the few months they have been there they have celebrated Divali and received talks from people with other faiths. BTW i live in a market town and drive my DC out to the village.

The school is fantastic - with only circa 60 children, the education and care is very individualised and my children, one SEN and the other at the other end of the scale are both thriving. It is a real family atmosphere.

Re the childcare issue - i would investigate childminders is the village and see what after school arrangements the larger school does have. At DC's larger school there wasn't an after school club, nor is there at the village school but there is a breakfast club and after school activities every day except Friday.