Only religious schools around, and we are not. Any sugestion?

[DaniFromSP]

I´m catholic, not practicing, any chance my daughter enter at Catholic Primary School or even a CofE according to disctance criteria?

And more are being created, often contrary to the wishes of local people. Without the churches having to put much money into them.

It doesn't need a change in the law.

All it needs is the money to buy replacement premises (one off, but costly) and to make up the various churches contributions (10% of maintenance costs for about 25% of schools, ongoing).

The education budget is strained already, and no Government department has spare cash. So what would you cut to achieve this?

Most of what the CofE owns derives from centuries of what was essentially taxation, and gifts of land from the state in the first place.

There should simply be a change in the law to prevent discriminating against children based on their parents' religion.

That would not however solve the schools issue. If churches were disbarred from a role in running the schools they own, they would then be free to dispose of them as they wished (probably in line with charity law, as most are wrapped up in trusts).

Then the state would have to replace those schools. Expensive.

So we just sit by and let things remain as they are. Yes, that's the answer.

Oh, I'd let them run them but not in ways which discriminated against children. Or indoctrinated them. If churches want to serve their communities by providing education, carry on. What is their real motivation and 'ethos'?

My DD has been accepted into a RC school in London as it is the closest catchment school. We live in a catchment blackhole. All other schools we applied to were non-faith, even the one where our daughter goes to nursery currently 0.9 away but we were not accepted anywhere but our catchement RC school. In the application process it asked for baptism certificate, letter from priest and our religious denomination (parents). We were unable to provide any of this and stated on the form we are buddhist.

This is still the school that the LA has given us. So if you are in an area that dosen't have enough spaces the LA will stick you wherever they can, particularly if you are in catchment.

You do not need to sit by. You could do is show examples of how the government could afford to buy out the property and the increase to maintenance costs. And show that there is no more pressing use for that money. Then campaign to make it happen.

What are your early ideas on affording it?

I wouldn't cut any money from any department, i would just say you can't discriminate. Its unlawful!

Its unacceptable to do this. No explination necessary. Life can be that simple.

The church Needs the school to fill its pews.

If you wanted to buy the building from the church, it would be like buying your council house. All that rent, subsidising, costs, could be deducted from it value!

OP, study the admissions criteria for your particular choice of schools and see whether you fit in. Admissions criteria for faith schools vary. My catchment RC school, for example, is very strict (and heavily over-subscribed) and even those who are baptised, attend weekly and have glowing priest's reference are not guaranteed entry.

meditrina is persisting in the false premise that the state would need to buy out church schools. They just need to adhere to the same standards of non-discrimination required by any other state institution.

yes, check the criteria
there are three popular faith schools local to me
RC school requires baptismal certificate only
CofE school A requires baptism, and a minimum of monthly attendance at a specific church for 12months prior to submitting the application
CofE school B has no faith requirement for admissions, and selects on the usual LAC/siblings/distance criteria

Most faith schools near me, for primary, accept lots of kids who are not of that denomination, even the RC ones. So just because they are faith schools doesn't mean you won't get a place.
Also all community schools are supposed to be "broadly Christian", and as is often pointed out some community schools are more religious than some C of E.

Is it a false premise though?

If any school-owning Church decided that it did not wish to continue, should the state seek to make changes to current arrangements; there is no means to compel them to continue to make their asset available for free, and so replacement schools would be required. The Churches own the land and buildings. They are under no obligation to continue to make them available for use by the state.

The churches DO NOT own the land and the buildings.
All "Controlled" schools are owned wholly by the LEA
"Aided" schools are largely owned by the LEA
the Church handed all the buildings (and the repair and maintenance costs) to the state after WW2

ANYBODY who has been a school governor can see this in their own school
the church pays no bills
it does not pay for the teachers etc etc

religious schools are an anachronism
BUT
CofE schools are the LEAST of our worries

Actually, the vast majority are owned by charitable trusts.

???
CofE controlled schools are not owned by trusts
the new academies may be
but village primaries by the thousand are the property of the county council - I read more planning and land registry records than is healthy
that is why they do not need planning permission for most alterations to state schools

Link about ownership.

Indeed
so a VC school that is not a foundation school is LA owned - and that is the VAST VAST majority

and note that "the church" is not anywhere on that grid
the CofE DO NOT OWN state schools

as per here
www.churchofengland.org/education/national-society/staffing-governance/school-category-organisation.aspx
there are only 50 Foundation scools
the rest of the 4620 CofE schools are LA owned