CofE school - non-religious family?

[Gavotte]

We need to apply for school places soon. Our local school (we can see it from the window) is C of E. It's got an outstanding rating from ofsted, kids seem really happy and it seems like a fantastic school in most ways. We can almost certainly get a community place as we're so close to the school.

But (and it's a big but) we are non-religious, and the school is massively so - worship is one of its four pillars (and organised religion tends to leave a very nasty taste in my mouth). Our alternative is a new, un-ofsted tested infant school which looks lovely - but risky as the junior school hasn't been set up yet, and there are no plans for where it will be or who will run it (likely to be another nearby junior school, most of which are pretty rubbish).

My question is to non-religious parents (or those of other religions) whose children have attended a (worshipful) church school. Was it compromising? Did it matter? How did your children deal with the challenge of different belief systems at home and at school? Was it worth it?

Many thanks in advance.

I also agree with exoticfruits, but there is a difference between teaching children about different religions and allowing free choice and being worried about them being actively indoctrinated into a religion, which does seem to be the aim of many christian preachers, which is worrying when it isn't your belief, and I do sympathise with the OP.

She can withdraw them from assemblies, church going etc.

You can also have Cof E schools where they never go to church services and community schools where they do!

Yes, but it is very hard to find out jsut how religious they are going to be in advance, and how much your children are going to take on board, so I do empathise with the OP's concerns.

Our local secondary is CofE, and yes they do bang on about Christian values and have to go to chapel once in a while, communion optional.

But really the 'Christian values' are only 'justice, forgiveness, trust and compassion' (or possibly kindness) - it's all quite nebulous, and they don't ever seem actually to get specific ('Jesus says this' etc).

I'm very definitely atheist, and the dc pretty much are too, but I don't think it hurts them. You can just sit and have a think in chapel, after all.

Thank you, everyone, for such interesting and thought-provoking replies. I've been to the school open evening and quizzed the RE teacher - the official line was positive (teachings are 'Christians believe' rather than 'X and Y are facts'), and they do think hard about how they present religion given that many of the children (and teachers) are not religious, but there is a lot of prayer and a weekly service. Obviously the children can opt out of these but apparently none actually have - and the teacher pointed out, fairly, that they might feel excluded were they to do so.

I'm all for children learning as much as possible about lots of different religions, and being given the facts to make their own minds up. I studied RE myself as I find them fascinating. What concerns me, however, is direct engagement (worship) in a particular religion - and that's what our family needs to weigh up against the amazing education that this school clearly provides.

Zoidberg - hello! Interesting to hear you are having the same concerns. I didn't know the junior school was improving - good to know.

Our DS is in his local CofE school, its the only one in the village. DH and I are both aetheists. The school is excellent academically and OFSTED outstanding. I loved the school when I went to visit, the HT took an hour to show me around the school, discuss their values and what they did. It isn't a heavily religious school, they have harvest, nativity and daily collective worship but no crosses in each classroom.

The key factors for us in choosing it, is its the local school, so DS has made good friends in the village which will be great when he is a little older and he can just walk to their houses, academically it is very good and the HT is excellent and this filters down the school. Looking back I hadn't considered that choosing the local school would be so much easier in terms of pick ups etc

DD is in the nursery of a very full-on CofE primary school - Eucharist service once a week, extra services for the ususal festivals, prayers 4 times a day and religion prominent in everything.

DH and I are active members of the NSS, BHA and staunch atheists. As DD is in the nursery she avoids much of the religious parts but if she goes there from next year then she will be affected.

I've had a letter home today asking parents to send in photos etc of their child's baptism for a discussion in school. While the school is ethnically diverse it is not religiously diverse at all and I imagine DD is now going to be pretty annoyed that she can't talk about her baptism with the other children.

I have really thought hard about applications and we have decided that we are too uncomfortable with the amount of religion and will be opting for the community school where there is a very cursory nod to the religious requirements.

I totally understand your dilemma and wish that this situation didn't exist. However the CofE appears to be actively encouraging their schools to recruit - bums on pews being in serious decline.

As everyone says there is no escape from religion in the state sector, CofE or not.

I believe it's better in more Ethnically diverse areas where the predominantly Christian gets bent, but in white rural middle England and Middle Wales.
It's sort of assumed that everyone believe in God and prays and hymns appear in things.

I know this is an older post but I had to add something as we have had the same problem. Our son starts school next year and our village school is c of e. We are non-religous and really want our son to learn about all faiths equally. We have looked at 10 primary schools in the area and they all have religious assemblies and prayers. We have ended up having to commit to paying fees at an independent school whose ethos we are happy with. Its good to find someone with similar views.