am I mad to go for a catholic school 2 miles away when there is CE lovely school just 5 min walk from my house?

[Hotpotatofood]

was thinking about catholics school as schools which provide education and then open up the possibility to go to secondary catholic school... so on my form I put the priority for the catholic schools and put the CE ( 5 min away from my house) school as a last preference. so I got the offer from the catholic school about 2 miles drive. now have got mixed feelings. please reassure me - is it the right decisions? shall I put my son back on a waiting list for CE school, 5 min away from my home( he is at the nursery at this school, got friends, is settled)... or shall I think long term and provide him with catholic education ( we are catholics)?

have you visited both schools? I'd go with the impression you got from that

i did not visit the schools - just been in the office area. the CE school is where my son goes to nursery - so I have been in that building but not other buildings of the school. I am so torn with this situation. if I now have a chance of waiting list and possibility of a place in CE local school, I will be torn again to withdraw him from the possibility of catholic school eductaion... oh dear...

Can you even go on the waiting list? Quite a few places only do waiting lists if you get a lower preference.

well schools vary, even within a faith, so have a look around and then decide! dd goes to CofE school, very high church, altar cloths in classrooms etc. It is not SO different from the Catholic school ds attends, in terms of religious education; his school is quite liberal, open to learning about other faiths etc. The C of E school has higher academic ratings, I know Catholic families who send their children there, but I moved ds because he was really unhappy and the Catholic school had better pastoral care. I bet if you have a look around that will help you decide.

Yes, what Pyrrah said. You got your first choice, their job is done

It depends how crucially important a Catholic education at school is for you. Catholic children attend non-Catholic schools and still live as Catholics - go to mass, Confirmation etc.

I'm now nearly 2 years into the daily school run and have over 7 years left (two children). It would take an awful lot to persuade me that a 4 mile round trip is a better option than trotting down the road. Local friends, being able to share drop offs, pick ups etc are all pluses for a local school.

What Christina said.
It's now 13 years since I started the school run, and it would tak and AWFUL lot to persuade me to go to a school I needed to drive 2 miles to each day, when there was a good one just 5 mins walk away.
That said - this advice would be useful to you before you filled in your preference form, but now the places have been allocated, it may well be too late.
Why on earth didn't you go and look round the schools ?

I have four children, my youngest has just been offered a place at the same school all the others are at, four miles away. I chose this over the 'local' five minute walk school because the education they are getting IMO is so much better. It's a small, village school with a fantastic community feel, real ties with the village church and the children love it. Go with your instinct!

The thing is Sparkly , the OP said she hasn't visited the schools!!!!
In your case, you made a concious decision because of the feel of the school - that's a good reason.

Our oldest went to a school which took about 40 minutes by coach to get to at the time - a school coach service, Haberdashers school and she loved it right through from 4 - 18. I don't think the distance matters at all if the children love the school or you think it is right for them. 2 miles seems very very very close for many parents who have children at fee paying schools or in the country.

I did not visit the school because i just knew tgat it is catholic and normally catholic schools have good reputation

So, you still haven't visited either school? Are you perhaps a grass is greener type of person?

You need to visit the school. That's a very big generalisation you've just typed there ...

How important is a catholic education? Do you attend mass regularly?

Most people don't send their kids to faith school because "they tend to be better", they do so because try want a particular faith integrated into their education.

The fact that you're tossing up between CofE and Catholic school makes me think you're not so bothered about the faith element. Attending faith schools is not about practicalities or logistics - it's about your faith!

Are you thinking of RC schools for secondary?
Some have feeder primary schools, some don't. If the latter, it wouldn't matter if you didn't go to RC primary, as long as you met the criteria for baptism and church attendance.

Read the Ofsteds, visit the schools, then make your mind up whether to go on the waiting list for the local school. But accept the RC place, so you have a school place secured, whatever happens.

Because it was a Catholic school,you assumed it would be good...without looking round it and meeting the head......that just doesn't make sense.