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Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

Primary education

Dilemma & Faith Schools

23 replies

UCM · 17/06/2006 10:33

Right, thanks in advance for reading this.

My DS 2.8 will be starting nursery in September. My Childminder, who after several disasterous other CMs is fabby and loves my DS more than me (smile), drops off at a RC school, possibly the best primary in ours & surrounding areas.They have a pre school there. She also walks past one of the worst schools in our county.

My DS will go to an excellent school because of where we live, so I have no worries on that front.

Dillemma - I will have to change childminders and I am worried sick over it. He could go to the crap school and stay with her.

Does anyone know if you can apply to put your child in a faith based school if the parents are not religious and because of where your childcare is based.

My CM's DH who is retired will be able to drop DS off at our local school on Wed & Fri mornings when he starts in Sept, but in January he will be going every day and her DH drives disadvantaged children to school on Mon, Tues so won't be able to do it. I am telling you these people are really genuinely fantastic and I would hate to move DS.

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charliecat · 17/06/2006 10:39

Does being in the preschool get you a place?

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UCM · 17/06/2006 11:03

I am not sure, this is my first time

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KTeePee · 17/06/2006 11:07

Don't think you would get priority just based on your childcare arrangements but if the school is not oversubscribed by catholic families alone, why not call them to see what your chances are?

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UCM · 17/06/2006 11:15

Theres a thought. I know that Catholic families from out of the area bring their children in as it's one of 'the best schools' in Essex. Always at the top of the league tables blah blah blah, so I doubt that will be the case, but you never know until you try...

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UCM · 17/06/2006 11:16

Do you think I should write to them explaining the situation. My CM has been taking children there for over twenty years and is well known and quite involved with the school...

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KTeePee · 17/06/2006 12:47

I really, really doubt that your childminder's address will have any bearing on whether you get in or not - if all the places are not taken by catholic children in the parish, they will have a list of criteria to decide who else gets in - it is most likely to be down to where you yourselves live. Can you get your childminder to adopt your ds?

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LIZS · 17/06/2006 13:24

I think Sil used her CM's drop off routine as an argument to get her dd into a C of E school out of her catchment area (it was also a far better school than local one). Once she was in recpetion it was then easir ot get ehr ds in too as a sibling .However they had also had her baptised which may be more difficult if you are not RC yourselves. A space in a nursery would not guarantee in Reception as you usually have to reapply and an opted out school can apply its own criteria which your ds may then not meet ahead of those applying at the same time.

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grapesofwrath · 22/06/2006 18:35

I really don't mean to be rude, but as a governor at a faith school if we received a letter trying to blag a place because of childcare arrangements I think I would have to scrape everyone off the floor they would be laughing so much. Everyone has to comply with the admissions criteria I'm afraid.

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foxinsocks · 22/06/2006 18:39

I think childcare arrangements were even specifically mentioned in our admissions pack as not being a valid excuse!

I'm afraid you'll just have to get different childcare

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Blu · 22/06/2006 18:40

er grapse, onec upon a time, I think some schools did accept childcare arrangements, esp CMs within the admissions criteria, and I think the idea has persisted.

I don't think any Voluntary aided / community schools would have that as a criteria now.

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foxinsocks · 22/06/2006 18:44

if you want him to go to the catholic school, there's no harm in calling them to see what your chances are (normally after all the regular church goers, there's a criteria for others based on distance but it will differ with each school)

tbh, I know you say ds loves the childminder but as he goes to school more and more, he'll be spending less time with her and more time at school so I would think the school decision is more important than sending him to a crap school just so he has a bit of time with a good childminder.

I know what a pain it can be to find a good childminder esp if you are in an area where they are in great demand but maybe if you start your search early and have a good look round, you might have more luck?

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bundle · 22/06/2006 18:45

you found one good CM, you can find another. good schools are a bit more tricky to find, ime

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TwinsetandPearls · 22/06/2006 18:59

You cold always try but if it is very over subscribed I don't fancy your chances. Being in the pre school would hold more weight.

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Blu · 22/06/2006 19:03

The good school you can get him into might have an after-school club. And CMs who pick up friends he is with at school.

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harpsichordcarrier · 22/06/2006 19:05

I think it is a bit harsh and indeed rude to suggest that ucm is trying to "blag" anything grapes. not a very Christian attitude imho when she is genuinely worried and concerned. compassion and empathy I would have thought more appropriate than mockery.

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foxinsocks · 22/06/2006 19:20

I dunno, just thought grapes was being honest

UCM, as you've not 'done' school before you'll soon be privy to all sorts of admissions palavas (especially if you have a crap school and excellent school on your doorstep)

Your council will have the criteria for the schools (or you can call the schools yourself and they will send you a prospectus)

but I agree with what bundle said (and she said it better than me )

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harpsichordcarrier · 22/06/2006 19:25

yes, maybe I am over-reacting a bit foxinsocks. it just sounded a bit arrogant and smug, imo. I tend to think that those in charge of faith schools should exercise a bit of humility in their position of privilege, so I am probably just demonstrating my bias

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foxinsocks · 22/06/2006 19:27

lol - well I don't agree with them (faith schools) at all but I'm not going down that road

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NotAnOtter · 22/06/2006 19:28

Not read whole thread...but....we moved our daughter from a c of e to a catholic school because they basically work them harder.
Luck of the draw - we are not church goers not catholic not married.
I would love all my children to go there but dare not risk it as we are not in catchment. Nearer the time ring the head and see if its worth applying

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UCM · 22/06/2006 19:51

Update, I was told to get him Christened firstly. So off I trot no Sunday morning to Sunday School, which was remarkably good.

I have also put him down for the pre school. Now for the biggest laugh ever. I thought DS started school in September 2007. Nope he doesn't start school until Sept 2008, thus giving me 2 years instead of finding pre-school now and panicking!!!

He is a September babe so will be one of the oldest in the class. You should have seen me the other day, relieved on one hand then panicking because I will have to pay for 2 children to be CM'd full time. I have had some week I tell you.

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foxinsocks · 22/06/2006 19:53

lol - poor you UCM - think you can probably write this week off as a pretty bad one and start again next week feeling much better!

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cat64 · 22/06/2006 20:55

This reply has been deleted

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UCM · 23/06/2006 07:05

Fox in Sox, cheers. You are right. But these are only day to day problems. After my 'gonna get the sack scare', they are trivial

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