Should you declare marital status for schools where there is competitive entry?

[Homely1]

Does this pay a role in as much as the school may feel the child will not keep up? In theory, it should not be a consideration but if they have a 'like' group of children, would they use this to filter?

State schools primary places for most children are awarded by the local authority not the school itself on the basis of distance from the school, siblings at the school and sometimes depending on the school church attendance. There are a few other things which come into play for some children, SEN, being fostered, having at least one parent in the forces for example, but the marital status of parents makes no difference at all.

Thank you.... What about for highly competitive selective schools?

I'm not sure I understand the question. I presume none of the children are married, so we're looking at their parents! I can't see how the parents' marital status dictates how intelligent or able the children will be, and therefore how likely they are to "keep up". Nor are children of unmarried or lone parents all alike - indeed neither are all children of married parents. In fact I know unmarried parents with whom we, and our children, have far more in common than some married parents we know. It simply isn't a predictor of anything at all.

As above, state schools cannot look at it, but even for a private school to do so could easily be seen as discriminatory, never mind its irrelevance. I don't recall any of the independent schools we looked at asking for marital status at all.

Nowadays it doesn't make any difference at all. TBH where my DS is I think we are in the minority as we are married.

And to be honest, if that was how an independent school chose to filter its intake, I'd be extremely cautious. It would belie a tendency to discriminate, and you never know how else that might manifest once your child is there.

I totally agree. Thing is marital status in some form is asked for in all of the forms!

I would be sure to avoid any school that judged a child on their parent so marital status!

Are you asking about primary or secondary schools? Afaik selective secondary schools only select on the basis of accidemic achievement, and I've never heard of a selective primary school other than one which insists you must be a church goer, in which case you either are or aren't.

I mean private schools with competitive entry.

Ahh, okay. I know nothing about private school entry.

How and where would you declare it?
As far as I remember - the forms ask for the information (name, work) the father and the mother.

But, I hear you. And if you are worried - just put only one home address - if your situation is that you don't live together.

If it's just that you are not formally married, but live together - no one cares. And - there is not even a place to put it in the application.

They have to publish admissions criteria , I thought?

Would you actually want your child at a school which discriminated against the children of unmarried, separated or divorced parents?

Hmm well as a lone private schools parent running my own business in a competitive field successfully I am asked to come in and mentor sixth form girls. I know the other lone parent in DD's year group has been asked to as she is very successful in a highly competitive male dominated field.
If you can afford the fees you are likely to be very successful at what you do and therefore the kind of parent they are looking to attract.

I vaguely remember one cesspit lovely school in Hampstead asking parents to list their profession and highest level of educational attainment on the application form, which seems designed to filter on the basis of something at least slightly helpful to the school, but marital status? Why? Maybe if they were of a religious bent, but still sounds a bit odd to me.

Amazing lone....!!!!