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Primary education

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

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Original poster

CofE primary admissions - is dd going to Sunday school every week sufficient?

22 replies

dinny · 09/04/2007 20:20

to get a place? it's so tricky as I work Sundays and dh has the kids - ds too young for Sunday school but there is a family service once a week - should dh and ds just go to church once a month to the family service?? or should they go every week? cheers!

OP posts:

princesscc · 09/04/2007 20:31

Round here you have to attend church regularly these days, it used to be ok to just go to uniformed services if your kids are Brownies & Beavers etc, but due to demand they're alot tougher. London Borough btw.

Original poster

dinny · 09/04/2007 20:33

every week, PrincessCC, you mean? would evere week for two years be sufficient?, you think? and how do I find out the general lowdown...?

OP posts:

wheelybigeasteregg · 09/04/2007 20:35

the criteria for church attendance for our local CoE school is laid out in the council primary school prospectus. It states that 2 weeks a month is what is required but its not the most popular school in the catchment (probably 2nd most popular) so probably can't afford to be too stringent !

wheelybigeasteregg · 09/04/2007 20:35

Thats London/surrey border

Original poster

dinny · 09/04/2007 20:38

cheers, wbee! have checked the criterai in this school's prospectus and it doesn't say how often you need to go. can't really be expected to go more than once a week, no? and how do you know the vicar has noticed you going each week - do they do a register?

OP posts:

princesscc · 09/04/2007 20:42

Again, can only speak for our area, but you have to get the vicar to write you a letter to say that you attend church regularly. And no, I don't think its every single week, personally, I think thats too much to ask in this day & age. Do you know anyone who is already at the school? They could give you the low down.

Original poster

dinny · 09/04/2007 20:44

actually, I know a teacher there, PrincessCC (old school friend of mine) - she says she doesn't think many of the pupils are churchgoers but is checking it out for me further.

just concerned as dd will (hopefully!) be going to it for Year 3 and ds reception when we move to totally new area.... want to do all I can to make sre they both get in!

OP posts:

wheelybigeasteregg · 09/04/2007 20:45

I really don't think you'd be expected to go more than once a week. Generally if you go regularly you'll end up getting on the electoral roll of the church I think (someone with more knowledge might be able to help out here) which is probably how they 'check'. Also with your dd going to sunday school then they would know she was going regularly I would have thought. At a lot of churches these days regulars give old fashioned collection by direct debit - that would ensure getting you noticed, particularly if you made a BIG contribution .

princesscc · 09/04/2007 20:49

There you go then. I'm sure it will work out for you.

Original poster

dinny · 09/04/2007 21:04

blimey -electoral roll of a church???

OP posts:

Marina · 09/04/2007 21:07

I'd aim for weekly, but not be too stressed if that doesn't happen. In our quite laid-back church (no school attached) we have a family service once a month, with Sunday school and a genuine welcome for younger kids at all the other main services. I know our vicar wrote a glowing reference to a family in a similar situation to yours dinny - the mum works Sundays and it is inevitable that they don't get there every week.
All your dh has to do is drop your whereabouts into the conversation over tea and biscuits after one of the services, and if the church is halfway decent, people will

appreciate what a PITA it is when one parent is obliged to work at weekends
cut you some slack as a family on the regular worship front. If you want my honest opinion how dh and the dcs seem when there is more important than how often they go. A bit of friendly chat and helping round up the toys at the end of family service will ensure a real feeling of fellowship in due course. We have a super Sunday school at our church, the DCs actively enjoy it and have made new, local, non-school friends through it (priceless IMO). I hope they enjoy themselves and it yields the right result for you all as well PS it is not the vicar you have to watch out for IME, it is the goodwives of the parish - the stewards and the ladies who do coffee. They notice

Marina · 09/04/2007 21:08

Tiny bit of paper with your name on. Entitles you to vote at the PCC elections. Steady there dinny
But - proves you come regularly

nickytwotimes · 09/04/2007 21:15

omg, i thought you went to church (and took your kids) to pray and celebrate god and all that stuff...
how old fashioned of me.

LizP · 09/04/2007 22:49

My dc go to a CofE school and church attendance is only a factor if you live outside the parish - so it depends where you are - you might not need to go at all.

Ladymuck · 10/04/2007 09:44

I would talk to the school secretary - ime they know everything! Mine were very upfront about what they were looking for. And weird as it may seem they were looking for evidence of the parents church attendance, not that of the child. So it was fine if the parents took turns in going to the evening service but never took the children.

Original poster

dinny · 10/04/2007 21:13

thanks, all - I am suddenly concerned with church attendance as we are planning a life-changing move in 2009 (huzzah!) which will involve dd changing schools (year 3) and ds starting reception in our new area. the best school by far is a church school - had been thinking about starting dd at Sunday school for a while anyway (honestly!) - just seemed she had so much on in the week it was one more commitment on her only day off. but now there is added impetus...

think next port of call is the school secretary!

OP posts:

Marina · 11/04/2007 21:00

I hope she enjoys it dinny. It gives my two the chance to think about life's issues, they do a little about Jesus every week, but mostly it is a calm counterbalance to bouncing around during the week

Original poster

dinny · 11/04/2007 21:12

thanks, Marina - I used to LOVE Sunday school myself!

OP posts:

Marina · 11/04/2007 22:32

Me too. Am a little sad that children no longer get a beautiful sticker of a scene from the Bible to put in their album, myself
Some of the genuinely nicest and warmest non-family adults I grew up with were my Sunday School teachers. I will never forget their goodness, and the dc's teachers are their 21st century equivalents

LindzDelirium · 12/04/2007 10:37

my DD is in reception at the village school which is CofE - and we are well-known atheists! DD has never been to church except with school!

aig · 16/04/2007 07:04

Re: Church Electoral Roll (C of E) - you have to apply to be entered on this (and reapply every 6 yrs!). You are eligible if you either; live in the Parish or have attended the church regularily for 6 months.
If you are moving areas you probably want to attend church weekly for 2 yrs to tick all the boxes. Some schools also require you to be a communicant (or 'desirous of confirmation').
Conflict of interest: I have been a churchwarden and am at present a Governor at a C of E secondary school!

UnquietDad · 16/04/2007 09:52

Damning indictment of our school "system" - if you want a decent one you have to pay or pray, it seems.

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