Are catholic school best than normal ones?

[matro87]

Hello to everyone my daughter will start reception next September and we are looking for a right school to her! Our choice is to send her in a catholic school as we know are the best but they are really the best??? I mean, why we suppose the faith school are best than normal?what are the different? What we have to look at when we will choose a school??
Thank you

St Vincent De Paul Primary School Westminster,Westminster Cathedral School or St Anne Vauxhall?Have applied for these 3 schools for my son for reception 2019!Any parents whos children attend with feedback?

I'm a non practising catholic (DH isn't catholic) and our DC are at a catholic secondary which gets the best results in the area. Yes there's mass, prayers etc, (DC just zone out) but they're flying and we've had no issues at all.

All schools are different so I would read the ofsted reports, talk to local parents, and most importantly visit the schools.

Nat6999, you were appallingly treated. That wouldn't have happened at the Catholic schools that I know (& I know divorced parents of children at the schools). Sounds like an attitude from the 1950s\early 60s. Horrible.

mmm no not necessarily 'best' schools by default. Look at each school on its own merits, regardless of the type of school it is.

There's a catholic school in my town that had an excellent reputation and good results but intake was typically white middle class. As a result it appears there was no concept of diversity and a lack of awareness of extremism and safeguarding.

If a religious education is important to you then consider catholic schools but judge them on the same criteria as you would a non-faith school. Ultimately, a child can get their religious education from attending church and schools should be providing a good academic education.

Interesting. I've never heard anyone suggest that Catholic schools are the best. There are three nearish to us. One is good and two are RI and not places I would want my dc to go.

Over subscribed schools with selection criteria, overt or covert, get better results than schools that take all comers. By definition.

My DD attends the faith school in our village and it is far better than the non denominational school but that won't be the same everywhere. Also, we are Catholic but about 75% of the children that attend the school are not and neither are their parents. Its not always a requirement. I'd have a look at the OFSTED reports of the schools in your catchment and make your decision based on that.

GoldenEvilHoor we aren't Catholic, we got in because there weren't enough Catholics to fill all the places. There were 3 children who weren't Catholic, one of the three children came from a one parent family before I divorced & ironically one of the catholic mum's was divorced & one was unmarried, but I was the only one who was ostracized. I have never been anywhere that was so bitchy & the amount of backstabbing. Several of the mum's worked in school & spread personal information that had been given in confidence around the playground, one of the mum's was the TA in DS class & she made DS'S life a misery, finding fault with his work, keeping him in at break to finish work, stopping him attending chess club that he loved, I tried to complain but the staff stuck together like glue.

I’m Catholic but think the reason Catholic schools do better is more about the self selection of parents. There is a higher percentage of Catholics, obviously (but plenty of non Catholics too).
Catholic parents make a conscious decision to not go to catchment school. That’s a start on interest in education. They may have had to get children baptised and attended church - requires effort. Then most

Catholic parents are conservative (with a small c), tend to respect authority and expect the same of their children and have quite high expectations generally around behaviour and learning. Our children are usually taught to sit quietly through an hour long Mass from toddlerhood and to participate respectfully from about five years. It teaches concentration. Consideration of others and taking responsibility for your actions are also highly valued.

Might have nothing to do with the school as such!

I’m delighted your children don’t run riot whilst you’re on Reddit GoldenEvilHoor but sadly, many don’t think teaching children to sit still, be quiet and concentrate is an essential skill. I think it’s fair to say most Catholics tend to conservative. Parental influence is as important as the school when determining outcomes.
No, the sheep is Anglican but service startsin the village pub not a Catholic Church. Very sadly, the family who have pet sheep probably aren’t able to join us this year.
Catholic Church is well attended but it serves a city - albeit a small one.
Anglican churches locally are filled but tiny.

I think it’s fair to say most Catholics tend to conservative

Possibly if you live in the 1950s. Here in 2018 Catholic parents are remarkably similar to any other parents.

They are better if you want your child to go to a faith school (and usually a bit more adherent to the faith bit than CofE schools, although this varies massively).

I think there is some evidence they are more often good or better than a ‘normal’ school but to be honest that’s probably just by virtue of which families get places and who goes to church and the admissions policies/extra form filling required.

I'm a Catholic. My dd went to a Catholic primary. It was as good as a non- Catholic neighbouring school that we couldn't get into despite living nearer. Thank goodness she is now in an excellent non-Catholic secondary. Where I live , a very Catholic area, it's not exceptionally better. I grew up ina different area - also very Catholic and I went through both primary and secondary Catholic schools.
Catholic isn't necessarily a sign of excellence. In the area I live now, it has historically been the opposite of that.

C8H10N402 Not sure it’s necessary to be rude but yes, even in 2018, Practicing Catholic parents tend to more conservative end of spectrum.

There is of course more that they have in common than divides but Catholics are more likely to wait until they are married to start a family, they tend to have lower divorce rates and a more structured lifestyle. That is proven to be advantageous in terms of the child’s outcomes.

Like I said, I live ina very Catholic area. Nope, not especially conservative. Plenty of variety in the family set ups.

I’m definitely not conservative! But I do have boundaries for my kids, if that’s what you mean.
In my area the Catholic schools are more culturally diverse. There are a lot of Polish kids, a few traveller kids, and lots of Muslim parents choose to send their children to a faith school rather than non-faith. They get priority over children of no faith.

If you’re catholic it’s good because they will do the sacraments.

Personally I like Catholic schools better but I am Catholic. I’m also a single parent and have never been outcast for it.

Not sure it’s necessary to be rude

Nice try but I don't think Francis made you his representative on MN just yet.

You may live in a conservative bubble, nobody around my way would recognise it as anything other than historical fiction.

In my area the Catholic schools are more culturally diverse

Same here, in every dimension - race, culture, economic, various family set ups - nothing resembling the 1950s model cited upthread.

Yes our schools are the most culturally diverse in the city. I don’t think that’s disputed.

Yes our schools are the most culturally diverse in the city.

You seem to have accidentally omitted the racial, economic and social diversity which are material contributors in the lack of 1950s social attitudes.

The confusion when it comes to people who are from/live overseas is that church schools tend to be defacto private and so sending your child to one is considered "better" the way lots of people consider private "better"

Here there's good and bad within state, and of course Catholic AND private is an option - but you'd need to look at individual schools and not just presume based on having RC in the name

I think that answers your actual question OP

I’m not sure what you mean C8H10?