Non Catholic attending Catholic Primary School

[slummymummy82]

Our daughter starts school next September and we have the task of deciding which school will be best for her, which is even harder at the moment as we are unable to look round them or go to open evenings etc. One of the top choices is a Catholic school but we are not a Catholic or even slightly religious. If any one can share their experiences of sending their non religious child to a Catholic School I would be extremely grateful

If you're not even slightly religious, I would avoid, and leave the place for a deserving Catholic child.
If you're Christian, just not Catholic, you might want to apply, but unless things have changed since my day, Catholic schools are pretty full on about religion - it comes into everything.

Would you be asking us the same question if one of the top choices was a Muslim school?

Have you looked into admissions criteria and past statistics and seen if it's remotely likely that you'd get a spot? Some areas of the countries only have religious schools so it's not an issue but in other areas it's kids that have fulfilled the religious criteria like baptism before 3months travelling to that school.

Our family are atheists (but I was brought up Catholic and went to Catholic schools).
My son went to a Catholic school (not in the UK) for a year when he was 5/6.
There is a lot of religion, they'll all do first holy communion and there will be mass and things like that. Possibly prayers before lunch.
I think it's ok for primary but I wouldn't do secondary because of the pro life & anti contraception stuff. This might have changed a bit since I was a teen but it was pretty full on then (90s)

it really depends on the school as well. My friend’s daughter goes to a catholic school - there is daily mass (not obligatory, but all kids go), a lot of talk about sin and confession (daughter is 7 years old now...), reading books are religious etc.
other schools are a lot more relaxed.

@JaJaDingDong

Would you be asking us the same question if one of the top choices was a Muslim school?

If you're an atheist and no experience of schools it's not unreasonable to wonder how religious primary schools are.

Totally depends on the school.

I taught at a lovely Catholic primary school. It was no different to any other school I've taught at, other than they had daily assembly with prayers and singing (so very like how we used to have it back in the 80s!)

We did have a Father who used to come in to talk to the children. He was lovely and he was lovely towards me who was clearly non catholic!

No issues at all. I wasn't even aware which kids were catholic and which weren't.

So depends on the school I would say.

Hi OP. I work in a catholic primary school (although not today, obvs).

To answer some of your points:

• Catholic (or baptised) children get priority over others (LACs, SEN etc usual top priority) (sorry for the initial. LAC = looked after child, so child in care). But we do have lots of non-catholics too.
• Be prepared for a faith-based education. Prayers throughout the day. Assemblies taken VERY seriously, Mass, etc.
• Holy Communion not a requirement, but most of the other kids will be doing it.

Any other questions?

LACs, SEN etc usual top priority

Sorry, that's phrased badly. The children, such as LACs who get top priority in other (non faith based) schools do still get top priority at the catholic school where I work. But after those, they prioritise those with a baptism certificate above those without.

Probably depends a bit on the school's ethos as religion will play a bigger part in some schools than others. However if you are not bothered about her learning about Catholicism I don't see a problem. If it's an area where a high percentage of schools are religious schools lots of kids may come from families with different or no faiths. I would check what your chances of getting in as a non catholic, as there is no point putting it down as a choice if you have no chance. That being said our local catholic school is under subscribed, so not be catholic would be no problem.

I'm virulently atheist but all mine have ended up at at CofE primary school and it's been fine. DH, who was raised Catholic, absolutely refused to consider sending them to RC schools though. He was adamant and as he has experience of RC and I don't, I didn't argue.

My DC are at a Catholic primary and we aren't RC, although we do have a Christian faith. I would echo others that say it depends on the school. This school isn't very strict Catholic - yes there are daily prayers and RE is more focused on the Catholic faith, but they don't have to learn their saints which my DNieces had to do at their Catholic school (they are Catholic so not a problem for them).

Both my DC have opted out of doing the first HC and totally understand why - and there are many non-Catholic children there so the school is totally fine with this.

I know of many parents in my village so don't even consider the school because 'they aren't Catholic' which I think is a great shame as it is a fantastic school. Visit the school, ask about the split of Catholic/non-Catholic children and what your children can opt out of and decide for yourself. Each individual school is so different.

We not even remotely religious or christened but my kids go to a catholic school. The school is lovely, yes do do quite a lot of praying but the kids quite like it.

Totally depends on the school I think. We are RC and our kids go to the local catholic primary. In DTs class there is a coptic christian and the rest are catholic. It is a single form entry so over subscribed from an RC pov. Second on criteria are LAC.

Yes they all do FC but it is done at their respective churches not through the school. Pre covid there was a liturgy assembly every week, normal assembly every day that would cover all faiths. There is a prayer morning and afternoon and at grace.

RE is no different to any other school, they celebrate festivals from all faith, Diwali, Hannukah etc.

Having attended 2 RC schools as an RC child, I wouldn't choose to send my child to an RC school. However, I think that's because my experience was so full on and pushed so hard by my dad. I believe my children would receive a more rounded education at a non religious school. My experience of a Catholic school is that everything is taught with a Catholic spin

Thanks so much everyone, some really helpful stuff in there and a massive help with ideas on things I beed to ask the school about.

• need

Tbh you may struggle to get in. The criteria for ours is basically any catholic child (looked after, siblings, in / out of catchment). Then there’s children of other faiths with the same ranking, then children with no faith and the same ranking.

In our local school every child admitted was catholic and a good portion of children that missed out were catholic too.

The other thing to think about is you may get in this year, but If you have other children they may not get in, in future years.

A "deserving Catholic child"!?! How ridiculous. I wouldn't care if it was private or100% funded by the Church, but that's not the case.
I really resent even 1p of our taxes going to fund these schools. We are paying for places our children can't attend. It is nonsense.