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Primary education

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Original poster

Not christened (Covid) so no school place?

77 replies

SteveyFluff · 18/04/2021 18:31

My DS starts school in Sept 2022. So he’s the next cohort in line to apply and get a place. But I didn’t take him to church as a baby because I was exhausted and suffering PND and birth injuries. In fact I didn’t even get dressed and go out of the house because I was so bad. I thought I had plenty of time to sort it out when he was a bit older and I was coping better. He was just getting old enough to be able to attend church when Covid happened. So he still hasn’t been christened or ever attended church.

I’m CEV and have been vaccinated but don’t know when I’ll feel safe to do those things. Now I’m worried he won’t get into the Catholic school next year because he hasn’t been christened and I’m scared to go to church. I hadn’t thought about it much but the news about school offers this week has brought it to the front of my mind and now I’m worried.

OP posts:
DingDongThongs · 18/04/2021 20:33

Ring priest tomorrow, get baptised...wear a mask. 1 place at Catholic school. I also attended since childhood and past pupil so that probably swung it. I still had to prove son's Catholic faith in an oversubscribed place.

DingDongThongs · 18/04/2021 20:36

Where I am there was no request for baptism before 1. He was baptised at 6 months because it was summer and I wanted to.

GreyhoundG1rl · 18/04/2021 20:36

I still had to prove son's Catholic faith in an oversubscribed place.
Of course you did, since that is literally the first item on the oversubscription criteria list.

DingDongThongs · 18/04/2021 20:36

Greyhound girl... what do you mean? I don't understand.

GreyhoundG1rl · 18/04/2021 20:37

@DingDongThongs

Greyhound girl... what do you mean? I don't understand.
Sorry, what don't you understand?
DingDongThongs · 18/04/2021 20:37

in our country even in a faith school, the first places go to those in state foster care (rightly so, of any faith, then to Catholic children in state care) that is first priority

Checkingout811 · 18/04/2021 20:38

They are still doing baptisms. My sons were baptised Catholic last October.
Very unlikely you’ll get a place without them being baptised.

mummyh2016 · 18/04/2021 20:38

You're going to have to book him in to be baptised and use different god parents if the school place is that important to you.
I don't think you can blame Covid solely for this. For your child to be starting school in September 2022 the very latest he was born was 31st August 2018; you had at least 18 months before Covid to attend church after he was born. I know you've had PND etc however it is unlikely the priest will even know who you are, never mind verify that you used to attend regularly.
I know you have said you don't know when you will feel safe enough to attend church, I would try and get this baptism booked ASAP as the further we ease out of restrictions the more people will likely be at the service.

DingDongThongs · 18/04/2021 20:38

the comment about the kick and stampede..and 43 kids.

Could I have a more Janet and John explanation?

Justyouwaitandseeagain · 18/04/2021 20:38

Contact your priest ASAP. Arrange baptism as quickly as they can fit you in. No need for godparents to be present I believe (my own godfather was overseas so he was appointed ‘by proxy’) start logging on to weekly mass online.

DingDongThongs · 18/04/2021 20:39

Mass is online :) I've quite enjoyed Mass and Latin Mass from home tbh

ChildOfFriday · 18/04/2021 20:39

OP, if the school's admission criteria state that baptism is the only requirement of faith needed, then that's all that will matter. If there is no age requirement on the baptism and no mention of church attendance, then it wouldn't matter if you someone had attended church regularly since the baby was born and had them baptised at a few months old, or never attended and had them baptised the day before they submitted the school preference form- they both meet the required criteria and would go into the same admissions category. If baptised Catholic is all that's mentioned, then you have until January to get your DC baptised and you will be at no disadvantage at all compared to if you'd been continuing attending church.

GreyhoundG1rl · 18/04/2021 20:42

It's perfectly legal to have looked after children who are Catholic as the top oversubscription criteria.

PatriciaHolm · 18/04/2021 20:42

OP, if you want to PM me the name of the school I will take a look at the admissions policy and details if you like.

Checkingout811 · 18/04/2021 20:43

@momobots I find that very odd. The daughter my catholic school attends just received 93 applications for 30 places for September.
There are 14 Catholic primaries in my city and every single one is oversubscribed every year without fail.

Justyouwaitandseeagain · 18/04/2021 20:43

It will depend on admission criteria...our school requests both a baptism certificate (and states children baptised before 6mths will be prioritised over others) as well as a certificate of church attendance

RandomMess · 18/04/2021 20:44

The local Catholic school where I lived it was baptised (and when) within the diocese, parents both baptised, confirmed, practicing catholics, then baptised not in the diocese and on and on and on.

The admissions rules for the secondary were so long! Non baptised, non confirmed sibling within the diocese was about 12th on the list!

GreyhoundG1rl · 18/04/2021 20:46

@DingDongThongs

the comment about the kick and stampede..and 43 kids.

Could I have a more Janet and John explanation?

Oh, I'm sorry. I was bemused at the poster saying most Catholic schools are undersubscribed, as it's clearly not the case outside her local school. I'm in London and have never heard of a school with 43 pupils. The kick in a stampede is probably a colloquialism Blush. It just means you're not even really properly in the race.
TeacupDrama · 18/04/2021 20:47

You will be a lot safer in church than a supermarket, the seating is spaced out well, the person at door normally has a seating plan the baptism can be just the parents and the priest, ask about zoom services to start a relationship with local church ask priest if he can do a garden visit. I'm protestant not catholic but that's not relevant, our minister has been seeing people for either socially distanced walks or now outdoor coffee or garden visits. In our congregation the elderly and CEV that have been vaccinated are back in church they say they feel safer in church than anywhere else. You can even go online and check covid down to your local area about 6000 people you will probably find covid cases in a small, village are virtually non existent to reassure yourself, if you are still really anxious see both your GP and your priest, maybe the combination of medical advice and reassurance and prayer will help as I would like to assume you are baptising your son for the right reasons not simply to get him a school place

Soontobe60 · 18/04/2021 20:47

@SteveyFluff

No, never been to church since before I had DS. I’ve hardly been out of the house in fact. I have chronic pain from birth injuries and have suffered terribly with my mental health since he was born. Mental health has improved a lot and I’m able to go out now - except Covid means I can’t.
Is there a reason why his father couldn’t have taken him to church if you were too unwell? Or a reason why the Priest didn’t visit you at home pre Covid? I know my friend had the Priest visit monthly to do confession or whatever it is catholics do in church when she was too ill to go.
Marmite27 · 18/04/2021 20:48

Catholic school are (usually) under subscribed IME. Mine go to a catholic school that is on the brink of being closed as only 43 children attend. I think you will be fine, can your priest write you a covering letter explaining the situation to the local authority and just explain that you are a parish member and attendee usually.

It depends on the area, for reception 2020 or school had 357 applications for 30 places.

You had to be baptised before 6 months, live in the tiny catchment, be an active member of the congregation and have a sibling to hit the top of the criteria (no looked after children last year).

We submitted letters from our parish priest, my husbands childhood priest, and the priest who had been our parish priest before we married and conducted our wedding.

Only 6 children without siblings were admitted. We were the closest to school at a distance of 153 metres.

We’re desperate to move to a larger house, but daren’t until 2022 admissions are complete for DC2.

worrybutterfly · 18/04/2021 20:50

How long has it been since you've been to any church (even not local)?

You mention a church from your previous village. Could you get the priest for that church to write a reference and then you can add a supporting letter explaining why you've not been able to attend locally?

I haven't attended a local church because of moving, lockdown, and MH issues. But I know that the vicar from my previous church would be very supportive.

Marmite27 · 18/04/2021 20:51

Oh and DH was a past pupil, FiL a previous governor and DH a current governor.

They changed the rules last year so in catchment non siblings came above out of catchment siblings so there were siblings that didn’t get in. In fact if they hadn’t have chances that, DC1 wouldn’t have got in, it would have been entirely siblings. Which is why we’re not moving!

Checkingout811 · 18/04/2021 20:53

@SteveyFluff to be honest, and I’m not meaning to be harsh here, I don’t think your reasons will cut it. Many churches have been doing online mass, there’s been ample opportunity for your son to be baptised.
When I have been unwell in the past, my mother has taken my DC to church. When my grandmother was unwell a few years ago, she was visited at home.

Are you a practising Catholic and it is important to you that your child to grow up within the faith, and that they receive and education that supports their faith? Or is it the closest school? Or best one in the area?

Marmite27 · 18/04/2021 20:56

@DingDongThongs

in our country even in a faith school, the first places go to those in state foster care (rightly so, of any faith, then to Catholic children in state care) that is first priority
Ours is
  1. catholic looked after children
  2. Catholic siblings in catchment
  3. Other catchment children in catchment
  4. Other looked after children
  5. Catholic Siblings out of catchment
  6. Other Catholic children out of catchment
  7. Children from other qualifying religions in catchment
  8. Children from other qualifying religions out of catchment
  9. Other children.

You simply don’t have a chance if your child isn’t baptised catholic.