We have too few primary schools around here. A new one is being built, but now someone has put in a bid for it to be a faith school.

[justfeelthisiswrong]

And if it goes ahead I think there will be a public outrage.

All the local schools are over subscribed. Some people in the area in question have been campaigning for 6 years for this new school to be built. Now it is due to open next September for a reception intake, but there are two bids, one for it to be a community school, but the other is for it to be a faith school.

If this bid is the one that is accepted it will not solve the schooling problems. Because the intake will be 50% children of this faith and 50% local children.

But none of the parents want this faith school. To the extent that only one parent has applied for their child to join next September, and all the others are waiting till the outcome.

Why do I feel that the particular faith is an issue here?

I don't think the particular faith is the issue. If there is a shortage of school places in a particular area, I don't think it is fair to build a school that parents not of that faith may wish not to use and in any case will have less chance of gaining a place in.

I think that if there's a shortage of school places in an area, then it is wrong to open a school that has selective admition policies.

We have an identacle issue in this area (same school?) where there have been campaigns and meetings for years to sort out the building of a particular school, and now that that that is in hand there has been a proposal put forward for it to be a muslim faith school.

Imo if that proposal is accepted (and apparently this is done at central government level not locally) there will be public outcry and I can't say I blame them.

And it will affect all the schools in the area if this school becomes a muslim faith school.

Fortunately I don't live in that particular area and my ds is already at a local school, but if I did and this happened I would be absolutely fuming and there's no way I would send my child there.

Nothing against muslims or any other faith, but I'm not religious and if there was a shortage of school places then I think to allow that shortage to continue by giving preferencial treatment too certain faiths (any faith) is wrong.

Wannabe - I think you & I possibly live in the same town.

Like you, my dd is at a different (Catholic) school anyway, and we don't live in the specific area so it doesn't affect us directly.

And I can see how it's frustrating and disappointing if you've moved to a newly built area and want to be able to walk your children to a local school.... and then they build one, and tell you it's just for muslim children.

But in a society where (rightly or wrongly, and I really don't want to open up the whole faith school argument again) we have the borough council's schools and then a selection of faith schools, isn't it reasonable that if Muslim parents and community leaders want a Muslim school for their children, they should be as entitled as anyone else to have one?

And is there (this is a genuine question, btw) actually a shortage of school places? I know people might not be getting their first choice of school place (although in my town, which I think is wannabe's town too, something like 97% got their first choice), but that isn't the same as there being a shortage.

I know there are certainly enough Muslim children to make up a school-ful.

You say "none of the parents want this faith school" - I'm assuming you mean none of the parents you know. Some parents obviously do want it or there wouldn't be a bid.

Faith schools, paid for by the tax payer ought not to exist.

I accept there is a problem because historically faith schools exist already but NO new ones of ANY faith should be created.

I come from having had my school education in Northern Ireland. Introducing faith schools where they do not already exist is insane.