Church Schools

[AngelEyes46]

There is always a lot of controversy with Church schools. If you opt for a religious school for DC1, should you be 'allowed' to opt for a private/grammar/non-religious school for DC2?

Or the other way round, e.g. grammar/private/state for DC1 and then religious for DC2?

I have an issue but before I explain would like to know some thoughts?

It's astonishing how schools using strict religious criteria manage to keep out low achieving and poor children. Only 3% of children at the Oratory are described as 'low achieving'. Only 6% are on free school meals. One of the nearest comprehensives to the London Oratory has 29% on FSM and quadruple the number of low attainers.....

Aren't low achieving children just as much in need of a faith education as clever ones?

Or is it not really about children and their needs but about the aspirations and faith commitment of adults?

Tiggy Oratory are challenging it at Judicial Review, www.london-oratory.org/admissions/6.html almost certainly in their continuing defence of the service criteria humanism.org.uk/2013/11/05/london-oratory-school-challenges-schools-adjudicators-decision-must-rewrite-admissions-policy/

The parents of poor, low achieving dc are clearly not organised enough.
Also, the catchment area of The Oratory is huge - it can bypass unorganised families living nearby and admit those more suited to its ethos living further away. I notice that The Oratory requires information on both the mother and the father's religion/mass attendance - does that mean a dc with two parents get more brownie points?

And tax payers are funding this discrimination against disadvantaged children?

I still don't see how a non baptised adult parent can suddenly become a Catholic without proving faith and having numerous one to one chats with a priest - therefore my dc will always be excluded from the London Oratory School on the grounds of faith.

"The parents of poor, low achieving dc are clearly not organised enough."

How convenient!

I know of a church that has "suggested donations" to the collection for those wanting the schools forms signed

If they refuse to sign the form on that basis it would be a valid case for parents to appeal.

Oratory are challenging it at Judicial Review

In my view they are wasting their money. The Schools Adjudicator appears to have followed the correct process and I cannot see any basis on which their decision can realistically be challenged. It is possible the courts will surprise me but I think it is unlikely.

Indeed, I think their proposed admission arrangements for 2016 are still pushing very hard against the limits of what is allowed under the Admissions Code. It isn't as clearly in breach as the old arrangements but they may still be open to challenge.

I should add that most RC schools are nowhere near as restrictive as London Oratory.

prh Whilst places at The London Oratory are most sought after and so they can be most selective, especially having resisted diocesan pressure to adopt distance criteria, many London Catholic Schools are becoming increasingly selective. The increasing shortage of school places at both primary and senior level in London means that even faith schools that were not particularly popular in the past are becoming very oversubscribed and imposing more demanding admissions criteria eg baptism by 6 months etc. As a result the social make up of schools is changing, a development that is understandably met with different reactions amongst the clergy / priesthood.

"the best schools can be successfully targeted by those who put in the most effort no matter what their religious beliefs."

Except when the school in question admits by use of a lottery system or by 'fair banding', which two of the schools my ds has applied for do - these are schools which are top 10 oversubscribed schools in the UK.

Thank you for your comments. Different types of schools should create more choice and this is the case for some but not all.

As Tiggy has explained, there doesn't seem to be a solution that would help everyone.