Is it right that parents become churchy to get a school plac Post Reply

[uptheoctave]

This is purely anecdotal but I thought I'd stick my oar in anyway

I went to a Catholic school as it was the nearest school to us and, at the time, it had a great reputation. We were brought up as Methodists (not a great start in life ) but that didn't seem to bother anyone - parents or school.

Apart from several of the teachers getting sacked for paedo-ing the kids, or battering them (corporal punishment being illegal), a few of the older pupils slept with some of the younger teachers; I learnt more than I ever needed to about sex (not from the teachers!), drugs, violence and breaking into cars. Truancy was rife although the school LIED about it on paper - they claimed they had a 0% truancy rating!!

The best education I got was actually from my poor, worn-out parents. And I've not done too badly

So the moral of this story is schools change, their standards fluctuate, you never *really* know who's educating your children and the most important lessons, values and standards they learn will be from watching you - their parents/guardians - and the time you spend with them.

[twoundertwo]

I think it's wrong to assume people do not "change faith" just to get their child into school. I know of at least one Catholic family in the St Michael's Southfields catchment who are attending the local C of E church on a semi regular basis (admission form cites you must visit twice per month) in order to get into the school. They are also able to attend their catholic church as handily the C of E service is in the morning and the Catholic in the evening!!!!! The admission form asks for details of church attendance but does not specifically ask your faith or what church your child was christened/baptised into (my friend's was baptised Catholic 2 years ago!!)

It seems pretty unfair but as someone else has said, people will go to any lengths!!! Will be interesting to see if the C of E attendance is kept up when and IF he gets a place!!!!!

[fionapm]

I kind of think that if a family are prepared to go to multiple church services in one day to fulfill multiple schools' entrance criteria then that's their choice - after all everyone could do this if they wanted.