Atheist sending kids to a church school?

alinwales

sulkisu wrote: »

But if you are really concerned about your child learning strong moral values, teaching him a first class lesson in hypocracy is probably not a good idea.

Ha ha, good point!
Truly atheist or not.. Me, personally I go with the flow. This is a predominantly Christian country and I respect that, and respect other people's beliefs and religions as essentially they all have the same base moral code (apart from the extremists). We do Christmas, and I want the kids to know what Christmas is about and why we celebrate it (not treat it as a "Winterval"). Same with Easter. (I'm actually looking forward to seeing my son in a nativity play!)
The wife is more religious. When she moved in with me she started going to the local church for a while, though is still a bit wary of just how much worship there would be. Her family is more religious and she reckons they would be suprised but very supportive.

inkie

Even though the admissions are coordinated by the local authority, you will find that if it is a faith school then there will be a priority order in terms of baptism, involvement in church, supporting letter from minister etc. The school at which I am a Governor and my children go to is a faith school, but the admissions are coordinated by the local authority. We receive the applcations from the LA and then rank them according to the criteria. You will find that if this is the case you will be very low priority and that places will be filled above you.

saker75

On the basis that faith schools receive 90% of their funding from the state, they can be so arrogant about signing up to an ethos (as if morals and such ethos were only found in faiths). I have had similar discussions with my family when the only schools local to them were faith. My family took the view that if they could work with an under performing school to improve it then they would send the kids there. But, as above, you need to focus on what delivers the best education.

azana_2

have worked in church schools for years - am not a practising Christian - more a sceptic if I had to give myself a label - I do not find Christianity is rammed down anyone's throat in the three church schools I have experience of. I think church schools often have a strong ethos and personally I like that, and I would be happy for my kids to go to a church school and may well choose that for them...

That said even as a non believer I wouldn't be too happy if I thought people who defined themselves as atheists were sending their children to a church school if they expected the children to share those views - if you want to send them and let them make up their own minds that's different. I think you might find though that religion is the frame for their education rather than the full picture and certainly have never seen it coming into every lesson as you describe - just doesn't happen, I've never ever been asked to do anything other than teach my subject.

That said it may well be academic, in many areas only actual church attenders get their children into church schools

lovecake

Point of view of a child who went to a religious school -

I went to a religious secondary school for the first few years of my secondary education. My experience will be a bit different as I was older and already had my own beliefs, but I actually found it really interesting. I am totally atheist and didn't believe a word of it, but I still found it interesting to learn about and it didn't affect all lessons - just assembly really and we had chapel once a week and of course we had a separate subject dedicated to 'divinity'

The primary school I went to - although it was not religious had strong links with the local church so we went to the odd church service at Christmas etc and did nativity plays and that sort of thing. So even at a non-religious school there might be an element of religion anyway.

Anyway, I wouldn't think twice about sending my child to a faith school if it was much better than the other choices. I'm sure you will bring your child up to be able to make up their own mind on what they believe or don't believe.

I don't consider it hypocritical at all to do what is best for your child and even though you yourself are not religious that doesn't mean that your child won't enjoy learning about a particluar religion as I did at secondary school.

Go with your gut!

alinwales

Thanks to all for replies, I appreciate the mix of views!
Missus is there now, she only had 35 questions!

I had an interesting tale from one of my work colleagues who sent their eldest to a catholic school across the road. When they applied for their next child she didn't get in as siblings of non-religious children are ranked lower than non-siblings who are religious.
That the school in my case isn't over subscribed now doesn't mean it still wont be after 2 years when little sister will be applying. Difficult choices! Maybe we should put them in the new school a mile and a bit away that all have iPads and other fancy teaching stuff.

JimmyTheWig

You've already said that you wouldn't go to church in order to get in to the school, so anything you choose would be fine in my book and I'm a firm atheist.
The church schools around here also tend to be the smaller schools (i.e. 1 form entry per year) and tend to be heavily over-subscribed. The admissions criteria allows the schools to select children based on whether they attend the church or not. So generally those who don't attend the church don't get a place.
Obviously some people try to cheat the system and go to church to get in. I disagree with this attitude. So do you.
So around here, not going to the church and living some distance away you would stand no chance. But as you have said that the school is not generally over-subscribed then you should be fine.
You can be honest in your application and there would be no "Daddy doesn't believe in God" problem as it would have been known from the start.

As to which school would be best for your child, I don't know.
Personally I am a firm believer in children going to their local school. Means things are logistically easier and their friends are more likely to be closer.
I am also a believer in "good parents" not shunning the "bad schools" as this just makes the situation worse.
So my gut instinct is to go for the local school. Get involved as much as you can (e.g. governors/PTA, helping out by listening to children read, etc).
But if the other school is better suited to your child then I see no real reason not to go there.

lolly_896

I'd do what ever i could to get my children the best education - weather it be going to church for a year, or reading the bible with them.

But, please don't think because the church school has a better inspection report it means it is a better school. The school i send my son too, is apparently one of the best in our area - I beg to differ. They haven't a clue how to deal with my son who has additional needs. I wish i'd have searched further afield

JimmyTheWig

alinwales wrote: »

I had an interesting tale from one of my work colleagues who sent their eldest to a catholic school across the road. When they applied for their next child she didn't get in as siblings of non-religious children are ranked lower than non-siblings who are religious.
That the school in my case isn't over subscribed now doesn't mean it still wont be after 2 years when little sister will be applying. Difficult choices!

Some of the church schools around here do that, others don't. You could always check the rules of the school in question now, though whether it could change in 2 years I don't know.
I think they do that to stop people from going to church for the minimum time to get one child's foot in the door and then stop going to the church.

Gloomendoom

I went to a Catholic convent primary school. It wasn't local, it wasn't free and I am not a Catholic. However, it was the best school around at the time. I went on to a school that had prayers every morning, grace before meals etc.

It didn't turn me into a religious zealot. When I left school I regarded myself as an atheist, although it wasn't concious decision to be one.

Give your son some credit. As others have said, he will be more than capable of making up his own mind about what to believe or not to believe.