Has your child attended Catholic school when not Catholic?

lostinrates

moomoomama27 wrote: »

The Catholic school in our area is on paper a better school! However we are not Catholic, do not agree with Catholicism and frankly would never want my child to be excluded from some subjects ( sex ed, my community) in favour of heavy religious undertones in ither subjects.

!

Again, This was far from the case at my school, albeit not a current example and not a state school. In fact, when I hear other experiences both contemporary to mine, and current I admire very greatly my school's courage, and indeed sensible approach to sex ed. We were reminded ( not in sex ed but in re) what Catholicism and indeed different faiths felt about sex before marriage and birth control and remarriage and divorces etc, but the sex ed time, and practical birth control was sex ed time. I doubt there is a phallic shaped vegetable I cannot get a condom on either, we were encouraged to try a great variety of shapes and sizes.

kathrynha

I do voluntary work with pupils from a number of secondary schools, and the secular school pupils in general are a lot better behaved, friendly, and have better morals than the Catholic pupils. This is a trend I have seen consistantly for over 10 years.

Obviously all schools are different, but I would never send my child to a Catholic school

problemcashback

Our daughter is in a catholic secondary school and we aren't catholic. In fact on the application form we were so close to the bottom of a long list of religious question we thought we had no chance. However we applied as it is by far the best school in the area, daughter isn't christened we wanted her to make her own choice, after a few months in school she came in one day and asked if we could get her christen, she made her own choice and we didn't try and pursued her one way or the other. She has had "words" with the RE teacher and really accused him of being racist against the Church of England as she felt that he was preaching something that was incorrect. Well it's out fault for bringing her up to speak her mind, the teacher actually approved and reworded what he said. They do have lots of RE much more than we were expecting but the real proof is in her results, all have been really good even RE. Sex education is taught, think it might be part of the curriculum now so has to be.

There is no issues of who is Catholic and who isn't in fact when I look at what is happening in the local state schools and the quality of teaching and morals is so poor in comparison to daughters school.

We all want the best for our kids and if that's sending to a school that has an different religious background that to your own then you have to do it.

eco

I attended Catholic schools, I am christened catholic as was my dad, my mum was CofE.
I don't consider myself to be a believer, I've heard enough over the years, saying that I think my mum made the right choice in sending me and my sister's to a catholic school rather than the local school.
The nuns who where the headmistresses of the Infants and Junior school expected a certain level of behaviour, if you did something wrong you got the cane, none of the parents complained, they'd been there and knew what level was expected, I behaved I wasn't getting hit.
Pick the school in your area that is best for your children, even if that's a catholic school.

Our school let 20% of non Catholics in, they where treated the same as everyone else, we had a Mormon and a Muslim as well as CofE, they attended there own places of worship and that wasn't frowned upon.

pickledonionspaceraider

At age 12, I was moved from the local comp, to a catholic school.

It was a massive culture shock, as the kids there were far more wild and wayward than at the local comp. I'm talking in terms of illegal substances, alcohol at school and 'encounters' with the opposite gender which were all things I witnessed within the first couple of weeks at age 12

The religion aspect was forced on us, and took up massive amounts of time. Even worse at festivals, Easter and Christmas.

The whole place was run on a 'religion first, and education second' basis.

I would not send my own child to a catholic school - I believe that the kids at the local comp got a better actual education than we did, and came out of the education system with a better understanding and tolerance of how the world actually works

and as an aside, it put me off for life..

double_mummy

i went to catholic school and im not remotely anything religious

i agree with the promiscuity comment lol everyone was at it!!! i went through the motions with stuff i would often be called to read out psalms and lead prayers nothing massive (i am apparently a good public speaker lol)

i found science to be the hardest lesson for me no sex ed just abstinence before marriage and the basing of evolution etc - teaching us it and saying its just a theory and we all know its not right wink wink and RE wasnt exactly great either (do kids still do RE?)

Janepig

double_mummy wrote: »

i went to catholic school and im not remotely anything religious

i agree with the promiscuity comment lol everyone was at it!!! i went through the motions with stuff i would often be called to read out psalms and lead prayers nothing massive (i am apparently a good public speaker lol)

i found science to be the hardest lesson for me no sex ed just abstinence before marriage and the basing of evolution etc - teaching us it and saying its just a theory and we all know its not right wink wink and RE wasnt exactly great either (do kids still do RE?)

Oh yes, RE is a compulsory GCSE subject, much to my great annoyance! DD's in year 7 and when she comes to chose her options, there's only 3 she can choose, all the rest are compulsory. I don't like the fact that DD (and DS when he gets there) are going to be wasting time on RE when they could be having extra maths, computers, science, English, Welsh... well, anything else really. DD clearly doesn't listen to my moans because she's doing really well in RE - got an A in her most recent report card and a 1 for effort, even though she's not hugely keen on it as she doesn't see the point either!

Jx

Janepig

I should add, instead of just ranting afew points to consider which may or may not be pertinent to the OP. I think transport costs have been mentioned. Alot of Local Authorities are cutting back on free transport to faith schools, certainly they are getting rid of it locally, and not before time imo. Given the vast wealth of the Catholic church, maybe the Pope should stick his hand in his pocket and cough up for buses if they want the kids to have free transport.

Also, one of my neighbours had grandchildren and great grandchildren in the local Catholic school and there are a large number of Polish immigrants in this area (who I've got no issue with) and also Filipinos, who come to work in the local hospital. Their children all go to the Catholic school and from what my neighbour told me, a great deal of resources go to help the children who can't speak English, etc... to what my neighbour described as the detriment of the "local" children. Make of that what you will.

Jx

PenguinOfDeath

Most people I know who have had their kids christened recently have done it purely to get them into a 'better' school.

They are only religious on paper.

totallybored

Janepig wrote: »

Also, one of my neighbours had grandchildren and great grandchildren in the local Catholic school and there are a large number of Polish immigrants in this area (who I've got no issue with) and also Filipinos, who come to work in the local hospital. Their children all go to the Catholic school and from what my neighbour told me, a great deal of resources go to help the children who can't speak English, etc... to what my neighbour described as the detriment of the "local" children. Make of that what you will.

Jx

Your neighbour is a UKIP supporter? Tax payers shouldn't send their children to school? A child doesn't have a right to an education because of their parents? Local has a meaning I'm not aware of? Schools gain addition funding depending on their intake and spend it on the children it's aimed at?

OP, I'd advise visiting the school and getting a feel for it. All schools are different and not every school suits every parent and child. Anecdotal evidence won't always help so have a look for yourself. Go with what you feel comfortable with. There's a thread on here about a snotty school making a parent feel bad about not taking her kids abroad on hols. Choose what fits you and your family.