Secondary School Admissions

Gingham_Ribbon

I think he's old enough to make the decision for himself, becles. If he wants to do it and the priest agrees, i'd support him in it. His motives may not be ideal in religious terns but in human ones they're very real and important.

bestpud

You could try ringing your local LEA and asking them exactly how they allocate places. I spoke to a very helpful man before applying for my dd's primary school - he was happy to tell me how they process the forms and gave me an indication of how many applications they would be likely receiving from the catchment area (we aren't in it). Although, I believe faith schools often deal with their own admissions? Either way, they should still be able to tell you what happens when you have a mix of faith and non-faith choices.

I don't agree with having a child christened to get them into a school either - it just feels wrong to me too. If I felt able to do it I certainly would to make sure my dd gets into the secondary we want her to go to, but I feel it is morally questionable and also insulting to the congregation she would be entered into.

That said, I would be very wary of taking a chance with a poor school! I did with my older two and have regretted it ever since if I'm honest. They are both quiet and sensitive too and our local school has let them down badly imo. It isn't the staff as they are great (a good reason to visit during 'working hours' as you can get a very false impression during the evening with just staff and a handful of 'better' pupils!) but the area it covers - too many parents who just don't care unfortunately! It doesn't matter how good the school is if the parents don't support them - sad but true! :mad:

Just my opinion and I hope it hasn't worried you more! Do try your local LEA as it helped me decide which order to put our choices in.

Good luck - I feel for you. It's horrible feeling something as valuable as your child's education is out of your hands isn't it?

cazziej

Hi Becles

I think I would have to let my heart rule my head on this one. If I sent him to a school he didn't want to go to, I couldn't stand being blamed at every opportunity!!

My husband is Catholic (although not practising and I am C of E). We made a decision before we had our 3 children that we would send them to a Catholic school as we personally felt that they were much more strict with children. We could see this ourselves from observing children from the different schools within our area.

When my youngest (who is now almost 22) was of school age, we lived almost on top of a C of E school and my sisters children went to a Catholic school, so I had knowledge of this. We had a look around the C of E school and really didn't like what we saw - open plan classrooms etc, very easy to be distracted.

We managed to get him a place at a Catholic school even though he had not been baptised by age 5. The school were quite happy for him to attend, even not being baptised. We decided though that if he was going to go there, he should be baptised. The same applied to the next 2 kids that came along!! I truthfully can't say that any of them have really encompassed religion, but they did/do take part in any religious aspect of the curriculum. I still maintain that catholic schools are far more strict (in a good way) than other schools. As a comparison, my eldest son took his 11+ (it is not offered in my area, and he had 2 travel quite a distance on 2 buses there and back to get to his Grammar School). He is mega intelligent and only got 2 questions wrong in the whole of his 11+ exam!! This did not stop him playing truant (wagging it!!) for the majority of his final 2 years before I found out. On the other hand, my daughter, who wasn't really academic attended a good Catholic school and if she EVER was missing by 9.30 am, we had a call asking where she was!! Although this was sometimes irritating it meant, in 5 years she could never be absent without authorisation. I know which I prefer!!

Anyhow, as I sit here, my 11 year old son is so excited downstairs as he starts his first day at his secondary school on Tuesday (Catholic). His Primary school wasn't a feeder school for this one and we live a distance away, I was worried he wouldn't get in as the school is very popular and does excellently in the league tables. He particularly wanted this school as his sister went there and all his friends were hoping to go there. I honestly don't think I could have stood the trauma if he didn't get in.:eek:

But anyway, I have rambled, but what I really want to say is, if I were you, I would go with my sons wishes, as far as possible, even down to having him baptised to give him a better chance - go for it!!

Good luck.

Carol x

mrcow

Without meaning to sound like a parrot on this thread , I think you need to reserve judgement until you've been to an open day for each school.

On paper, I think the choice if it were mine would be A then B, then C and lastly D, but things are never normally as simple as that.

With regards to being confirmed as a Catholic, well you don't have to agree to it straight away. He has time still to talk it over with his priest and so do you. I personally don't see any real problem with it. He's been going to a Catholic school for long enough now to know what his decision entails.

If it's what he really wants, then I really can't see anything wrong with it.

Savvy_Sue

inkie wrote: »

In my opinion, I don't think that they would accept a letter from the head - it needs to be someone who can provide supporting evidence of the families wish for a Christian education, that they spiritually will suport the ethos of the school - that's why it states minister/church leader/priest etc. I would go along and have a word with you local minister and explain the situation with him. Be up front about it, honest in your reasons - I have had people coming to talk to me about such issues.

I agree with inkie that normally a letter from the head wouldn't be enough, but in this instance it is the head of a feeder Catholic primary school. So he knows that the OP's son participates enthusiastically in the religious life of the school, he can even say that the lad has considered baptism even if that decision hasn't been made / has been rejected. Above all, the head should KNOW whether the secondary school will consider him a suitable person or not.

I would still check with the secondary school as well though ... If the head's support isn't enough, then your only option is to start appearing in church on a regular basis and make sure the priest knows who you are and who your son is! It may be too late, but if you're not regular attenders anywhere else I don't see any other option.

And no, it's not something I could do myself: the only reason my sons got into a church secondary school is because they and we were normally in church every Sunday morning. We still are ... But people have all sorts of reasons for starting to attend church, church leaders know this, and for some people it turns into a real life-changing experience, so I'm not going to discourage anyone!

Mrs_pbradley936

Do you know if the school is over subscribed? If It is I would go along with Gingham and that way you are all the nearer to getting him in the school he clearly wants to go to.

Not quite the same but a similar instance, where I live 3 Council borders come together namely East Herts, Harlow and Epping Forest. We have a particularly good secondary school and in some years the local paper has parents up in arms and writing letters because their children have been turned away. Reason? Well if you pay your council tax to the right Council all is well, if not AND THEY ARE OVER SUBSCRIBED your child will not be offered a place.

mrcow

inkie wrote: »

In my opinion, I don't think that they would accept a letter from the head - it needs to be someone who can provide supporting evidence of the families wish for a Christian education, that they spiritually will suport the ethos of the school - that's why it states minister/church leader/priest etc. I would go along and have a word with you local minister and explain the situation with him. Be up front about it, honest in your reasons - I have had people coming to talk to me about such issues.

How's your foot btw ;);)

Becles

Mrs_pbradley936 wrote: »

Do you know if the school is over subscribed?

I've been reading the prospectus for the Catholic school on their websites. For Sept 06 admissions it had 275 first place applications for 232 places. An older boy my son was friendly with left the primary school in July just gone, didn't get in and is starting at school C. I think thats why it is playing on my sons mind so much.

A lady in the next street got her son into school A. It was she who told me it was over subscribed and he was lucky to get in, but I haven't found the actual figures for this.

I was leafing through the free paper this morning and noticed school C have an open night this Thursday, so I'll pop him down for a look round there.

inkie

We found that all schools are up front with the fact that they were oversubscribed and could fill the school on first choice pupils. The LEA people were quite good in telling us 'how to play it' and ranking them. Ask, ask, ask..we really agonised over the decision.

Savvy_Sue

Becles wrote: »

I was leafing through the free paper this morning and noticed school C have an open night this Thursday, so I'll pop him down for a look round there.

Oh yes, you really do need to check with each school when all their open nights / days are, but I would get along to the days as well as the evenings. You should be able to take your son to open days too - check what the secondary school expects.

I can understand your son worrying, but try to reassure him that WHEREVER he goes, the school will be used to the fact that some people have lost their best friends to a different school, and that you can be friends with people who aren't at the same school as you. Also, some schools deliberately mix up and separate friends so they have to mix with others, certainly as time goes by they'll be in different classes and tutor groups so it isn't like primary school.