Appealing school places

[vampiress88]

I’m in a pickle and it’s starting to cause me a lot of anxiety.

My two girls are currently in a lovely school but it’s a Church of England one. We are no religious at all. Didn’t think it would be an issue but they come home ever week saying something about how god does this and that. Now I went to church for a good number of years and I’m happy for them to learn all different cultures but I didn’t realise that I would be having to explain to a 5 year old about god.

So we have moved house and there are two schools within walking distance to our house. One however is a Church of England school and I don’t want them going to that one as I think it’s too religious. This is the school that has offered us a place.

The school I would like that’s an independent school but they have no places. Fully to capacity in year 1 which is 30 children.

We are going to be having only one car so need to be able to walk to it.

I am going to be appealing in two weeks but I am panicking we aren’t going to get in anywhere.

There are two more schools that aren’t religious further away and more difficult to get to. Both of them are to capacity too.

I can’t home school cos I’m not clever enough, will effect them socially and we both work.

I don’t know what to do at all.

[Evil queen]

Have you been and looked round the c of e school that’s close to your new house? My children went to a co of e school (we are not religious) and I didn’t find the emphasis on organised religion too much. They did visit the local church once a week but within the school the focus was more on values, and less God based if you see what I mean. Perhaps it won’t be as heavy on the religion as their current school. Interested my 2 did used to mention some of the religious aspects they were taught but by the end of primary had very much made their own mind about it all.
However, I know that’s not what you asked I’m afraid I don’t know about the appeals process but wish you luck with it all.

[SquishTheWhale]

I would agree with the above to check it out first. I'm very strongly atheist and would certainly not be okay with my children being taught Christianity as fact. I would be fine for them to learn about all religions in a cultural education context.

However, I went to a CoE school and it certainly wasn't heavy on the religion. We sung hymns in assembly and I think that was about it. We were certainly not taught about God in class. So definitely check out this other school and see if its as religion heavy.

[kempydee]

Don’t know much about the appeals process - I would think you would struggle if they are all full.
My son is at a Catholic high school and just gone into year 8. We aren’t religious, but its our nearest school (less than a mile away) so we automatically got a place.
I was worried about the amount of religious education he would receive- and especially if they didn’t teach him about other religions.
We went to the open day and voiced our concerns. Now he does have to say a daily prayer in form but apart from that he has been learning the same curriculum in RE as any other high school.
So my advice would be to look around the new CofE school and maybe book a meeting to voice concerns.
Good Luck

[eeyoremad]

I would advise to go and look at the school because not all CofE schools are the same. Have a chat with the headteacher and voice your concerns and see what s/he says.

[vampiress88]

Yes I have been to the school three times. When we were accepted for that placement my youngest got to do a play session for 30mins. My eldest came too. She didn’t like it there. There was a lot of Christianity things about like learning about the bible etc. I don’t want them thinking that the world was made in 7 days etc.

I came away feeling really unhappy about that place. I went in one morning to discuss what hours my youngest could get in the nursery and there was a child that was late. She was given a big red card and told to hand it to the teacher. I didn’t like that at all. Can understand that the school wouldn’t like kids to be late but to me that was wrong. You know if a kids is late when they walk in. No need to make a show of it too.

I don’t want them there. I also can’t have them in a different county 15miles away. I feel stuck and I think that they are going to say that the only place is this Church of England school and then I dunno what I will do.

I was in a school that sang hymns and stuff in a morning but they didn’t do bible stuff in class etc.

[vampiress88]

I was also spoke down to by two different teachers. I don’t like that either.
Haven’t felt this way about the other three schools.

[Omega1]

CofE schools do differ in their religious character - some are ‘aided’, this means (amongst other things) they have greater control over their curriculum - RE and worship in particular and technically could feel very religious. CE ‘controlled’ schools follow the local authority’s agreed syllabus for RE, which all other maintained schools do ie non religious. It sounds confusing but church controlled schools have less control over their RE curriculum. What kind of school is the CE school near to your new home?
When you say the other school is independent, do you mean that ie a private school, usually fee paying, or do you mean an academy or free school? Either way, an appeal based on the religious character of the school is a strong argument - usually it’s religious families wanting a place in a faith school, not the other way round! However, the argument still applies.
Edit - I’ve just read your update - go online and read your LA’s agreed Syllabus for Religious Education- this is the bottom line for RE of any maintained school in your area. If you don’t like it, your options are very limited and would potentially mean paying for independent education or home schooling.

[alkel2730]

I went to a CofE and it was religious but I’m not religious in the slightest. I personally would t worry too much and am in the process of moving mine to a CofE fully expecting the religious questions to come up but I don’t see it as anything other than another form of learning to be honest.

[vampiress88]

Originally Posted by Omega1

CofE schools do differ in their religious character - some are ‘aided’, this means (amongst other things) they have greater control over their curriculum - RE and worship in particular and technically could feel very religious. CE ‘controlled’ schools follow the local authority’s agreed syllabus for RE, which all other maintained schools do ie non religious. It sounds confusing but church controlled schools have less control over their RE curriculum. What kind of school is the CE school near to your new home?
When you say the other school is independent, do you mean that ie a private school, usually fee paying, or do you mean an academy or free school? Either way, an appeal based on the religious character of the school is a strong argument - usually it’s religious families wanting a place in a faith school, not the other way round! However, the argument still applies.
Edit - I’ve just read your update - go online and read your LA’s agreed Syllabus for Religious Education- this is the bottom line for RE of any maintained school in your area. If you don’t like it, your options are very limited and would potentially mean paying for independent education or home schooling.

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That’s the problem I’m gonna face. Can’t home school them. For one I don’t think it’s right cos they will miss out on the social side too much but there also wouldn’t be any other schools that are private to pay (even if I had that amount of money) near to us.

I don’t like that school. It is far too religious. I was going to try and move them there until having further visits and speaking to some of the mums of that school that day too. I though it may be less religious than where they are now but it’s not.

It’s making me cross that we bought this house being told there would be a school near it soon. Never did I have to think about what would happen if there wasn’t a place here. I don’t understand what the council are going to do as there are lots of kids all different ages on this estate and it’s seems not enough places for everyone.

I don’t know what I’ll do if they only place possible is that religious school that I don’t want my kids going to.