The best (or only) school in the neighbourhood is a Church (or other “faith”) school – what should I do?
It depends on the school, how religious it actually is, and on its admissions policy. Some Church schools cater for a diverse population and can be tolerant and welcoming to humanists. Religion may not be particularly emphasised, but you may have to put up with what there is (though you retain your rights to have your child excused from worship and RE). RE and Sex and Relationships Education may not be as objective or as broad as you would like, and school assemblies may be more overtly Christian than in a community school. But you may still feel that you can send your child to a religious school with a clear conscience, and that the family’s beliefs will be far more influential on the child anyway. Sending your child to the local school may have social advantages that outweigh the disadvantages. However, some Church schools will require a clergyman’s reference based on church attendance or other proof of “faith” as part of the admissions procedure, and you may object on principle to t
