Dilema finding a school for my child for 2009 admission?

Question

It's time to make the applications for UK primary schools for the September 09 entry. I have checked out the 3 closest schools to my house and I am shocked to discover that my child will be in a minority of 1 white child in her class, at least that's how it is this year, the rest are all Indian or Pakistani.

We have only 1 Church of England school in the borough which I'm told is not a particularly good school so that's out of the question. However there are 2 Jewish primary schools which have to take non-Jews to get state funding. Would you send your child to a Jewish school because the children are white and english speaking or risk the local secular school where 80% of the children speak something other than English at home.

Aaahhhh, i wish I had a time machine and could send her to school in 1972 when things were different.

Answer 1

i have the total opposite dilema! my son has started primary school this year and he is in a school a mile away from my house.

i have FOUR primary schools within a quarter mile radius from my house and all those schools have 98-99% students that are white. i did teaching assistant course and needed a placement at a school for a year, on the fone all the schools were very happy to help and 3 out 4 said that they have placements... so i went in... only when they saw me at first glance STRAIGHT AWAY they sed they dnt have any placements. they didnt even bother interviewing me as promised over the phone.

later i find that some of the other WHITE students in my class who are my friends got placements at those schools even though they went in AFTER me.

SO DO I SEND MY CHILD TO A RACIST SCHOOL???

the school that my son goes to is very well balanced and mixed with jews, asians, white and blacks... that school is a mile away and the HEADTEACHER is racist towards muslims and jews!!!



WHAT DO I DO???

Answer 2

Well send him to the jew thing he might be a litle scared cause they are different but most jews are nice Indian and Pakistani definetly no he will not relate to anybody but maybe the School that is not so good might work out

Answer 3

I wouldn't send my child to a religious school at all, and in particular not to a school of a different religion. My cousin went to a catholic school and said although she wasn't directly discriminated against she always felt second best.

I find it interesting that you have dismissed the C of E school because it is not very good but you have not mentioned how good the closest school is.

Shouldn't your priority be the quality of your daughter's education? Not the colour of her classmates skin.

How would you feel if you heard one of the parents at that school say, "Oh it's terrible, there is going to be a white child in the class"?

I doubt whether many of the children are actually Indian or Pakistani, they are probably third generation British.

And don't you think that the Jewish children might speak something other than English at home?

It sounds like your child is going to be in a minority at any of the schools. But only the one closest to you, with no religeous affiliation will welcome her as an individual and respect her right to be a minority. I.e. not expect her to pray, study religious texts, eat certain foods.

I just don't see what your problem is with the school nearest to you.

Answer 4

i would send jewish