chances of getting a child into schools?

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  • #11464
    bexter
    Member

    This is something i am worrying about and i am only 23 weeks pregnant. !! Already i am thinking about schools in Ireland as I am english and at home we would have lots of choices of different schools not just Catholic ones. I have actually no prob with my child going to a catholic school just that i would like to opt out of religion. I live in Cork but out in the countryside, there are a few different schools i can try and enrol my child in but i my question is…. Say if i applyied to say 8 different schools around say a 10 mile radius of where i live , what would happen if i got turned down by all of them? Would this mean my child would not get to go to school at all?
    I realise this wont be happening for a few years yet but my other half wants to get our child christened Catholic just to get it into school, when i dont believe, i dont think i am able to lie for the next 18 years of my life so i can get my child into the school at the top of the road!
    Thanks for advice :D

    #111586
    Fabienne
    Member

    If you were turned down by all the schools in you catchment area (which won’t probably happen), your child will be home schooled by a teacher provided by the department of education free of charge.

    So don’t worry, and relax, enjoy your pregnancy and your baby.

    Fabienne

    #111596
    bexter
    Member

    oh thanks for that, i know i am over worrying everything and really do need to relax! 🙂 Maybe its the hormones???? 🙄

    #111597
    Jedt
    Keymaster

    Don’t worry – the fact you have so many schools to choose from is a good start. Not all schools are catholic now, there are lots of non-demonitational ones so you may not have to go down the christening route just for the sake of school.

    The best thing to do is go visit the schools and see what they are like and talk to some parents from the various schools and then make an informed decision.

    Many schools have open days for prospective parents to come and see the school, so find out when they are on and go check them out.

    Don’t stress, it will all work out. Now, aside from worrying about schools, how are you finding your pregnancy?

    Hope you are enjoying it, this is such a special time, cherish it as much as you can. I am 20 weeks now and loving it, feeling little kicks andstarting to show, feel very content about it all at the moment.

    #111600
    bexter
    Member

    Oh thats some good advice. I know I have lots of time to research the schools.
    Yeah i have been feeling my baby kick alot too. It makes me feel so happy every single time i feel my baby move. I lost my mum last year so things emotionally are quite difficult. I am from England and my partner Irish i think i have only just realised after being here for 6 years that this is it I will be living in ireland now and settling down having kids ! exciting but scary. I do love ireland I know i am lucky to live in a beautiful area.
    Good luck with your pregnacy 😀

    #111602
    Jedt
    Keymaster

    Hey Bexter,

    So sorry for your loss, losing your mum is a massive loss, especially when you are soon to become a mum yourself. I hope you have lots of family & friends in Ireland who can offer you support when you need it.If you feel things getting you down, try to get it off your chest and talk about it with someone. Even sitting down for a chat over a nice cup of tea can be like a therapy session sometimes.

    There are some parent & baby get togethers in Cork and classes etc for mums-to-be and these are a great way to make friends and meet new people. Keep an eye on Cork chat and Cork events to see what is coming up.

    One you may be interested in is the big pregnancy and baby event called the Oh Baby! show in Fota Wildlife Park on 2nd & 3rd April. We will be there at the Mumstown stand for both days and if you are looking for something to do that weekend, come down on either the Saturday or Sunday for a wander around.

    It will be ideal for you, there are midwives, birth experts, displays with baby products, competitions, freebies, giveaways and lots of other parents-to-be walking around you can chat with.

    Please come and say hello if you drop by, I’ll be the small blonde one with the bump in the Mumstown stand!! 😆

    #111603
    bexter
    Member

    That sounds great , I love going to Fota so will definately like to go to that.
    I am planning on going to as many mother and baby groups i can when i have my baby to make new friends hopefully.
    Thanks for great advice and understanding everyone.

    #111612
    Jedt
    Keymaster

    There is a lovely lady, who is a midwife running breastfeeding classes for mums-to-be in Cork. She shows pregnant mums how to do it using dolls and pillows and basically gives them some skills and training they can use when baby arrives, if they are hoping to breastfeed.

    These classes are only in Cork and Dublin at the moment. I would have loved some tips before my first baby came along as when he did, I had not got a clue and the midwives were too busy to sit with me and none of my relatives had ever done so I was a bit lost. This might be a good course to look into and you’d get to meet some other mums-to-be at it

    The midwife who runs them will be at Fota next weekend too, she is lovely and not at all pushy – she is just trying to give mums a hand in getting the knack of it in a nice relaxed way.

    #111617
    Moonflower
    Member

    Hi Bexter,

    like you i am from england & my hubby is Irish & Catholic. I had exactly same issues when i was expecting my DS 6 years ago. my nephews had returned from france , they were not baptised Catholic , mum was Catholic dad was not & when they were enrolled in our local school they were told they had to be baptised Catholic asap 😯 so at 7 years old they were both baptised and started coming home reciting prayers everyday!! i thought oh dear what have i let myself in for….but i am pleased to say in thsi short amount of time the local Catholic school has now lightened up and i believe now they accept all demoninations….

    but I had my Ds baptised because the local priest came round for a cup of tea after i had him and i explained i was church of england & hubby was Catholic & he said despite being in his 70’s he had no problem baptising my son as a Catholic & if i felt I wanted to take him to the church of ireland services as well that was no problem..to me thats the way religion should be, we shouldnt be divided…i was never christened but i still believe in religion…

    anyway, good luck with your pregnancy and yes put your little ones name down as soon as they are born, it can do no harm.

    after all most 10 years living here in Ireland i am about the leave this year…it took me a long time to settle but now i am well settled & know more people here than i do in my home town in uk…especially after having my ds..its amazing how your circle of friends grow….

    wishing you all the very best & i am sure your mum is always close by watching over you..especially with your new arrival on way!

    Moonflower xx

    #111619
    CaliGal
    Member

    I think it’s really pathetic how you have to have your child baptised to go to the local school in some parts of the country. Is the Catholic church that desperate for numbers? Whatever happened to separation of Church and State?!?! 😈 😈

    If you are looking for a truely progressive school that is non-denominational and child centered, check out the Educate Together Schools. No formal religion classes are taught and the curriculum embraces all cultures and religions. There are several in Cork that you can check out
    here: http://www.educatetogether.ie/

    Cork Educate Together Schools
    Carrigaline Educate Together NS (Carrigaline)
    Cork Educate Together (Cork City)
    Gaelscoil an Ghoirt Álainn (Cork City)
    Midleton Educate Together NS (Midleton)

    #111938
    TLENNON
    Member

    Don’t forget that your child has a right to education!!! Schools cannot discriminate based on religion and specifically so if there are only catholic schools in your area! People who are not catholic should not be feel pressurised by the catholic church to convert just because your child wants to attend school…lots of schools receive state funding not like years ago were it was just funded by church funds. I entered a catholic school 23 years ago (tough enough to get in then…) was turned away because I wasn’t catholic but decision was turned as soon as my father quoted my rights to an education. I was schooled like everyone one else just didn’t attend religion classes. Please do not feel pressurised – you have religious freedom to choose what feels right for you! I hope this helps.

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