St Francesca Cabrini - what's it like? Has anyone else been offered a place there?

[Anna M]

Hello

I'm looking for opinions about St Francesca Cabrini from parents of children who already go there - especially parents who didn't choose the school based on faith please. Are you happy with the school and the teaching? Are your children happy there? Does it seem like a positive and inspirational environment...?

Has anyone else been offered a place there for this year's intake (perhaps, like us, without it being on their list of preferences) - and what do you think?

Thanks

[Renata Hamvas]

Hi Annna,

http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?29,873019,875653#msg-875653

Thread from last year

Renata

[MrsC]

Hi all,

Hoping to revive these threads from previous years and to get parents views of how their children are developing at the school and how as a family the experience is? Especially interested to hear from non faith families as we fall within this 'category' (technically I'm C of E and went to a faith school but my church going days have lapsed somewhat!)

Had a sleepless night googling the topic, as one does, various mumsnet threads claim that Catholic schools have a strong sense of family and community so in that respect sounds great, on the other hand others are voicing more negative views, that if your not catholic, don't bother you won't fit in?

I'm more open minded to this school that I thought I would be (although still holding out for my 1st choice on the waiting list!) but would love to hear from parents who were/are in a similar position to us.

Thanks in advance

[JAJ]

Hi,

My daughter is starting there in September, and we are non Catholics (although I went to a cofe school). My son is in year 1 - we applied to Cabrini after we failed to get any school places locally - we are about 200 meters away from the school but never thought to put it down originally. My son is really happy there (hence the decision to send our daughter there). The teaching is excellent, but more importantly, they have huge amounts of fun (this is the one thing that I was most concerned about before he started). There are several non catholics in My sons year, and nearly all of them have stayed at the school, even after receiving waiting list offers elsewhere. The new reception classes are stunning, there's really good outside space too. Examples of things they did in reception include bringing in your teddies for a teddybears picnick, going in dressed in patterned clothes to tie in with an alan aldberg book, cartoon animators coming in to turn their artwork and poems into cartoons, trips to one tree hill studying nature, and horniman museum trips. In year 1, they have been doing drama workshops and have been getting additional sports coaching with a company who specialise in multisports. So far, the faith element has washed over him but in any case it's a nice ethos. I really wouldn't worry about fitting in.

[MrsC]

Thanks for this JAJ, really encouraging to hear and pleased that your son settled so well, looking forward to having a good look around when schools reopen next week. Thanks again for your reply.

[bonacara]

Hi anna m, after not getting any of our 6 choices, we got offered a place at st francesca cabrini too. We are non catholics and I also wonder how my son would fit into a religious environment? Really want to go and see the school for myself to decide, read a lot of good about it. Left them a message asking when we could come for a visit, I will let you know when I hear back from them with a date. Still holding fingers crossed for one of our actual choices.

[JackieO]

My son is in his second year at Cabrini and is enjoying it a lot. Like JAJ we managed to get a place there after not being offered any of our initial choices in the allocation process, and have been very pleased with the school. Teaching has been excellent in both reception and Year 1, and the children do a lot of fun activities - World Book Day, Easter bonnet parade, trips out, extra drama and sports tuition, etc., and the teachers find ways to draw on these in their lessons. Music and drama tuition seems generally a strong point - the school has a dedicated music teacher for school plays etc, and there are extra music lessons higher up in the school. The school performances we have been to have been of a very high standard - there's the traditional Nativity play at Christmas and this term our son's school assembly performance was all about special people in the children's lives (the school dinner ladies got a mention!). The school has organised some social events for parents and organised a Christmas fair which was excellent - heaving, with a fun and friendly atmosphere. I'm not Catholic but I like the way the school promotes a thoughtful, reflective approach, e.g the theme this term has been reflecting on building good friendships.

[uncleglen]

Sorry to be negative but I cannot ignore this thread.I have taught in faith schools off and on for 20 years including this school. It has always been an eye-opener and a surprise to me how they let the pupils get away with being anti-gay (secondary pupils) and even anti- people of no faith. If students ask me if I am religious I tell them I'm not and in faith schools they are shocked that I got a job there. If you want your child to be brain-washed by all means go ahead but 'pray' they are not gay or they will really suffer. Also in more recent years the methods used to 'brainwash' are becoming more insidious. You need to be on your guard I'm afraid.

[JAJ]

I can only comment on our own experience, but I see teaching that very much encourages children to think for themselves. Faith wise our son seems more than capable of keeping a critical distance and we obviously have discussions at home. While I completely understands faith schools arn't everyone's bag, I find there's much more navel gazing about it in London - back home everyone goes to the local cofe regardless and no one gives it a second thought!

[ontheedge]

uncleglen Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Sorry to be negative but I cannot ignore this

> thread.I have taught in faith schools off and on

> for 20 years including this school. It has always

> been an eye-opener and a surprise to me how they

> let the pupils get away with being anti-gay

> (secondary pupils) and even anti- people of no

> faith. If students ask me if I am religious I tell

> them I'm not and in faith schools they are shocked

> that I got a job there. If you want your child to

> be brain-washed by all means go ahead but 'pray'

> they are not gay or they will really suffer. Also

> in more recent years the methods used to

> 'brainwash' are becoming more insidious. You need

> to be on your guard I'm afraid.

Didn't know there were secondary school pupils there!

[root]

uncleglen Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Sorry to be negative but I cannot ignore this

> thread.I have taught in faith schools off and on

> for 20 years including this school. It has always

> been an eye-opener and a surprise to me how they

> let the pupils get away with being anti-gay

> (secondary pupils) and even anti- people of no

> faith. If students ask me if I am religious I tell

> them I'm not and in faith schools they are shocked

> that I got a job there. If you want your child to

> be brain-washed by all means go ahead but 'pray'

> they are not gay or they will really suffer. Also

> in more recent years the methods used to

> 'brainwash' are becoming more insidious. You need

> to be on your guard I'm afraid.

Reading this has made me happy. Thank you.

[Renata Hamvas]

This is a primary school with nursery, the oldest pupils are 11. This primary is in my ward and I have had no complaints of this nature about the school.

Renata

[Mr Biscuits]

Uncle glen - glad to see such a helpful response that avoids scaremongering and dogma! I don't agree with faith schools as a principle but my experience of this school as an atheist parent has been overwhelmingly positive. I don't think the original question was about people's personal views about the relative merits of faith schools but of Cabrini. I would encourage parents to be open minded and to visit the school without prejudice.

[root]

Mr Biscuits Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

...

> but of Cabrini. I would encourage parents to be

> open minded and to visit the school without

> prejudice.

As a person who values observation, evidence and reason I also do not agree with faith schools ... as a principle.

However, I do not see shunning faith schools on their theological affiliation as prejudice but rather because faith schools in essence are a contradiction.

We tend as a society to be very accepting and downright apologetic of others' rights to believe and practice the hocus pocus but would we be as open minded, say, to allow an educational program on planetary science and cosmology to be run by a sect of flat earthers?

[Mr Biscuits]

The original question was a pragmatic one about a specific school and my response was the same. In an environment in which many parents are understandably concerned and anxious about finding a school place for their child I don't think it's helpful to use these forums as an opportunity to grandstand. This isn't the place.

[root]

Eloquently correct, in part. The original post was indeed specifically about experiences concerning one particular school. Said school happens to be a faith school, founded in no small part in dogma. So while some may see the question as an isolated concern I see it as opening a can of worms. Now if questionings of faith and their role in state are above public discussion then we have an even bigger problem.

[Anna M]

Hello

I originally posted about this last year, when my son was offered a place at Cabrini. Since then he has started in Reception class and has been very happy in the school.

I agree that the new reception areas are really stunning, with beautiful toys and play areas, and the outside space is very generous and well used. Academically I have been extremely impressed - my son is one of the youngest in the year and is coming on in leaps and bounds in reading and writing and maths. The teaching has been sensitive to different paces of development and interests, and my son's teacher didn't start him on the reading scheme until she was sure he was ready for it. He is enormously enthusiastic about his work and reading. I have to say that it doesn't matter to me how he is doing academically at this stage as long as he is interested and engaged. I was more concerned that he would be either over or under stimulated in that regard and that would put him off. So I'm happy the teaching is about right for him, as he is showing keen interest.

At the beginning of reception there was a lot of emphasis on the children's relationships with each other - talk of them all being friends and focus on where they all came from, play with posting each other letters and making each other cards, etc. It set a nice tone. The class seems to get on well together and they all consider one another friends. I have only seen a tolerant caring attitude in the school which makes me happy. All the children seem so well behaved in the school. There is an emphasis on mindfulness and care which I like. I can't imagine the school supporting intolerance or unkindness in any form.

They do say a prayer every morning so I think if religion is something that you actively don't want taught to your child then it's really not the school for you. We don't find it in any way objectionable.

If anyone wants to PM me for more info or a chat on the phone I'd be very happy to answer anything else about the school.

Anna

[Chocky]

Thank you, Anna M, for your insight into this primary school. It is helpful to have the views of parents with children at the school.

We have been offered SFC after not having been offered any of our six choices and are visiting the school for a tour for parents and children on Monday 28 April at 11.30.

Chocky