Supporter comments

"I live right by a school (2 min walk) that I would like my daughter to go to. But as we are not a religious family I'm told she can't go there and will now have to drive my child to school as the others are 5-10 minute drive from our home."

Why should people of a particular faith have more school choices than people of other faiths or none? Teaching faith is the responsibility of parents, not the state or state-subsidised facilities. In these days of intolerance, surely children benefit from being educated alongside those from all faiths and none.

I'm looking at moving to a village, but the only school is run by the C of E. I scroll across google maps and the next 2 villages in a row are also only C of E! Where are the options for a non-religious education?

"As a teacher I see a lot of schools, often in areas where there is no educational choice, adding the weight of respected adult support to a set of beliefs they expect very young children to follow. This should not be done using public money!"

"Certain parts of Cheltenham are in the catchment area for just one non-religious school, with four religious schools nearby who select children based on the parent's availability to attend church on Sundays. How is this fair on anyone?"

I actually find it hard to believe that in this day and age discrimination on any means is allowed. In Liverpool, my 4 year old starts school next week and his options were drastically reduced because we refused to get him 'fake' christened, why should I pretend his is being raised in a faith just to get him a good education, education and religion have no place together. Our schools need to arrive in the current era of equal rights. It's actually quite shocking that my son will not be considered for a school because of a prejudice.

My son is been placed into a faith school at the secondary school allocations. This was not one of my 6 choices, but no other school is available. The school say that they must attend all Catholic services i.e. Mass, even if they don't pray!

"Not being religious ourselves we think this school is completely inappropriate. We've been told we can withdraw our daughter from worship and RE but there's no alternative provision, and sitting outside a classroom feels like punishment. Why should our daughter be punished for not being religious?"

I am currently looking in to schools for my children and horrified at the level of religious indoctrination that seems inescapable in the village school settings. I feel this is a breach of our human rights.