by Yorkshiremuggles

Created on: August 11, 2008   Last Updated: August 12, 2008

I had to write this article, as I am feeling overwhelmed with disbelief after finding out this weekend that the two top secondary (High) schools in my area, both of which are Christian faith schools, operate a system of 'point scoring' as a way of deciding which pupils to admit.

The way I found this out was in discussion with some new friends I have made on recently finding my way back to church after an overly long absence. Feeling better than I ever have, and filled with peace after a beautiful sung mass service, I got into conversation with an elderly member of the congregation about my kids.

"So", he said, "You have two children. Where do they go to school?"

Feeling flattered that he was making the effort to find out about my two 'little angels'(!), I replied that they both attend a private school a few miles from our home, which takes children from age 3 all the way to age 18.

"How will they feel about leaving at 11, when most of their friends will probably stay on there?", he enquired.

"I'm sorry", I answered, "I'm not sure I follow you".

"Well", he explained, looking slightly puzzled, "You are new here, and you have children. Most people in that category are only here to score points to gain admission to St. Aidan's" (the Church of England faith school in our town).

I was aware that St. Aidan's, and St. John Fisher, the C of E and Catholic High Schools in my town are among the best state schools in the county, but I still had no idea what he was talking about. On probing a little more however, I learned that most young members of the congregation had joined a few years before their children were due to turn 11, in order to score 'church going points', to gain access to a good school. Looking around the congregation, I saw with new eyes the shiny faced, well turned out young families with their carefully dressed children, and I felt dismayed. I had stumbled across the church in a quest for a new 'spiritual home', and had been attending as I gain precious peace and time for reflection in the wonderful services, and in the beautiful historic building that our church is blessed to have. I had been totally unaware of 'the system', and on venturing to attend a service had simply been pleased to see so many young families worshipping there!

In fact, I had told another friend that here was no sign of religion dying out in our area, if my new church was anything to go by. Now I discovered that many of the middle class families in the area were simply attending to store

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