In the All Saints area we are served by two community schools – East Sheen Primary School and the Richmond Park Academy. If you are thinking about sending your child to a Church of England school, our nearest primary school is Holy Trinity and Christ’s School is the closest secondary. Parents also choose to send their children further afield to church schools in Twickenham, Fulham and Wandsworth.
All church schools have different criteria for admitting children to the school and you should read them carefully if you are considering sending your child there. If you decide to apply for a foundation place it will be necessary to demonstrate that your family fulfils certain requirements in the following categories and your vicar will be asked by the school to verify the information you have given.
Regular Church Attendance
If you are planning a church school education for your child it makes sense to be familiar with the way that Christians come together, reflect on their lives and respond to God in worship. On Sundays at All Saints there are generally three services to choose from.
Each school will have different requirements. Generally you will need to demonstrate that your family has attended church at least once fortnightly for one or two years. At All Saints, as well as in the other churches in the parish, we have a book where you can sign in each Sunday morning so that the vicar can verify your attendance easily. If you cannot find it, ask one of the people at the door to help you.
Join the Electoral Roll
This is not related to the Local Authority Electoral Roll which is used for local elections and council tax purposes. The church has its own electoral roll which you may ask to be included on. This entitles you to attend, speak and vote at church meetings as well as stand for positions of responsibility within the church community.
Inclusion on the electoral roll is seen by many schools as evidence of commitment to the life of the local church.
Demonstrate Commitment
Being a Christian is not just about going to church. Christian living involves playing an active part of the Christian community.
Some schools will ask you to give evidence of your involvement in the church community. Here are some ways in which you and/or your children can get involved at All Saints:
Volunteering on one our rotas – welcoming, reading, helping with refreshments, folding service sheets on a Saturday morning.
Supporting work with children – leading or helping at one of our Sunday morning children’s groups is a great way of supporting the church community as we nurture the spiritual lives or our young people.
Singing in the choir – music is an important part of our life at All Saints and adults and children are welcome to join our choir as regular, committed singers. Musical training is shown to benefit young people in other work across the academic spectrum and most years several of our choristers achieve musical scholarships to major universities.
Participating in our social life – we like a party at All Saints! Why not get the whole family involved in one of our lunches, concerts or family picnics? Nurturing your own spiritual life – at All Saints there is often a short course running that will help you to reflect on your own spiritual journey and find some tools to help you along the way. Getting involved will not only deepen your own experience of Christian living but you will be better able to support the spiritual growth of your child.
As you can see, there are many ways in which you can get involved in our life at All Saints and strengthen your application for a place at a church school. You will also be strengthening your family life, becoming part of the local community and developing spiritual skills that will support you and your children through the varied experiences of life.