Entry to Catholic/church schools in Chelmsford

[moved]

We have friends coming from Brazil to live in Chelmsford for a year from February 2012. They have children who will be year 5 and year 10 ages.

Both children are baptised Catholic and speak some English. The aim for this year is to improve their English at an age when there are no serious exams in the Brazilian education system.

Not having lived in Chelmsford long I am not well informed about the church schools and wondered if anyone could give me some insight.

Thanks

[Rinette]

Dear Moved,
Even having been through the process of the Catholic school admission more than 4 times, I am not sure I can really help for the very specific situation of your friends. My first thought would be that it may be quite difficult but I may be wrong...
For both the primary and the secondary schools, the admission criteria are published on the school websites and can provide you/your friends some guidance. However, as the situation is quite particular and unusual, I would definitely recommend to directly ring the school in order to investigate the likelyhood of admission and specific requirements.
These criteria includes the notion of being 'resident' and 'living in the parish' and I am not sure how a transitory 1 year in Chelmsford will stand for that.
There is also, in addition to the Baptism, the need to attend the mass weekly, with the Parish priest endorsement/signature.
Sorry for not being able to help more !

[moved]

Thanks very much - they do attend mass regularly and can provide a reference (in Portuguese) confirming this from their parish priest. I shall start some phone calls tomorrow.

[Clarabelle]

I seem to remember reading in local press that The Bishops catholic primary school in Springfield is admitting children in September 2011 that hadn't applied there. The children concerned live in nearby Chelmer Village & places were not allocated in the local chosen school due to oversubscription. I wonder if this means that this particular catholic primary may have places available? Perhaps worth a phone call?

[moved]

Thank you very much. St Pius have also replied positively, so now to the council for their forms.