Choosing the right school

I don't know how time disappeared so quickly, but it has trickled away. Suddenly we have to choose a school for our son. Who knew it would be such an overwhelming and fraught decision? So much rests on it and it is hard to know whether or not you are doing the right thing.

We are slightly spoilt for choice here. Within a two mile radius we have three outstanding and two excellent schools. Within half a mile of our house we have one outstanding and one excellent primary school. We have looked around both and our decision is tied. My favourite is the Catholic school and my husband's favourite is the school which has no religious affiliation.

We are not catholic and this is my only reservation. The school is brilliant in all other respects. Their emphasis being on the confidence of children and building them as individuals. My concern is that he will have certain views imposed on him which I disagree with. I also worry about how other children will react at knowing he went to a catholic school, when he goes to secondary school.

The catholic school is smaller and they really emphasise self-confidence and morals which I approve of entirely.  I love the ethos and the atmosphere was wonderful. The other school is nice but didn't inspire the same confidence in the it. When we went round, the children were a bit cheeky to the headmaster and I thought that was a bit much in a primary school.

I am not so fussed about academic qualities in a primary school because they are so young. I would rather they have confidence and are happy. My primary school was pretty rubbish, but it was the only choice in the village. I still managed to pass an 11+ to get into secondary school.

What would you do? Would you send your children to a catholic school even though you are not a catholic? What factors helped you to decide on a school for your child?