Jim Knight, Minister for Schools and Learners, has written to all local authorities reminding them of their duty to challenge admission arrangements which do not fully comply with the law and the School Admissions Code.  

The letter also makes reference to schools designated as having a religious character, having a duty to consult the relevant faith body on their admission arrangements.  There is new power within the admissions code for the faith bodies to give guidance to schools in relation to membership and practise of their faith and a new right for religious authorities to object to the Schools Adjudicator should schools determined arrangements be in breach of the code or the law.

The letter from Jim Knight can be found at the following link:  http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/pns/DisplayPN.cgi?pn_id=2008_0013 

The CES' response is below, along with the CES' response to the consultation Guidance on Admissions provided by Religious Authorities.

When the letter from Mr Knight was released to the press, there was a suggestion that, of the cases being upheld by the Schools Adjudicator in 2006 – 2007, faith schools were disproportionately responsible for breaking the admissions code.  Out of the 74 cases that were upheld by the Schools Adjudicator, Catholic schools accounted for only 5 of these.  A further 5 cases in relation to Catholic primary schools in Hertfordshire are named in the Adjudicator's report but in fact these cases went to Judicial Review and the judgements have been overturned.  See the Annual Report of the Office of the Schools Adjudicator: http://www.schoolsadjudicator.gov.uk/RMS_upload/ACF6CA3.pdf.