CESEW responds to the Chief Adjudicator’s report on school admissions

The Chief Adjudicator’s Report makes clear that the vast majority of admissions arrangements for Catholic schools are fair, transparent and fully compliant with the School Admissions Code.  I am saddened that the Admissions Review has had to deflect resources from other work but in setting the record straight, it will hopefully silence the few who wrongly allege that admission arrangements to Catholic schools is the reason why Catholic schools have very good academic outcomes and are judged highly in terms of the successful personal development of all pupils.  Catholic schools remain popular with parents due to their ethos and high standards, not because of unfair selection.

The report confirms what we knew all along, which is that whilst a small number of Catholic schools may have made minor infringements with regard to interpreting the Code, these were of a minor technical nature rather than deliberate infringement of the Code.  The report also confirms the willingness of the Catholic dioceses and schools to work together to ensure that any such breaches were rectified.

Reviewing individual schools’ admissions arrangements has been a major project but the dioceses have worked assiduously to ensure that checks were made in response to the local reports of the Chief Adjudicator’s Office.  We are fully committed to admissions arrangements being as simple, transparent and easy to follow as possible, coupled with our continuing commitment to giving due priority to Catholics in cases of over subscription.

ENDS

Oona Stannard

Chief Executive and Director

Catholic Education Service for England and Wales

To contact the CESEW please call 0207 901 4880.

Notes to Editors:

• Previous CESEW statements on school admissions and Sir Philip Hunter’s review are available on the CESEW website: www.cesew.org.uk/admissions.  

• Nationally, around 30% of pupils in Catholic schools are from backgrounds other than Catholic.