Telford MP, Lucy Allan, has welcomed plans, proposed by the Education Secretary, Damian Hinds, to remove the 50 per cent cap on faith-based admissions to over-subscribed free schools.
Ms Allan, proposed lifting the cap, by presenting a petition in Parliament last month on behalf of 155 Telford constituents, led by Father Michael Harley, parish priest of The Good Shepherd Parish.
The current cap on faith-based school admissions stipulates that where newly established academies with a religious character are oversubscribed, at least 50 per cent of their places must be open and allocated without reference to faith.
The Government had previously said it would be reviewing the future of the cap as part of their ‘Schools that work for everyone’ consultation.
Commenting, Ms Allan said:
"I am pleased the new Education Secretary has signalled that he intends to do away with this unfair barrier to education.
"Parents in Telford should be free to choose how and where their child should be educated and, by removing this cap, we can restore this option."
ENDS
Photo - Lucy presenting a petition to Parliament on behalf of 155 Telford constituents.