Question to the Department for Education:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the proposal to replace the 50 per cent cap on faith-based admissions to faith schools, as set out in the Government consultation <i>Schools that work for everyone,</i> what consideration they have given to the finding of the Education Policy Institute that "there is a risk that increasing the numbers of faith schools would come at the price of increased social segregation, with a risk of lower social mobility".

The EPI report fails to recognise the fact that the government’s proposals are about creating more good school places for more parents in more parts of the country by giving them more choice. Our proposals to expand the number of good school places available to parents will help more young people, irrespective of their background, have the chance to go as far as their talents will take them.

Faith schools are among the highest performing schools in the country, with more primary and secondary faith schools judged good or outstanding than their non-faith counterparts[1]. Faith schools are popular with parents and the removal of the 50% faith cap will enable the establishment of even more good schools.

[1]Ofsted official statistics: Maintained schools and academies inspections and outcomes as at 31 March 2016 shows faith schools are more likely to be good or outstanding as compared to non-faith schools (89% as compared to 86% at primary; 81% as compared to 75% at secondary).