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Faith schools quota plan scrapped Faith schools quota plan scrapped
(about 1 hour later)
Plans to force new faith schools into selecting more pupils from other religions are to be scrapped, Education Secretary Alan Johnson has said. Plans to force new faith schools in England to select more pupils from other religions are to be scrapped, Education Secretary Alan Johnson says.
The legislation was now unnecessary after a voluntary agreement with the Catholic Church for up to 25% of places to go to non-Catholic pupils, he said.The legislation was now unnecessary after a voluntary agreement with the Catholic Church for up to 25% of places to go to non-Catholic pupils, he said.
The plans were introduced in an amendment to the Education and Inspections Bill last week.The plans were introduced in an amendment to the Education and Inspections Bill last week.
The government had said schools were in a position to prevent social division.The government had said schools were in a position to prevent social division.
ENGLAND'S FAITH SCHOOLS Church of England 4,646Roman Catholic 2,041Jewish 37Muslim 8Sikh 2
The amendment had required all new faith schools in England to admit up to a quarter of pupils from other religious backgrounds.The amendment had required all new faith schools in England to admit up to a quarter of pupils from other religious backgrounds.
But, on Thursday night, Mr Johnson said the proposed new laws were unnecessary after agreement was reached with the Catholic Church.But, on Thursday night, Mr Johnson said the proposed new laws were unnecessary after agreement was reached with the Catholic Church.
The Church of England had already announced that its new schools would voluntarily accept a quarter of pupils from outside the faith.The Church of England had already announced that its new schools would voluntarily accept a quarter of pupils from outside the faith.
Mr Johnson said: "I have listened carefully to colleagues on this issue and recognise that we all share the same goal for a more cohesive society where faith schools play an important part in building understanding and tolerance of other faiths and communities." The announcement followed talks with representatives of all the UK's major religious groups.
There had been a "consensus amongst all faith groups" that "every school whether faith or non-faith should have a duty to promote community cohesion", said the minister.
We've made enough progress through the voluntary route that we don't need the blunt instrument of legislation Alan JohnsonEducation Minister
Ofsted would monitor whether this duty was being carried out.
"What we have found in dialogue with the Muslim schools, for instance, is they have a policy where they want between 20% and 25% of pupils to be from outside of the Muslim faith," he added.
"They make the point that very few people want to take them up and they say that's about misconceptions about Muslim schools."
The consensus would be built upon to achieve "inclusion and social cohesion", he said.
"We've made enough progress through the voluntary route that we don't need the blunt instrument of legislation," he added.