Free Schools: Admissions

(asked on 17th May 2018) - View Source

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many looked-after children were refused a place at a free school in each of the last three years; and which free schools have refused to admit looked-after or previously looked after children and were subsequently directed by his Department to do so in each of those years.


Answered by
Nadhim Zahawi Portrait
Nadhim Zahawi
This question was answered on 25th May 2018

School admissions are a local matter and applications are dealt with at a local level. The department does not hold information around the outcome of individual applications.

We recognise that looked after children are amongst the most vulnerable in our society. The School Admissions Code requires admission authorities of all schools, including academies, to give highest priority in their admissions criteria to looked after children and previously looked after children.

Where a school refuses to admit a looked after or previously looked after child, they can be directed to do so. The Education and Skills Funding Agency, who consider direction requests on behalf of my Rt hon. Friend the Secretary of State, have successfully worked with local authorities, and free schools to ensure such cases are resolved without the need for a direction to be issued.

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