Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make it the Government's policy to ensure that schools are open to pupils from a range of different religious and non-religious backgrounds.

We want all parents to have a real choice about which school their children attend irrespective of their background. It is also important that all schools: promote inclusivity; enhance understanding of other faiths and those with no faith; promote community cohesion; and prepare children and young people for life in modern Britain. Regardless of whether or not they have a religious character, schools should enable pupils of all faith and of no-faith to play a full part in the life of the school.

We are currently consulting on proposals to enable more high quality providers of schools, including faith schools, to establish new schools which, alongside our investment in the free schools programme, will improve choice for all.

The consultation document is available at: https://consult.education.gov.uk/school-frameworks/schools-that-work-for-everyone