Free-school row over cardinal’s alma mater

The Archdiocese of Liverpool is blocking an attempt by an independent Catholic school in Crosby to become a free school, writes James Macintyre.

The diocese is opposing the plan for St Mary’s College, Crosby – which was attended by Cardinal Vincent Nichols when it was a state school – to acquire free-school ­status because it would then only be able to offer half its places to Catholic pupils.

Its objection is in line with the bishops’ conference’s decision to oppose the opening of new Catholic free schools due to the 50 per cent cap on pupils selected according to faith. The Government’s free-school ­programme allows groups including parents, teachers and charities to open and run schools that are state-funded.

St Mary’s College, which was founded by the Christian Brothers, says that opening a free school would enable it to fulfil its founders’ vision to provide an education for poor children.

The school’s headmaster, Mike Kennedy, said: “Being a free school would enable children from disadvantaged backgrounds to come to the school. It seems strange that the Catholic Church would want to stop that. It is frustrating.”

A spokeswoman for the Catholic Educational Service confirmed the Church’s policy. “The bishops’ position on admissions is unchanged as set out in their November 2013 [bishops’ conference] resolution: ‘a 50 per cent cap on the control of admissions is not a secure basis for the provision of a Catholic school’,” she said.

A spokesman for the archdiocese said it has received an assurance from the Department for Education that St Mary’s plan to become a free school next year cannot go ahead without the endorsement of the archbishop.