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April 11, 2008 £1 (Republic of Ireland €1.50)

Catholic heads reject claim they broke admissions code

ALSO IN THIS WEEK’S ISSUE

BYEDWEST

SCHOOLS SECRETARY Ed Balls has been accused of conducting a “witch-hunt” after his department named 87 Christian and Jewish schools that he alleged were breaking Government admission rules, and questioned their “credibility”. The row began after the Government investigated almost 600 schools in Northamptonshire, Manchester and Barnet, north London, to test their admissions policies. It came to the conclusion that over 100, 87 of them faith schools, were using illegal admissions policies to weed out poorer children. Under Government guidelines schools must not interview children or parents, only consider an application if the school is the parents’ first preference, or take into account the behaviour of other family members. They are also prevented from using selective tests, asking for photographs of, or asking for extra information about, a pupil, or asking for fees, even if they are being sought as “voluntary contributions”. One Anglican school and five Jewish schools, all in Barnet, were also identified as asking for voluntary contributions. But critics accused Mr Balls of trying to distract attention from the 100,000 children who failed to make their first-choice school in September. Conservative leader David Cameron said: “This onslaught he has launched against faith schools is crazy and attacking some of

Tory leader David Cameron, left, has accused Schools Secretary Ed Balls of leading an onslaught against faith schools

the best schools in the country. He is accusing them of things often they haven’t done.” Michael Gove, Shadow Schools Secretary, added: “Ed Balls started a witchhunt against schools which were alleged to be handing out places for cash. Many faith and other schools ask parents if they’d like to make purely voluntary contributions.”

Mike Freer, leader of Barnet Council, said: “It is outrageous for Ed Balls to make a public announcement about these schools before they even had the chance to account for themselves. It smacks of a desperate act by a Government looking to distract attention from its own failings.” Critics also pointed out that the Jewish schools needed extra financial assis

tance to provide security against rising numbers of anti-Semitic attacks, something not met by the taxpayer. The schools’ heads and Jewish groups said that admission was not dependent on any contribution. Thirty-three Catholic schools were among those listed. Finchley Catholic High School, Barnet, was accused of failing to take children with special needs,

and favouring applications from relations of former pupils. Headmaster Kevin Hoare described the list as a “smokescreen” and accused the Government of attacking faith schools. “There is an anti-faith schools agenda at the moment and this may be part of it,” he said. Mr Balls insisted the investigation was not an attack on religious-based

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educated, and said that the Catholic, Anglican and Jewish leaders backed the new admissions code. But he admitted the survey was based on “unverified desk research”. Julian Ward, deputy headmaster of St Michael’s in Barnet, one of the schools “named and shamed”, said the Government department had broken its own regula

tions and released incorrect information about schools. “They wanted to make an excuse for the fact that only 80 per cent of parents got their first-choice school,” he said. “They quickly asked their own department for something that would show that schools were working against the Government. “Nobody asked us about it. They went on the Barnet website and that’s why there were so many mistakes. They were only interested in creating a smokescreen.” Mr Ward said the rules applied only to admissions for September 2009, so that schools were being criticised for breaking rules that have not come into effect. He said St Michael’s had received an apology from the Government over allegations that it did not give priority to children in care, yet it still released this false claim to the press. In a statement the Catholic Education Service said: “Catholic schools, along with all others, are expected to have clear admissions arrangements that can be readily understood and which comply fully with the School Admissions Code. This is something that we support wholeheartedly, irrespective of being required to do it. The CES remains confident that the admissions arrangements of the vast majority of Catholic schools are sound, fully meeting all statutory requirements.”

Feature: Page 9 Editorial comment: Page 11

INTERVIEW

Magdi Allam responds to critics of his conversion

MUSIC

Damian Thompson hails an outstanding living composer

INDEX

News2-5 Catholic Life6 Features7-9

Comment10 Books13 Charterhouse16

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Church extends premises after boom in migrant worshippers

BYEDWEST

ACHURCHin Peterborough is building a £1 million extension to accommodate the city’s growing population of eastern Europeans. St Peter and All Souls Church in Geneva Street is struggling to cope with a huge increase in its congregation. The church was originally built in 1896 to hold 250. Peterborough historically has not had a large Catholic population, but as a result of immigration from Poland and Lithuania the Grade II-listed building is unable to cater for its parishioners. In 2003 the weekend congregation totalled 740, but

increased to 1,308 by 2006 and is now over 1,600. The Diocese of East Anglia has submitted a planning application with Peterborough City Council applying for an extension. The proposals include a 300sq ft meeting place attached to the existing church via a glazed passageway, an extension to the nave, internal alterations to provide 50 additional seats for overflow at Mass, a new door to allow easier mobility of people, and a new font area and access to a new confessional. The extensions would also provide space for children’s groups, especially as the Polish club, which caters for 240 children, will close next

year. The church will also host an enlarged parish centre in a multi-functional space. Parish priest Fr David Jennings said: “To see our church double in three years is a tremendous sign of growth and hope, but it is also a challenge. There are 24 languages spoken in our parish. How do we work with people to make them feel they belong? The extension is about developing a sense of community. We are pleased the city has been very supportive. “Anyone living in Peterborough will realise that the population is increasing. Most people moving to the city are from eastern Europe and are predominantly

Catholic and look to the Church for support in various ways. The local population includes not only a large Italian community but also Polish, Lithuanian, Filipino, Portuguese and Czech migrants and refugees. The largest growth is in Poles and Lithuanians, but we have four Portuguese language groups and six language Masses. “This has brought a number of joys to the church but also a number of challenges. We need to be able to meet their needs, which are many and varied. It’s not just about finding somewhere for them to sit when they come to Mass but supplying a safe environment.”

Stars attend Minghellamemorial at London church

BYSIMONCALDWELL

GORDON BROWN and the Duchess of York were among hundreds of public figures to attend a Memorial Mass for the Oscar-winning film director Anthony Minghella last Saturday.

The Mass was celebrated at St Thomas More Church in Swiss Cottage, north London, the only parish in Britain which is run by Opus Dei. It was attended by Tony and Cherie Blair, who both received Holy Communion from the parish priest Fr Gerry Sheehan. Among the mourners were Hollywood stars Matt Damon, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and Renee Zellweger, who starred in Cold Mountain, one of Minghella’s films. Also present were The

English Patient co-stars Kristin Scott Thomas and Juliette Binoche, and Jude Law, who starred in The Talented Mr Ripley. Truly, Madly Deeply costars Juliet Stevenson and Alan Rickman were also there along with Helena Bonham-Carter, John Hurt, Bill Nighy, Dexter Fletcher, Ray Winstone, Jamie Bell and Martin Freeman. Mr Minghella, of Hampstead, London, died last month, aged 54, after a haemorrhage following an operation.

Internet giant is sued by church group

The Christian Institute is taking legal action against Google after the company refuses to take abortion advertisements with a religious content. A spokesman said: “If there is to be a free exchange of ideas then Google cannot give special free speech rights to secular groups whilst censoring religious views.” Full Story: Page 3

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