As the end of 2017 approaches we look back on an eventful year within the life of the Church and the State as a whole. One of the major events to take place was the General Election that resulted in another hung parliament.
During the 2017 election campaign the Conservative party made a promise to remove the 50% cap on Catholic admissions to Free Schools. The cap has hindered the opening of new schools in areas that need them. It now looks that the Government may be preparing to backtrack on its manifesto promise.
The Government is making a critical decision on whether to overturn the admissions cap which prevents some schools from allowing all Catholic pupils to attend. By her own admission, the Secretary of State has said the rule has been ineffective and adversely affects Catholic families. There will be no legislative debate as this is a decision purely for the Government itself. Whilst the Catholic Bishops’ Conference are lobbying the Government on the issue, the lobbying does not appear to making any inroads.
Are you a Catholic who wants to send your child to a Catholic school? Do you support the right of Catholic parents/guardians to choose a Catholic education for their child or children? Do you want to safeguard the future of Catholic education in England? If the answer’s yes to any of these questions, we urgently need your help.
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales have set up a petition for ‘Safeguarding the future of Catholic Education’. To sign the petition click the button below and complete your details. When you have done this the next screen will show your letter to the Secretary of State for you to ‘sign’ and send.
Also please share the link to the petition as widely as possible, to as many Catholics as possible, let your voice be heard.
