Private school's bid to become a free school discouraged by catholic church

(UPDATE: May 2014 BBC reports free school bid abandoned due to church pressure.)
From the Independent: St Mary's College in Crosby, Merseyside, is seeking to become a free schools... 'However, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Liverpool has come out against the plan because the Government insists on a cap of 50 per cent on the number of faith pupils admitted to any free school... (it) said: 'It would be extraordinary, if not contrary to Canon Law... to set up a school or allow a school designated as Catholic to be set up, which turned away Catholic pupils on the grounds that they are Catholic.'



The Independent reported Mike Kennedy, headteacher of St Mary's College, saying that adding siblings and pupils was quite likely to push the percentage of Catholics higher than the  current 2/3.

He said: 'Being a free school would enable children from disadvantaged backgrounds to come to the school,' he said. 'It seems strange that the Catholic church would want to stop that. It is frustrating.'