The new chief adjudicator for schools, Ian Craig,has warned schools that are breaking rules by selecting pupils covertly that they will be found out.
Craig, who takes up the post responsible for policing admissions in April, told the Guardian: “If they [schools] are still breaking the code they will be found out quite quickly… we will be sampling schools and reporting to the secretary of state.”
Research published today by researchers at the London School of Economics suggested that a minority of schools – mostly faith schools – are still breaking the two-year-old code of admissions which forbids the interviewing of applicants or discriminatory questions about parents’ marital status or occupations.
Craig said: “I can guarantee the system is fairer now than in the past. The secretary of state is emphasising the fact that he will do his best to make sure it’s fairer. Whether it’s 100% fair or not – I’m sure it isn’t. But it’s up to the legislators to improve it and make it fairer and we will monitor the system.”