Damian Green MP is a former First Secretary of State and is MP for Ashford. Alexander Stafford is the MP for Rother Valley.
One of the achievements that Conservatives can be most proud of in government is the free school programme.
Like some of the best reforms we have introduced – from the National Living Wage to Universal Credit – is it hard to imagine life without it.
Fourteen years ago, education provision in this country was something of a monopoly between local authorities and a few trusted partners.
The reforms that Michael Gove introduced breathed new life and dynamism into the sector and the results speak for themselves.
Secondary free schools are among the highest-performing state schools in the country. Primary, secondary, and 16-19 free schools all outperform the national average in Ofsted ratings.
While the free school programme has been a great success, there are areas where we need to go further to make sure that the reforms we started are fully delivered.
One area where change is long overdue is removing the barriers that prevent Catholic free schools from opening. Despite being one of the oldest providers of education in the country, the Catholic Church was left out in the cold when it came to free schools.
The cap on faith-based admissions to free schools, introduced at the insistence of Liberal Democrat ministers in the Coalition, made it impossible for new Catholic free schools to open.
The cap was designed to promote diversity and reduce the risk of radicalisation in schools. But because it only applies to oversubscribed schools, it has punished those schools that are most popular with parents beyond their faith community – largely Catholic and Jewish schools.
The reality is that Catholic schools are already some of the most diverse in the country. Nearly half of pupils are from an ethnic minority background, compared to a third in the rest of the state sector. Around 4 in 10 pupils at Catholic schools are from other faiths or none.
The announcement from the Education Secretary to lift the cap is welcome news. It is a testament to the success of our existing Catholic schools and a victory for common sense.
Conservatives have never shied away from reforms that are needed to drive up standards and improve parent choice in our school system. Lifting the cap is the latest example of this.
Wrestling schools away from the control of local authorities was something that Tony Blair tried to do with the academy programme, but never fully succeeded.
The plans were opposed by many Labour MPs who hated the idea of their local councils losing control over schools. It was votes from Conservative MPs that helped to pass the 2006 Education Act which brought academies to life.
By the time Labour left office, just over 200 academies had been set up. Under our reforms, over half of all schools are now academies, including more than 80 percent of secondary schools, with more schools rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted than under Labour.
A number of these new free schools have been supported by faith groups, including 18 Muslim schools and three Hindu schools. But not a single Catholic free school has been able to open. This is plainly wrong.
Lifting the cap will make little or no difference to the ability of most groups and individuals to set up free schools. Even without the cap, new schools will have to be approved by the Department for Education. But the change will create a level playing field and allow Catholic schools onto the pitch.
There will be the usual voices of opposition from those who think religion should have no place in society, never mind education. Most of them would be quite happy seeing schools back under the control of local authorities. But as Conservatives we value parent choice, and when given that choice many will choose Catholic schools.
With a general election looming, it is time to press on with the reforms we started and allow Catholic free schools to open.
Damian Green MP is a former First Secretary of State and is MP for Ashford. Alexander Stafford is the MP for Rother Valley.
One of the achievements that Conservatives can be most proud of in government is the free school programme.
Like some of the best reforms we have introduced – from the National Living Wage to Universal Credit – is it hard to imagine life without it.
Fourteen years ago, education provision in this country was something of a monopoly between local authorities and a few trusted partners.
The reforms that Michael Gove introduced breathed new life and dynamism into the sector and the results speak for themselves.
Secondary free schools are among the highest-performing state schools in the country. Primary, secondary, and 16-19 free schools all outperform the national average in Ofsted ratings.
While the free school programme has been a great success, there are areas where we need to go further to make sure that the reforms we started are fully delivered.
One area where change is long overdue is removing the barriers that prevent Catholic free schools from opening. Despite being one of the oldest providers of education in the country, the Catholic Church was left out in the cold when it came to free schools.
The cap on faith-based admissions to free schools, introduced at the insistence of Liberal Democrat ministers in the Coalition, made it impossible for new Catholic free schools to open.
The cap was designed to promote diversity and reduce the risk of radicalisation in schools. But because it only applies to oversubscribed schools, it has punished those schools that are most popular with parents beyond their faith community – largely Catholic and Jewish schools.
The reality is that Catholic schools are already some of the most diverse in the country. Nearly half of pupils are from an ethnic minority background, compared to a third in the rest of the state sector. Around 4 in 10 pupils at Catholic schools are from other faiths or none.
The announcement from the Education Secretary to lift the cap is welcome news. It is a testament to the success of our existing Catholic schools and a victory for common sense.
Conservatives have never shied away from reforms that are needed to drive up standards and improve parent choice in our school system. Lifting the cap is the latest example of this.
Wrestling schools away from the control of local authorities was something that Tony Blair tried to do with the academy programme, but never fully succeeded.
The plans were opposed by many Labour MPs who hated the idea of their local councils losing control over schools. It was votes from Conservative MPs that helped to pass the 2006 Education Act which brought academies to life.
By the time Labour left office, just over 200 academies had been set up. Under our reforms, over half of all schools are now academies, including more than 80 percent of secondary schools, with more schools rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted than under Labour.
A number of these new free schools have been supported by faith groups, including 18 Muslim schools and three Hindu schools. But not a single Catholic free school has been able to open. This is plainly wrong.
Lifting the cap will make little or no difference to the ability of most groups and individuals to set up free schools. Even without the cap, new schools will have to be approved by the Department for Education. But the change will create a level playing field and allow Catholic schools onto the pitch.
There will be the usual voices of opposition from those who think religion should have no place in society, never mind education. Most of them would be quite happy seeing schools back under the control of local authorities. But as Conservatives we value parent choice, and when given that choice many will choose Catholic schools.
With a general election looming, it is time to press on with the reforms we started and allow Catholic free schools to open.