Tory manifesto puts obstacle in the way of Jewish free schools

But the requirement, now cemented as a manifesto commitment, that new schools should be sufficiently open to children from other faiths, could prove a stumbling-block to the more Orthodox sections of the Jewish community.

Quite how faith schools would “prove” their openness to children from outside their own community is not explained in the manifesto.

If the Conservatives are returned to power, the detail would no doubt be a matter of negotiation before any legislation is passed.

But the manifesto has confirmed the intention to lift the current restrictions, whereby free faith schools can select only half their children on the basis of faith.

The earlier promise, in the Green Paper, to lift the admissions quota, was welcomed by Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis.

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