Members of school leaders' union NAHT this afternoon endorsed an emergency motion on the faith schools cap at their annual conference in Newport.

The motion reads as follows:

Schools with a religious character play an important part of the education eco-system and are often popular with parents. 

Many such schools are made up of diverse communities and work hard to ensure that pupils mix and interact with children from a wide range of backgrounds and with different beliefs from their own.

However, NAHT is concerned that the move to remove the faith cap is an unnecessary and potentially retrograde step.

We are concerned that there is a danger that such a move could inadvertently lead to a sense of selection through the back door and could potentially make it harder for some pupils to get a place at their local school.

Conference calls upon national executive to utilise all means necessary to oppose the move and consider all available options available in order to prevent the cap being lifted. 

Proposer: Patrick Foley

Seconder: Paul Gosling