Parents may be baptising their children to improve their chances of landing places at a high-performing Catholic school, its leaders have admitted.

In an email to the disappointed father of a child who missed out on a place at Notre Dame High School in Norwich, a senior school staff member suggested they were "well aware of the possibility" that the practice could be going on.

Eastern Daily Press: Bishop of East Anglia Alan HopesBishop of East Anglia Alan Hopes (Image: Archant)

The city school is the only Catholic secondary in the county and carries an outstanding rating with inspectors, meaning places come at a premium.

Non-Catholics are able to attend, but priority for admission is given to children who have been baptised as Catholics.

However, there are fears that some parents could be cynically getting their children baptised - sometimes just before they apply for a place - in order to 'play the system' and improve their chances of getting into the school.

One parent, whose daughter's application was rejected, said: "My family has always sent its children to Catholic schools so it is deeply upsetting that my daughter missed out on a place.

"We go to church every week and are devoutly religious, yet we often see older children being baptised just before they reach high school application age. Any true Catholic would baptise their child at birth."

The parent, who did not wish to be named, moved from Tasburgh to Old Catton to be closer to the school after his son, who is now 15, missed out on a place at the school when he reached high school age.

After learning that his daughter, 10, had also failed to get a place, he contacted the school to query the application process and to raise his concerns about it being open to abuse.

In response, the compliance manager at Notre Dame, appeared to acknowledge the possibility the system could be gamed by families.

In a letter, he wrote: "Sadly we are well aware of the possibility that parents may be getting their children baptised in order for them to have an increased chance of gaining entry to a Catholic school.

"It is an ongoing difficulty, which we tried to address in the past, but were overruled by the authorities."

In a separate letter to the parent, Bishop Alan Hopes wrote that the diocese had considered introducing a 'priest's reference' - where clergy would write in support of an applicant - but said that research suggested this option was "very easily open to abuse", as "some parents simply attend Mass for the application year, or several months, and then receive their reference".


Helen Bates, assistant director of schools' service at to Diocese of East Anglia said: "The Diocese is not aware of any parents attempting to 'work the system' to get their child into a Catholic school.

"The Diocese reviews its requirements of schools' admissions policies regularly to make sure that they are not only fair and compliant but also maximise the ability of Catholic children to get into a Catholic school, should their parents want this.

"Part of this review has involved assessing the use of a priest's reference to support admission applications, but to date, the diocese has seen no advantage in using such references - but it will continue to review this."

Eastern Daily Press: Brian Conway. Picture: Denise BradleyBrian Conway. Picture: Denise Bradley (Image: Archant)

Brian Conway, chief executive of St John the Baptist Catholic Multi Academy Trust said: "There were 13 Catholic children who were not offered places at Notre Dame High School for places in the September 2022 Year 7 cohort.

"This is the first year that not all Catholics who have applied on time have been offered places and is a result of there being more applications from Catholics than the school has places."

What are the rules?

The school's admissions policy is set out in an 11-page document on its website.

Each year the school has 210 places available for new cohorts, although this year it offered an additional four places.

Applications must be made through Norfolk County Council in the same way other school choices are made.

When the school is oversubscribed it judges applications in order of priority, with first refusal given to baptised Catholic children who are in the care of local authorities.

Second priority is given to baptised Catholic children of staff members and third priority goes to baptised children in the school's named Catholic feeder schools.

Fourth priority goes to baptised children who do not attend any of its named feeder schools, before applications are open to those who are not Catholics.

However, if the school is not oversubscribed places are available to children regardless of whether or not they are baptised Catholics.