A COMMUNITY academy affiliated to the diocese of Birmingham, Tudor Grange Academy, in Solihull, has decided not to name the nearby St Alphege's C of E Junior School as a feeder school, after a public consultation on its admissions arrangements revealed opposition from prospective parents. But it will still give priority to leavers from its partner school in a multi-academy trust, Tudor Grange Primary Academy St James's, which retains its C of E foundation,.

The proposed admissions arrangements had originally named St Alphege's because it supports St James's, said the director of education for Birmingham diocese, the Revd Jackie Hughes, who is a trustee of the multi-academy trust. The proposal was dropped after some parents expressed fears that other local children might lose out. "We felt it right to respond to their concerns. Many St Alphege's pupils live in the catchment area anyway, so prioritising them would make very little difference," Mrs Hughes said.

The National Secular Society, which opposes affiliated schools, announced this week that it was considering referring Tudor Grange's admissions arrangements to the Office of the Schools Adjudicator. Mrs Hughes said: "We are confident we would get a fair hearing on the facts." The primary academy served a poor area, and had no denominational requirement for admission.