MPs urge poverty quotas for schools

Councils should set quotas for secondary schools on the number of disadvantaged pupils they admit, MPs have recommended.

The House of Commons education and skills committee said local authorities should set benchmarks for schools on the number of year seven pupils eligible for free school meals or working families tax credit.

Its report on the schools white paper also calls for a duty to be placed on local authorities to monitor admissions arrangements.

This is in response to plans to allow all schools to become their own admissions authorities.