The Catholic Education Service of England and Wales (CESEW) has backed the idea that some Catholic schools could become academies.

But it has stopped short of giving its full support to academy reform, saying it has yet to decide if Catholic schools “should” transfer to academy status.

Bishop Malcolm McMahon, chairman of the CESEW, said in a statement issued today: “It is now our view that Catholic schools could become academies, subject to further discussion with Ministers. A more difficult question is: should they do so?”