During the recent school admissions for primary reception, my son was categorised in a different religious caste to other Roman Catholics purely because he was baptised after the age of two.

As the school has more applicants baptised before two than after, he was not successful in gaining admission to the school.

Despite regularly attending mass at our local church for the past eight years, he was not deemed good enough in the eyes of the school governors.

Neither the local authority nor the DFES thinks there is anything odd in this and both have indicated that Catholic schools can pretty much do what they want when it comes to admissions policies.

There is not even a requirement for them to adhere to the basic Catholic principle of one baptism for all.

I have been advised by the Diocese of Arundel and Brighton that they are in the process of writing guidance for schools and that date of baptism is being considered as an entry criteria.

This may mean that Catholic schools in the area will start to rank all applicants' Catholicity/Christian faith based purely on the date they are baptised.

Any parents who are concerned about the use of the sacrament to determine suitability for entry to a Catholic school need to make representations to the diocese as soon as possible.

If my son lived in any of the three London Catholic diocese he would now be starting in our school of choice as they advise against schools testing an applicant's Catholicity and leave this in the capable hands of the parish priest.

-Name and address supplied