A YORK secondary school is planning to change its church school status so that a quarter of its places would be offered to children from religious families.

The proposals for Archbishop Holgate's Church of England School, which would take effect from September 2004, have been announced as the school's bid to become a specialist science school reached Government officials today.

Head teacher John Harris said the required £50,000-worth of pledges had been raised in time for the bid deadline after an intensive six-week appeal.

Now, the school, off Hull Road, is involved in consultations on moves to turn it into a voluntary-aided school which would mean that 25 per cent of its places would be given on "faith grounds" to children whose parents attend any place of worship, of any denomination or religion.

The other 75 per cent would be community places.

The school, which is currently a voluntary-controlled school, would be more independent of the City of York Council's local education authority, like Manor Church of England School and All Saints' Roman Catholic School, where staff are employed by the governors and the admissions policy is determined by the school.

Mr Harris said pupils living in the catchment area currently made up less than half of the intake, so pupils living further afield would continue to have plenty of opportunity to secure places.

"We don't expect any change on the ground in terms of numbers of pupils coming in from different areas."

Mr Harris said: "We will continue to work with the community that we serve now."

He said the proposed change, together with the science college application, was designed to improve children's education.

"We see that as giving us a very strong package for caring for each individual pupil so they can flourish and give their best."

The specialist science college bid was due to arrive with the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) today, backed by major players in science and industry in York.

Mr Harris said backing had come from former pupils, friends and parents as well as the Shepherd Building Group, Science City York, Smith & Nephew and the University of York.

The school should hear in June whether it will become a specialist science school from September and receive £500,000 over the next four years.

Updated: 11:37 Friday, March 15, 2002