Faith schools' policies in particular have been under scrutiny

Ministers said yesterday a check on three areas had produced instances of the admissions code being broken.

The head of Northampton School for Boys, Mike Griffiths, said their claims were "outrageously inaccurate".

The Department for Children, Schools and Families said verification of the claims would leave him embarrassed.

Mr Griffiths suggested the ministers had been putting up "a smokescreen" to hide admissions figures showing almost one in five children did not get their first preference schools.

"This is a disgrace. Parents should not have their confidence in the system undermined by outrageously inaccurate accusations," he said.

'You are wrong'

It was all about politics, Mr Griffiths said.

"They put in place a new code of admissions and they unwisely and inaccurately promised parents that the new code would increase their chances of getting their first choice of school.

"The reaction of ministers has been to blame schools and to imply that if only we had all followed their code, the world would be a happier place.

"I am sorry, Mr Balls," he said. "You are wrong.

"You have vilified schools in this county with wholly inaccurate accusations of malpractice.

"In fact, almost no schools nationwide have engaged in the scurrilous tactics of which you speak.

"You should retract your statement and your slur upon the integrity of school leaders, governors and local admissions forums."

'Ludicrous'

But a spokesman for Mr Balls' department said: "It would be wise of Mr Griffiths to pause before making inflammatory comments.

"He will be embarrassed in a couple of weeks' time when the information is verified.

"Evidence of non-compliance was found on publicly available websites, as the media themselves are now discovering.

"It is frankly ludicrous to claim the government has imagined this."

On Tuesday, Mr Balls told reporters most schools were complying with the new code.

"However, a significant minority of schools in our sample appear not to be compliant with the code, of which a disproportionate number are voluntary aided or foundation schools."

He added that some schools were asking parents for financial contributions running into "many hundreds of pounds per term".

'Minor' issues

But two of the areas involved, Manchester and Northamptonshire, have denied any schools there were seeking money.

In the third area checked, Barnet in north London, one Jewish primary school has admitted that it had asked parents for a �50 deposit towards voluntary contributions for extra-curricular Jewish studies.

It said that "historically but incorrectly" this had been shown on the application form as an "admission fee" - which would be illegal.

Barnet played down any other problems in its area as "minor".

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