Holloway school wins immigration fight over Chinese students
St Mary Magdelene Academy, in Liverpool Road, won a high court battle over Chinese students Pic: Google - Credit: Archant
Theresa May’s Home Office blocked the exchange visit, but High Court ruled pupils can visit
A school which has it’s bid to bring in Chinese exchange students blocked by immigration won a high court battle yesterday.
St Mary Magdalene Academy, in Liverpool Road, was keen to bring the “very hard working” Chinese youngsters into the sixth form as a good example to British pupils.
But the school ran up against the Theresa May’s Home Office which ruled in July 2013 that its plans conflicted with tough immigration policies, which mean pupils from outside the EU will not be offered free education at British state schools.
The academy challenged the decision at the High Court and was handed victory by top judge, Mr Justice Warby.
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He said: “The Secretary of State [Theresa May] has in this instance applied her policy rigidly and without regard to the facts of the individual case.
The school has a “global society” ethos and Chinese language and culture is one of its compulsory subjects.
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It encourages “global citizenship2 and has close links with schools in Senegal, China, Mexico, Finland and elsewhere.
Paul Hollingum, head teacher at the school, says their presence will “widen personal horizons and support a greater understanding and tolerance of other cultures”.
He told the court: “The Chinese are very hard-working and we consider it will be of real benefit to our students for them to mix with Chinese students for a year and to see how hard the Chinese students work”.
Mr Justice Warby’s ruling means the Home Secretary will now have to think again, taking full account of the school’s arguments.
