Sir – We have arrived, yet again, at a period of crisis in the provision of sufficient and appropriate school places for primary-aged children in Oxford.

Many schools are being asked to consider expansion and the county council cabinet voted in favour of one of these growing to become a three-form entry of as many as 630 children.

The community around Windmill Primary must make its views plain. We are reminded that it was 1995 when a new primary was last opened serving Oxford’s children: and we are told that a lack of funds prevents any new school being considered at this time.

But we also learn that the council is, despairing of any other solution, prepared to spend £2.6m of our money expanding the facilities at the city’s Catholic secondary in order that, that school might offer ‘all-through’ schooling at its Cricket Road site.

The head is recorded as noting that this will likely lead to a greater proportion of Catholic young people in his secondary, once the primary is up and running and sending its children to him. No funds for a new community school: £2.6m for more Catholic provision.

And, in the full expectation that the expanded school would rapidly exit LA control to join other Catholic schools in a multi-academy trust.

We would in effect be investing in a primary school over whose governance we would have no influence or control and, in the eyes of many, further entrenching Christian privilege in the face of Oxford’s many and diverse communities of faith.

Peter Martin (Catholic, lapsed), Bampton