Schools should prioritise foreign children who grew up in care over British youngsters, a minister has said.

Nick Gibb, the schools minister, has said that he intends change the law so that children from outside of England who have previously been in care are given “highest priority” for places, where a school is oversubscribed.

Under the current School Admissions Code, children are put in the "highest priority" category if they are in care, or have previously been in care, in England.

In a letter sent out to all local authorities and academies, Mr Gibb explained why he intends to update statutory guidance so that youngsters from overseas who have been in care are also given preferential treatment to their peers.

“We are doing this because these children are also vulnerable and may have experienced abuse and neglect prior to being placed in care,” he said.

“We therefore feel it is right that these children should be on an equal footing for the purpose of admission to school as those children looked after and previously looked after by a local authority in England.”