The first new state Catholic school in six years is set to open.
The government announced 22 new free schools last week and will give permission to Hampton Waters Roman Catholic voluntary aided school in Peterborough.
It would be the first new Catholic state school since 2013 and would take pupils from the Catholic faith.
Some have said the move is a backwards step that would lead to "further ghettoization".
The Catholic Education Service has refused to open new free schools because of a 50 per cent cap on faith based admissions if they were oversubscribed.
Director of the Catholic Education Service, said: "We remain hopeful that given the government's commitment to the voluntary aided route this will be the first of many.
"However, there remains a need for more Catholic schools in England.
"While this one is, of course, welcome, more will be required to fulfil the parental demand for Catholic school places."
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