The head of a west London secondary has called for reform after successfully defending his school’s admissions policy in costly High Court proceedings.

Sir Pritpal Singh, head of Drayton Manor High, said the time and money wasted on the case had been “an absolute disgrace”.

The Schools Adjudicator had previously found that the popular school’s oversubscription policy had “indirectly discriminated” against pupils from “economically less advantaged families”. Ealing Council had said pupils from poorer areas north of the school had been turned away, but Drayton Manor said they lived nearer to Brentside High, which had falling rolls. Judge Stewart QC quashed the adjudicator’s decision, saying he had failed to give adequate reasons.