Despite strong criticism, the Church of England has defended its plan to run up to 100 more academies in the UK.
According to the National Secular Society, the move to create more academies run in conjunction with religious groups such as the Church of England was Tony Blair's final "self-indulgent gift to the religious establishment".
In response, the Rev David Whittington, Head of School Development for the Church of England, said such claims operate on a "completely false premise." He said running a school on a Christian ethos provided the firmest foundation for education.
