Faith schools under fire from teachers

The National Union of Teachers (NUT) is to debate a motion calling for faith schools to be abolished on the basis that they undermine community relations.

A motion to be debated at the NUT's annual conference in Manchester says that faith groups should not be allowed to play a role in running state-funded schools.

Rather the motion proposes that faith schools be assimilated within a secular education system so that pupils have the chance to meet children from "a variety of backgrounds and faiths" in school, reports Press Association.

Proposals should be drawn up by the NUT's executive outlining the "integration" of all faith schools, "together with any other religiously controlled or sponsored state schools, into a publicly funded, secular system", the motion reads.

Schools Secretary Ed Balls included faith schools in the "significant minority" of schools failing to implement fully the Government's admissions code.

In a meeting of the Commons children's, schools and families committee earlier this month, church leaders denied that faith schools were biased in their selection of children to exclude those from low income families.