Teachers debate moves to have faith schools scrapped

FAITH schools undermine community relations and should be abolished, according to teachers.

The National Union of Teachers will debate calls for all faith schools to be brought within a secular system.

Religious groups should have no role running state-funded schools, according to a motion being debated at the NUT's annual conference in Manchester today.

"Whilst religious studies and philosophy should be an integral part of the entitlement curriculum for all pupils, religious groups, of whatever faith, should have no place in the control and management of schools," said the motion.

The motion said all pupils should have the chance to meet children from "a variety of backgrounds and faiths" within their daily schooling.

"Education segregated on the basis of faith, ethnicity or social class undermines community cohesion," it said.

Earlier this month, schools secretary Ed Balls claimed that a "significant minority" of schools – mainly faith schools – were failing to adhere to the school admissions code.

Some were even charging for places in what should be a free state education system, he said.