New plans for religious schools

New rules on admissions will require schools backed by religious groups to take children from other faiths or to form partnerships with other schools, Education Secretary Estelle Morris is due to announce today.

The move is a bid to head off mounting opposition to the Government's plans to encourage more faith schools, intended to raise education standards and satisfy groups so far denied state funding to educate children in their beliefs.

Ms Morris will stand by the policy when she addresses the Church of England General Synod today, despite mounting doubts over its wisdom, stressing that "inclusive" education policies cannot ignore the claims of other religious groups.

Opposition grew after race riots in northern cities, where schools were found to mirror ethnic divisions, and intensified further following the US terrorist outrages and revenge attacks on British Muslims.

In today's speech to the Synod, Ms Morris will outline safeguards intended to ensure that new faith schools do not exacerbate religious divisions.