Tension fears over faith schools

Government plans to establish more single-faith schools could increase racial tensions in flashpoint areas, according to a Home Offices ponsored report.

An investigation commissioned after disturbances in Bradford, Oldham and Burnley, says separate schooling is contributing to a "polarisation" in Britain, resulting in some minorities leading parallel but separate lives.

It proposes that single-faith schools should give a quarter of their places to children of other religions or cultures.

The findings will be a blow to ministers who have championed single-faith schools. Education Secretary Estelle Morris has said she is committed to allowing more Christian, Islamic and Jewish schools if parents want them, and the plans have the backing of Tony Blair, himself a devout Christian.

There are 6,900 faith schools in the UK. The Church of England is considering sponsoring 20 more in a ? 25million programme. Another 20 are planned for other faiths, including a ? 12 million Islamic secondary school in Birmingham and a new Jewish school in London.

Today's report of the Community Cohesion Review Team, chaired by former chief executive of Nottingham City Council, Ted Cant l e, acknowledges the Government's stance that such schools should be "inclusive". But it adds: "The means to achieve this has not yet been established."

It adds: "Most people we spoke to felt that more such schools would add to the lack of contact and understanding between communities.

"There was also clear recognition that, as faithbased Christian schools were already supported, the same facility should be available to other communities."

The report suggests a "statutory duty" for head teachers to set up interschool twinning projects, joint sport, art or culture events, teacher exchanges and joint parental activities.

"Many communities operate on a series of parallel lives," the report says. "These lives often do not seem to touch at any point."

Last week Home Secretary David Blunkett said minority communities should do more to integrate. He is due to make a keynote speech on race relations today in Birmingham.