UK teachers call for religious schools to be scrapped

Leaders of the UK's National Union of Teachers are expected to call for a wholly secular school system when they convene for their annual conference this week. They say that faith schools should be phased out because education is becoming segregated; they will also call for Christian assemblies to be scrapped to let schools reflect all faiths — or offer no worship at all.

Teachers will say the 7,000 state-funded primary and secondary faith schools should be stripped of their right to select pupils based on their religion. Delegates will also debate an active campaign against proposals for new faith schools

The drive would put the union at odds with government ministers, who have encouraged an expansion of faith schools and solicited sponsorship of academies by religious organisations.