It is time that the Church of England faced up to the widespread public concern surrounding church schools and stopped trying to pretend that fear about Church schools comes only from a vociferous anti-religious minority.

In what will be a blow to both church and government which has supported new church schools, the results of the survey conducted by Opinion Research Business (ORB) on behalf of the Church show widespread distrust of church schools.

The Government’s chief minister for standards in schools, Lord Adonis, is expected to emphasise the government’s commitment to faith schools at a conference today. He will address head teachers and governors of Church of England schools in Harrogate.

The Government’s chief minister for standards in schools, Lord Adonis, is to address head teachers and governors of Church of England schools at a conference in Harrogate next month.

The case of a boy who has been refused a bus pass because he has not been baptised as a Roman Catholic has been referred to the Equality Commission. Elliott Stewart, 11, was denied a free pass to St Leonard’s School in Durham.

Almost a quarter of parents in London would lie about their faith to get their children into school, according to a new survey. 23% of London respondents to Children's Society commissioned poll said they would give false information.

A new report has revealed that faith schools are turning their backs on their original remit to tackle the poor and vulnerable, and selecting proportionately more white, middle-class pupils.

The Government has promised to remove "unnecessary barriers" for religious groups that want to provide state education.

Faith schools which discriminate against potential pupils and staff should no longer be allowed state funding, the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) has said.