SOME faith schools in East Lancashire said they were likely to reject a call to change their admission policies to help integration.

The schools said they already ensured pupils interacted with other religions and cultures.

Last week a report branded Blackburn one of the most ethnically divided towns in the country.

Its author Ted Cantle urged bosses to reconsidering admissions policies.

But bosses from high schools in the area said they were working hard to promote and encourage diversity.

They stressed that it was parents who had created the need for schools led by faith.

Kathy Hardman, assistant headteacher of St Wilfrid’s CE High School and Technology College, Blackburn, said: “We have lots of initiatives to encourage and promote diversity.

“The school has joined the interfaith forum and students are on a mixed group interfaith programme with other youngsters.

"Around 20 per cent of a sixth form is made up of Muslim students.

"But equally we have a mix of Roman Catholic pupils, some are from Polish background.”

Mike Tull, head of a Pendle Building Schools for the Future, BSF, school Marsden Heights, said: “At Marsden Heights we welcome all students of all faiths and backgrounds and securing the ways of working in partnership with various other communities.”

“In my experience the make up of the student population is dictated by parental choice.”

But Bernadette Bleasdale head of Blessed Trinity RC College, Burnley, which has around a 90 per cent intake of Catholic pupils, said: “Because of BSF we are in a very, very fortunate position that we have a faith centre where pupils can work with students from other cultures and backgrounds.”