The report published by multi-faith group, the Accord Coalition for Inclusive Education found just one in eight dioceses advise against the practise, despite the Church claiming it doesn’t discriminate.

Rabbi Dr Jonathan Romain from the Accord Coalition told Premier he’s very in much in favour of faith but not faith schools that “segregate into religious silos”.

He added: “I don’t think it’s very healthy for the children or the society at large.

“There is no national guidance by the Church of England… they’ve said ‘we’re doing it on a local basis… and each locality sorts out its own religious policy’.

“We contacted all 40 education boards and all 40 replied… and only five out of the 40 advise the schools not to select and to be positively inclusive.”   

The report calls for national Church authorities to “practice what it preaches” and issue new guidance that makes clear where authority over setting faith based admissions lies.

Rev Stephen Terry campaigns for all Church of England schools to be open and accessible to children and families from other backgrounds.

He said: “To select on grounds of faith is discriminatory and validates a wider culture that says it is okay for state funded schools to segregate children by this means.

“To do so threatens the reputation of the Church, and is seen by many, inside and outside the Church as potentially hindering the growth of integration and cohesion in our…

The findings of the ComRes study commissioned by Christian Aid have been published ahead of the Budget on Wednesday, which is expected to include new measures against tax avoidance following further revelations made in the Paradise Papers.

The poll also found that more than four in five Britons agree that large companies in the UK can avoid tax too easily and that large companies should pay their fair share of tax in developing countries.

Simon Kirkland, Christian Aid UK parliamentary and political adviser, said: “Tax havens cost the UK economy billions of pounds in lost revenue each year.

“They also cost developing countries hundreds of billions of pounds that could instead be used to tackle poverty.

“But Government appears to have developed a tin ear to overwhelming public opinion. It appears to be complacent on the issue and has introduced measures that are often too little too late.”

Christian Aid has called for immediate action from the Government. It suggested that Ministers insist that companies publish the taxes they pay in every country they are represented in. It’s a rule that the government had the authority to put into place in June 2016, “but have done very little to make it a reality”.

Kirland added: “Given the scale of tax avoidance linked with the UK’s tax havens, the Prime Minister should set a deadline for the UK’s Overseas Territories to adopt the same transparency on true company ownership as the UK.

“We also want to see the UK…