A TEACHERS' leader has welcomed moves to integrate Muslim-faith children into the Blackburn state schools community.

Education chiefs unveiled plans for East Lancashire's first publicly-funded Islamic schools as part of a multi-faith education revolution and talks are under way which could give Blackburn state Islamic high and primary schools.

They would be the first in Lancashire -- others already exist in Bradford, Birmingham, Liverpool and Brent in London.

Simon Jones, Divisional Secretary for the Blackburn with Darwen branch of the National Union of Teachers, said that, nationally, the NUT opposed any expansion of faith schools because it believed they increased segregation and could exacerbate racial tensions. "However, Blackburn with Darwen already suffers serious segregation," he said.

"There are 800 or more pupils in independent Islamic schools and there is also a large proportion of Church of England and Catholic schools in the borough. There is a very great degree of segregation already exisiting.

"So bringing more Muslim-faith children into the state community may actually increase integration," said Mr Jones, who is also on the NUT's national executive.

Director of Education and Lifelong Learning Mark Pattison, revealed the council is looking at helping an existing independent Islamic high school to become a voluntary-aided Islamic high school, where parents would not have to pay.

Tauheedal Girls' Islam High School has achieved a proud academic record since it was founded in densely-populated Shear Brow in1984.

Teacher and school representative Fazal Hassan, said the school was keen to join the Blackburn state schools community because it was what many parents in the area wanted. "We would even like to consider eventually expanding into a purpose-built new building."

The school educates about 300 girls, mostly aged 11 to 16, but with about 50 in the sixth-form.

"We are non-selective and we offer a very wide curriculum -- girls can take 10 GCSEs and up to five A-level subjects," added Mr Hassan. And in the Government's school performace league tables published last week the school achieved 75 per cent grade A to C GCSE passes, compared with the national average of 50 per cent. Pupils mostly come from the surrounding area and from Audley Range, but about 30 travel each day from Burnley and Nelson.

There are 16 full and part-time teachers working under headteacher Iqbal Patel.

Tauheedul has just introduced a pioneering scheme which means lecturers from Preston College travel to the school to teach girls some of their A-level subjects. And last summer one pupil achieved four grade As.