Plans for Britain's first Hindu state secondary school

Britain's first state-funded Hindu secondary school will be opened in London under plans outlined today.

The 1,000-pupil faith school could take on its first pupils in 2015 if a suitable site can be found.

The proposal has been drawn up by Hindu charity the I-Foundation, with support from Harrow council.

Two locations are under consideration in the borough and in Barnet, with plans for a sister school in Leicester.

Britain's first Hindu state primary, the £13.5 million Krishna-Avanti in Edgware, opened in September and opened its doors to the media today.

Critics of religious schools have claimed they will undermine social cohesion by segregating Hindus from the rest of the community.

But I-Foundation director Nitesh Gor said it would be "patently absurd" if Britain's one million Hindus could not have the option of a faith-based education when Jews, Anglicans, Catholics and Muslims could.