POLL: Should schools have the right to ban full-face veils?

Schools that want to ban Muslim girls from wearing face veils have been backed by Education Secretary Nicky Morgan, who suggested teachers should also be barred from wearing the garments.

Her intervention followed a warning from Ofsted chief Sir Michael Wilshaw that inspectors have found the coverings are causing communication problems in the classroom on occasion.

Mrs Morgan said uniform policy is "very much up to schools" and head teachers have the right to decide if they want to ban the veil.

David Cameron has also said he would back institutions that have "sensible rules" over Muslims wearing full-face veils, but he ruled out a full public ban.

Mrs Morgan told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "The Prime Minister was absolutely right to say, and we have a very clear view in this country, we are not going to tell people what they can and they can't wear, that would cut across the values we are talking about that we want everybody to follow.

"But there are times, there are institutions and organisations where it is right - schools will be one of them - where the school leaders want to have a clear uniform policy they want everybody to observe and they may decide that point, that they don't want people to wear the full-face veil."

She added: "It very much is up to the schools, schools will have a uniform policy.

"But there are certain things, particularly in relation to teachers who are teaching young children, particularly learning to read and to speak, where actually seeing the teacher's mouth is very, very important in understanding them."

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Mrs Morgan said the rules should cover both teachers and pupils: "I think it applies to both. Teachers are very much role models for their pupils."

Sir Michael told BBC2's Newsnight he would back banning veils: "The Prime Minister's view that we have got to make sure that our liberal values, our liberal West values, are protected, people need to listen to that.

"The Muslim community needs to listen to it as well. We have come a long way in our society to ensure that we have equality for women and that they are treated fairly. We mustn't go backwards."

Sir Michael said he backs individual schools choosing to stop Muslim girls wearing the veil, "particularly if it is stopping good communication in the classroom and in the lecture hall".

He told the programme the veil is "possibly" stopping teachers and pupils communicating well.

"My inspectors say on occasions they go into classrooms where they see there are problems about communications," he said.

Mr Cameron has ruled out the idea of imposing a French-style ban on full-face veils in public as part of a drive to build community integration and counter extremism.

"In our country people should be free to wear what they like,'' he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme on Monday.

But the Prime Minister insisted he would support institutions that need to "see someone's face".

He said: "When you are coming into contact either with different institutions or, for instance, you are in court or you need to see someone's face at the border, then I would always back the authorities or the institutions that have put in place proper and sensible rules.

"Going for the French approach of banning an item of clothing, I do not think that's the way we do things in this country and I do not think that would help."