The Church of England has thrown its weight behind an extraordinary proposal to unite Muslim, Jewish, Christian and Hindu children in the country's first multi-faith secondary school.

The plans, backed by leading figures from all four of Britain's main religious groupings, are aimed at transforming the image of faith-based education which has been criticised in the wake of last summer's race riots.

They hope that the 1,000-pupil school planned for the London borough of Westminster will be the first of a series of similar ventures around the country.

Yesterday the church described it as a "highly significant" development, which will open the way to a new era in relations between Britain's religious communities.

The archbishop of Canterbury, George Carey, has already said Anglican schools should open their doors to children from other faiths.

Few of the day-to-day details have yet been finalised, but the school's promoters are determined that children from the separate religious traditions will learn, eat and play side by side, although there will be some compromise over religious education and collective worship.

RE will be split, with some elements taught collectively - three of the faiths share the common heritage of the Old Testament - while more specific aspects are taught separately. The pupils will also meet separately for daily prayers before coming together for whole-school assemblies with a more moral or ethical emphasis.

The proposed school still needs formal backing of the Department for Education and Skills. But its supporters, who include the bishop of Oxford, Richard Harries, and Rabbi Julia Neuberger, chief executive of the King's Fund, say initial discussions with ministers have been encouraging. Estelle Morris, education secretary, subsequently made it clear that any new faith schools must be open to all pupils from a variety of backgrounds.

The Church of England was embarrassed by the publicity, in view of its plans to open 100 new secondary schools.

Canon John Hall, head of the church's board of education, said the plans for a multi-faith school marked the beginning of a new era. "The new century is going to be a time when communities from completely different faith backgrounds work together and understand each other better."

He said many Anglican schools already have a majority of children from other faiths, particularly in the inner cities.

Rabbi Jonathan Wittenberg from the New North London Syngagogue, who has led the Jewish involvement in the scheme, said: "We need to have an understanding of the ethical issues that concern us all, and the common search for God. At the same time, children will study their own faiths very seriously."

Zaki Badawi, principal of the Muslim College in Ealing, west London, believes the school will be popular even with traditionally minded parents: "Many would feel it's a better alternative than a state school."

Muslim and Hindu parents have long been keen to enrol their children at Anglican schools where they feel religion is taken seriously.

The proposal has even been backed by Phil Willis, Liberal Democrat education spokesman, who has been pressing for legislation which would oblige new faith schools to take a percentage of non-believers: "I'm delighted we're seeing the major faiths coming together."

A spokesman for the Department for Education said: "It's encouraging to see different faiths working together."

Tenets of belief

Muslims

Scriptures: The Koran.

Worship: Devout Muslims pray five times daily. Friday is the Sabbath.

Dietary needs: Meat must be Halal. Pork is banned.

Festivals and holy days include month-long fast of Ramadan.

Jews

Scriptures: Hebrew Bible.

Worship: Sabbath observ-ance on Friday night and Saturday, featuring synagog-ue, relaxation and family.

Dietary needs: Pork and seafood are banned.

Festivals and holy days: Include the Jewish new year and Yom Kippur.

Christians

Scriptures: The Bible. Worship: Sunday.

Dietary needs: None.

Festivals and holy days: Easter, Christmas, Ascension Day and Whitsuntide.

Hindus

Scriptures: 5,000-year-old Bhagavad-Gita, the Song of The Lord, and the Vedas, the stories of creation.

Worship: God is worshipped in different forms.

Dietary needs: Strict Hindus are vegetarian.