ILLEGAL SCHOOLS TEACHING EXTREMISM ARE OPERATING UNDERGROUND IN BRITAIN, MINISTERS ADMIT.

 Illegal schools teaching extremism are operating underground in Britain, ministers admit as they back teachers' right to ban the veil from the classroom

Education Secretary Nicky Morgan, pictured in Downing Street, warned about the impact of illegal schools in Britain as she launched the second day of the Government's counter extremism strategy

Tens of illegal schools are operating in Britain, Education Secretary Nicky Morgan today warned on the second day of a government crackdown on extremism.

Mrs Morgan is due to unveil a series of policies, including a website with advice on recognising when a teenager is drifting toward extreme ideas, adding to controversial measures unveiled by David Cameron yesterday.

She also backed the right of schools to ban both teachers and pupils from wearing the veil - echoing remarks from the Prime Minister yesterday that public bodies such as courts should be allowed to tell people to show their face.

The Prime Minister faced claims he was stigmatising Muslim women by announcing money to teach them English and suggesting people who come to Britain to marry could be deported if their language skills fail to progress.

Mrs Morgan today warned there were schools operating underground - sparking concern about both the lessons being taught and the places where children are being sent.

She told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'We don't have full data because these schools, a lot of them are operating underground, they are operating without being registered.

'We know Ofsted have inspected schools in Birmingham before Christmas which were then shut down or stopped operating. 

'We are certainly talking about more than one or two - we are probably talking about tens rather than hundreds but that's what we need to know and that's where we rely on the intelligence and working with local authorities and others to make sure children are not being educated in these illegal schools.

'It's not just about what they are taught but we are concerned about the conditions in which they are taught as well.

'That goes back to the whole regard we have for the welfare of children.'

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.

Mr 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 said: '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.'

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.'

Ofsted chief Sir Michael Wilshaw 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 Wilshaw, the head of school inspector Ofsted, has backed the right of schools to ban the veil

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 the BBC 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.'