Teams of inspectors are to be sent into dozens of schools over fears that children are being “radicalised”.
Michael Gove, the Education Secretary, has prepared the way for inspectors to penalise institutions where “religious conservatism” may be getting in the way of teaching.
The move, reported by The Sunday Times, comes as the Department for Education investigates a series of schools over an alleged “Islamic takeover plot” in Birmingham.
A letter claiming responsibility for changes in leadership at four schools in Birmingham said the moves were part of a campaign entitled Operation Trojan Horse.
It has not been confirmed whether it was genuine.
A Whitehall source told the Sunday Times that the investigations would be carried out in “several phases” over the coming months and would help identify those schools in need of “further investigation” and those deemed not connected to Islamicisation.
A department source said: “Extreme religious conservatism often acts as an entry to later problems.
“A child who is brought up, aged eight, nine, 10, believing that you should segregate the sexes and hand out Islamic textbooks is more likely to be radicalised in later life.”
He added: “In our view female staff being bullied in schools and segregated assemblies are very serious matters.”
Labour MPs said ministers should have dealt with the allegations more quickly.
Tristram Hunt, the shadow education secretary, said: “Michael Gove has demonstrated a shocking degree of complacency. His failure to act on the warning signs is putting the schooling of our children at risk.”