In total, 18 new religious schools have been given approval to open, one from September 2016 and the rest from September 2017.
The two new religious schools are Herts International Christian School, an all-through school in Hertfordshire which will select 50 per cent of pupils based on church attendance, and Yavneh Primary School, a Jewish school also in Hertfordshire affiliated to a pre-existing, fully selective Jewish secondary academy.
The state-funded schools are set up by academy trusts, community groups, parents and teachers.
The British Humanist Association (BHA) has raised concern over the continued approval of 'faith' schools as part of the Free School programme.
"Back in July the Prime Minister gave a speech in Birmingham claiming that we needed more integration in our education system, not less, and yet today, just over two months later, he's announced the approval of more schools that will define and divide children on the basis of their religion or belief. This is completely counter-intuitive," said BHA Faith Schools Campaigner Jay Harman.
"Schools should be open to everyone, regardless of what they believe, and children of all backgrounds should be educated side by side. If the Government continues to chart this course with its planned 500 new Free Schools, the picture of segregation in our schools will look an awful lot worse than it is now come 2020," said BHA Faith Schools Campaigner Jay Harman.
Labour's education spokesman Tristram Hunt said the focus on free schools was ignoring the crisis in teacher recruitment.
"As children begin the new school year, more and more pupils are being taught by non-specialists and supply teachers, due to the teacher recruitment crisis. And shortages in teacher supply are set to get worse. This should be the priority for education ministers," said Mr Hunt.
