Your postbag regarding faith schools was as robustly anti as usual - but I wonder if the critics are missing something (Letters, June 19).

As a supply teacher, I visit a range of schools and am lately struck at the way faith schools reinforce their values through prayer. There are prayers for other people in assemblies, prayers of thankfulness at the beginning of meals, and prayers of safety as the children go home.

Unthinking indoctrination by rote learning, or positive reinforcement of key values? The parents seem to like it, the children willingly engage in it - and I wonder whether the critics have anything better to offer, or would simply do away with it?

Chris Hudson, Morpeth, Northumberland.