Humanists do not lack confidence in their beliefs, as Mr Kelly scoffingly asserts. But it is asking a bit much for us to accept a system where our beliefs are never taught about while religious ones are legally required to be - still more to ask us to accept a 100 per cent state-funded school where it may be taught that a humanist view of life is “ultimately sterile”, as Church of England RE policy has it. As for Mr Kelly’s bizarre claim that a diversity of schools will somehow aid cohesion, what is needed is not a diversity of schools but diversity within schools, something that will never be achieved with religiously selective schools as part of our state system.

Andrew Copson, Director of Education, British Humanist Association.