It is difficult to give a hard and fast answer. Generally, a faith school will seek to fill as many posts as possible with teachers who are practising believers. However, the mainstream Christian faiths have found this a challenge in recent years, as the number of adult worshippers has fallen. The Bishop of Portsmouth recently noted in a debate in the House of Lords that a church school had appointed a Muslim as its headteacher. There is no point in applying for a post in such a school if you are strongly opposed to the whole notion of religious belief.

If you have a question for John Howson, please email karen.thornton@tes.co.uk