I wonder why it has taken a professional biologist, not an educator, to say what needs to be said about church-run schools ( TES February 23).

Perhaps in education we’re too fearful of offending sensibilities to have spoken out about the anachronism of church-led education. Now comes the consequence of our timorous silence: politicians promising more.nbsp;

Recognising the harm that can come from religious allegiance, the Americans in their constitution forbade state subsidy for religion in schools. Regularly, judges there are forced to remind politicians that schools have a secular purpose and that they must not inculcate religion.

If Mr Blunkett wants “to bottle the secret of church schools’ success”, I can tell him that it will have little to do with the ecclesiastical. There will be just one active ingredient on the label: selection.

Gary Thomas
Witney
Oxonfordshire