Congratulations to Nicholas Pyke on his balanced and fair overview ofnbsp;faith schools (The Issue, TES Friday, January 10).

I would like to make just a couple of clarifications. The first is that the Government is now “saying precious little” aboutnbsp;faith schools because it no longer needs to - it has devolvednbsp;responsibility for them to local councils, and new religious schools arenbsp;springing up all over the place, often after a very perfunctory, partialnbsp;and undemocratic local consultation.

Secondly, the objections (from humanists, scientists, philosophers and even bishops) to creationist teaching at Emmanuel CTC focused on itsnbsp;taking place in science lessons, and were never satisfactorily answered.nbsp;

We continue to be concerned about the spread of Vardy Foundation academiesnbsp;like Emmanuel College, and about the influence (over curricular mattersnbsp;and in appointing governors and staff) that can so easily be bought innbsp;these “state-funded independent” schools.nbsp;

Marilyn Mason
Education Officernbsp;
British Humanist Associationnbsp;
47 Theobalds Roadnbsp;
London