Numerous missives Ihave received from him include the same unsupported assertions:

* Multi-cultural schools are generally damaging to Muslim children’s sense of identity;

* Muslim children are doing badly at school;

* Muslim parents would like Muslim-majority schools to become faith-based.

I have met no Muslim parents who have made any of these points. I have met many who send their children to evening classes in mosques. I am acquainted with several Muslim couples of different ethnic origins, living within a couple of kilometres of Mr Ahmed’s home. London is becoming a melting pot for Muslim people.

In this borough, GCSE results at five A* to G and one A* to G have been beating the English average since 1998 and 1996 respectively. The gap at five A* to C continues to close. It is rare for a child to leave our schools with nothing. The 16-year-olds of every ethnic minority have out-performed the white UK children for even longer.

These realities flatly contradict Mr Ahmed’s bleak vision.

Councillor Alan Griffiths Mayor’s adviser on education standardsLondon Borough of Newham