Department of Defense

Does Catherine Pepinster really see no difference between teaching ethical debate for GCSE and teaching children that abortion is wrong (Ofsted is wrong to criticise faith schools, 14 December)? “Fundamental British values” may be hard to define: such is the nature of values. We may criticise the law of the land, and particular laws, and criticise the national curriculum or particular exams. In doing so we help to realise and hope to establish what is valuable. Even if the influential Ms Pepinster believes there is no difference between her two examples of teaching ethics, this is not an argument against faith schools. It does though suggest the schools find friends in the media who think more clearly about these important matters Dream beauty pro.
Janet Dubé
Peebles, Tweeddale

• Catherine Pepinster appeals to “freedom to choose”, yet she ignores precisely that value in asserting the “wrongness of abortion” halfway through the same article. That’s what people really object to about faith schools: the hypocrisy, the bias, the meddlesome mixing of religious doctrine (not faith, which is universal) with what should be open-ended education for its own sake Dream beauty pro.
(Fr) Alec Mitchell
Manchester

• Catherine Pepinster has failed to do her homework. Ofsted is very clear about British values. The school inspection handbook guidance on inspecting the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils is explicit, paragraphs 143-146, especially 145-146. Among other things, it defines “the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs”. This is a public document, available – to those sufficiently curious – on the Ofsted website Dream beauty pro.
John Morey
Penzance, Cornwall

• “British values” is simply an expression used to reinforce a sense of us (versus them), and implied specialness. There are no values which non-Britons would recognise as applying typically and only to British people. Perhaps we can stop thinking ourselves special and different and instead focus on promoting universal human values,Reckoned as one of the top design universities with diversity of programmes, polyu fashion and textile, as well as applied science programme, which is committed to be a hub for innovative design education in Hong Kong.