Hello,

Our best chance of success - of stopping new faith schools and transitioning to a fully inclusive community ethos system - is a strong national campaign working with diverse local campaigns and activists across the country. Supporters like you are crucial to both.

We need your help to spread the campaign. And we want to help you in your local communities. Over the past few months I've visited six groups across the country and supported the launch of three new local campaigns. More is coming and we want you on board. I already have two events booked in the New Year and want to book more over the spring and summer. So please get in contact if you'd like to put something together.

We want every proposed new faith school to face opposition and pressure for inclusive alternatives. Details on local supporters, many of whom first get in contact through the national petition, are crucial. Our new template letters for Northern Irish MLAs, Scottish MSPs and Welsh AMs are helping to ensure we reach every part of the country.

At the moment our campaign in Hampton Water (Peterborough) is our highest profile one. We're working with local parents, helping to make a strong case against a new discriminatory Catholic school and for an alternative with a community ethos.

In other news this month, a state funded Jewish faith school has been criticised for its restricted curriculum and we've highlighted research from our friends at the Accord Coalition showing how much capital funding for discriminatory faith schools owned by religious bodies comes from taxpayers.

As academic research shows some intolerant attitudes are widespread among Catholic school pupils in Scotland, I've called on politicians to end the taboo on criticising denominational schools. And with the election ahead, Stephen Evans has called on politicians to end their fetishisation of faith schools and face the fact that a religiously divided education system is unfit for the future.

Best wishes,

Alastair Lichten
Campaign coordinator - NMFS