SIR – It was at the back end of last week that I became concerned about my neighbour, as I’d noted that his car was still parked up after breakfast, when usually by that time he had gone to work at a local school.

I wondered if he was ill or if the car had refused to start.

It turned out to be neither of those things. School was, in fact, closed. For two days. Not the only school, either, as it transpired. Some schools shut their doors for three days; and all because of the Islamic festival of Eid al-Fitr.

When did our schools start running their timetables to the Islamic religious calendar? It’s bad enough that they are wedded to that of the established church, with Easter moving this way and the other. Shall we next see Diwali and Pesach taken into account, lest we offend the Hindu and Jewish communities?

Some schools did stay open, although my nephew was at a loss as to why he should go in when his Muslim friends wouldn’t turn up, anyway.

It’s about time the authorities got a grip and stopped this nonsense. Schools should be secular, including their timetables. Until education is taken seriously by all concerned, this country will continue to languish much too far down the international league tables.

Cathy MacKay, Bailey Hills Road, Bingley