No Fear

Although it is not yet on the website, this very important letter appears in this week's New Statesman:

As the chairman of governors of an outstanding state middle school, I have no fear of Michael Gove's comparisons with private schools. However, such a comparison must be made on a fair basis.

Let private schools be subject to inspection by Ofsted, using the same criteria as for the rest of us, and let those reports be published.

Let private schools be required to demonstrate how they improve pupils' abilities, the value-added measure.

Let private schools be judged by their efficient and effective use of money.

Only when they are described in the same way as state schools will any comparison be valid or useful.

Everyone would agree with the Secretary of State about the importance of continual improvement in the education offered to our children.

Those of us directly engaged in it, however, would like him to show some fairness and consistency.

Is this too much to ask?

David Bowen

Dorchester, Dorset