Letter: School discontent

IF DAVID BLUNKETT has deep-laid plans to speed up the gradual disintegration of the state school system, these are making excellent progress, judging by Rachel Sylvester's report "Teachers to get pounds 5,000 'golden hello'" (19 September).

The new generation of young "super-teachers" will be envied and resented by the poorer-paid and often older teachers, and the teaching unions will be infuriated if Blunkett imposes the systematic assessment of teachers' performance. All these reforms will raise the already high level of discontent in the schools and encourage teachers to rebel or resign.

The question now is whether Mr Blunkett has any contingency plans for children's education in areas where state schools are forced to close down for lack of willing teachers, willing parents and willing pupils.

PHILIP LLOYD LEWIS

Bournemouth