The school uniform debate is elitist – not all parents can afford a perfect school uniform

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Headteacher Matthew Tate has been sending home pupils in the incorrect uniform from Hatsdown Academy (PA)

Rosie Millard (8 September) blames “lazy parents” for failing to equip their children with the correct school uniforms. I am assuming that she has a tolerably good income and a reasonably organised lifestyle. For those waiting for delayed benefits or feeding their children through food banks, life does look a little different.

It may even be that parents regard education as more important than the correct clothing and send a child to school in trainers rather than miss a day’s schooling. Such a parent could also, believe it or not, have every intention of buying the prescribed black shoes as soon as the household budget allows.

Liz Callister
Sheffield

The French need a contigency plan

In reference to the closing of the Jungle in Calais, you can see the reason for this suggestion, but the French could earn a great deal of kudos by firstly building a temporary “village” in the French countryside, of which there is a vast amount, and relocating all those presently in the camp. They could then process the refugees and asylum seekers without the hysteria that currently surrounds the Calais camp.

It would also make life safer for delivery drivers and the local residents of Calais.

The situation is dire, do something sensible about it, it’s not rocket science.

M Maguire
Claygate

It is not elitist to want selective schooling

As someone whose main career was in teaching I have been following the renewed debate on grammar schools with interest. Having taught over the years in practically every kind of secondary: comprehensive, grammar and independent schools I would cautiously support the reintroduction of selection. Cautiously – because not everything under the 1944 Butler dispensation was rosy.

The “parity of esteem” that was meant to be accorded to the three kinds of secondary: grammar, technical and secondary modern was more honoured in the breach than in the observance. That of course was not the fault of the legislators. It was the fault of the “implementers”.

Underlying the debate of course is the fact that children raise or lower their sights according to the peer group they are in. I well remember coming down with my family from Scotland in 1960 when we made our home in London. During my first few weeks at the excellent Latymer Upper School in Hammersmith I found myself saying to myself: “I’m going to have to work hard to keep up with these other chaps”. Of course in a different kind of school my mind might have worked the other way.

We all want the very best for our young people and it is absolutely key that, regardless of snobbery or social climbing, each child receives the kind of schooling that is right for them.

It is not elitist or right wing to say that selection, humanely and professionally done, is the best way forward.

Andrew McLuskey
Staines

Children will remain disadvantaged, regardless of whether we re-introduce grammar schools or not

I am disappointed that again a government proposes a radical shift in policy seemingly without proven evidence from creditable research. I spent thirty years in Primary Education. As undergraduates, we were encouraged to read the researches of academics indicating that the children of significant social groups were disadvantaged before school age because some families were unable successfully to endow their children with a sufficiently sophisticated ability in basic language skills. No matter how many grammar schools the country has, certain pupils remain at a disadvantage due to a lack of readiness to reap the benefits of the system provided.

I see neither a significant improvement today in “education readiness”, nor a willingness by government to consider creditable evidence before embarking on policies on education, or, for that matter, in many other areas.

John McLorinan
Weston Super Mare

Justine Greening hasn’t done her revision

So now we know what Theresa May meant by “many not the few” – she actually meant “the few not the many”. Listening to Justine Greening on Radios 4 and 5 trying desperately to defend the idea of more grammar schools was so sad: increasing parental choice via selection!

Over a million children at underperforming schools being helped by grammar schools? Please, I’d rather you told us that you want to appease the ultra right-wingers in the party, or want to pursue evidence-empty prejudices based on a world long gone: at least that would ring true. The Education Minister’s complete lack of logic would certainly see her struggle to get into a grammar school herself. Then she might revise her (or Theresa’s?) ideas.

Les Gallop
Leicester

Corbyn doesn’t want to be Prime Minister

Many commentators are missing the point when expressing concern about the electability of the current Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, in a general election. Trouble-makers aren’t interested in having power with responsibility along with commensurate accountability.

They just want to make trouble.

Gary Crossley
Welsh Borders