Raising the standard

George Pilard (Letters, May 6) criticises the "poor literacy rates" in the UK and later uses the OECD to back up his point about pensions. If he read other OECD reports, he would no doubt have come across one that ranked English primary schoolchildren third in the world for reading literacy, beaten only by Sweden and the Netherlands.

Repetition of the mantra of "low standards in our schools" without reference to any research base is corrosive and dispiriting for those of us who persevere in the teaching profession. The same OECD reports suggests that, at secondary age in science, the only European country with higher standards is Finland.
Dick Temple
Catterick, N Yorks

I'm glad to learn that the government, as part of its anti-bullying strategy, will attempt to focus on the plight of gay children (Schools accused of abandoning thousands of gay children to classroom bullies, May 9). In a society where parliament remains divided over equal rights for gays and most churches are either equivocal or hostile, it's not difficult to see where the bullies take their cue from.
Rev Cal Courtney
London

Fiona Carnie (Letters, May 4) asks for schoolchildren to be given a voice in schools. She must first ask for teachers to be given a voice before there can be any real chance for young people to influence what happens in schools.

Unfortunately the tendency for headteachers to remain "the last of the great dictators" has been reinforced by New Labour's emphasis on crude league tables and a dirigiste curriculum, so that the democratisation of school management many of us hoped for remains a chimera. What chance that young people will learn by experience about democracy in such an atmosphere?
Walter Carruthers
Whittingham, Northumberland

A request to replace vending machines at my school - full of junk food and fizzy drinks - with healthy alternatives was turned down by the PFI company in charge for the next 30 years, on the grounds that the existing machines generate a greater profit (Private deals block Jamie's school dinners, April 25). The company also controls catering, so instead of healthy meals we are faced with chips, burgers and other fat-filled foods. This is not because of any lack of effort from students or staff, but because the school no longer has the final say on decisions affecting the wellbeing of students.
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