YOUR newspaper (Oxford Mail, June 4) was quite right to draw attention to the national and local problems that will have to be overcome if the successful recruitment of school headteachers is to be sustained and improved.

However, it would have been more helpful if you had not ignored the important context that the 11 schools in Oxfordshire without permanent heads represent a very small proportion, less than five per cent, of the nearly 300 schools in the county.

At any one time there is always likely to be some vacant headship regardless of the time or geographical places in which surveys are undertaken.

Oxfordshire is not exceptional in this regard.

SALLY TAYLOR, Head of Raising Achievement Service, Oxfordshire County Council