Sir, With regard to the on-going correspondence about Mr Adrian Percival's comments about Matthew Arnold, I felt the need to write after reading letters from a former head and also a former pupil. I write as a parent whose four children have been at Matthew Arnold and I have seen them through Elizabeth Howarth, Adrian Percival and now the present new head, Mrs K Ryan.

My two daughters left Matthew Arnold, both with good A-Levels which enabled them to go to university. They knew the headship of Elizabeth Howarth and start of Adrian Percival's. I remember no failing school and had very happy and cared-for children throughout their time there.

As Elizabeth Howarth describes, her latter years had many difficult moments with education cuts and the new AS exam being introduced, but the school remained a positive, cheerful place.

My two sons are now at Matthew Arnold and in some ways it is a very different school, but brought about more by the present fascination with league tables and SATs results than any supposed newly-found popularity.

I would have thought that the reorganisation of the middle school system and the fact that it remains, thankfully, one of the smaller Oxford comprehensive schools has also helped Matthew Arnold's increased popularity.

My sons have the pleasure of being taught by some teachers who also taught my daughters; all of whom I cannot believe would have stayed on at the school so long had they been a depressed and embattled staff'. Matthew Arnold was, and remains, a school I have been glad my children have been able to go to. I remain grateful to the dedication and hard work of the staff with ever-changing Government educational incentives and the increased pressure on all teachers. If schools cry out for supportive parents, surely we should expect the same of departed head teachers?

Rebecca Huxley, Oxford