Sir – It is a shame that Michael Waine chooses to write to you (Letters, September 9) with his political hat on, rather than as a retired headteacher.

1: The issue concerning the timing of the decision to close Oxford School was raised specifically in the light of the new (May 2010) legislation on the academies programme. This new legislation presages possibilities which councillors appear, regrettably, not to want to consider in the context of secondary education in the city as a whole.

2: While it is true that schools can collaborate, the issue that has been raised concerns formal federated structures that could address the difficulties in each city school, provide for significant cost savings, improve professional development, resolve segregated provision (which mitigates against real choice for parents) and most importantly establish a high-quality common curriculum entitlement.

3: The standards issue, particularly as regards ‘value added’, will only be clear when proper data is available in the autumn, but I restate the view that it looks as though pupils in academies are being sifted with significant percentages leaving without any relevant qualification 4: It is scandalous that Mr Waine lauds a grant for £150,000 for buildings at Oxford School when the school should have received £1m for buildings last year, which Mr Waine withdrew because of the school’s pending academy status; surely the county council owes the school £850,000?

5: The key to improving outcomes for all pupils in the city does not depend on ‘competition’, which evidence shows does not improve standards, it depends on a common and well-informed endeavour to reduce internal school-based variation in the quality of teaching and finding ways to resolve the complex issue of prior attainment at entry to all our schools Frank Newhofer, Oxford