Sir - I welcome coverage of Oxfordshire schools' attainment and am happy to respond to your challenge over my comments that the reasons for our schools' poor performance are complex.

You contrast this with Professor Bob Moon's view that the solution is "not rocket science". I believe the reasons for our performance are complex. There is a complacency in some schools based on a view that says "this is Oxfordshire; we are special". There is a complacency that rejects examination results as important and says "there is more to life than scores and league tables".

There is a complacency that says "you can't expect children from deprived backgrounds to do well". There is a lack of ambition from some parents who say "my kid can earn good wages without GCSEs; it worked for me it can work for my child".

There is a view from some school governors who say "my role is to support the head and teachers at all costs, not to challenge or be a critical friend". I reject all of these arguments. I fear all of them contribute to where we are today.

I am at one with Professor Moon that the solutions are neither difficult nor complex. I have three points that I believe are critical. They are curriculum, behaviour and expectations.

We need to ensure the curriculum caters for the diverse needs, interests and abilities of our children; plain GCSEs are not enough. We need to be clear about the standard of behaviour and to have zero tolerance where it falls below that standard. We need to have clear and high expectations about children's attainment and to focus on securing the very best from every child, according to their ability.

My three points are not new; they are not even mine; I heard them recently from the head of our academy.

Keith Mitchell, Leader, Oxfordshire County Council