Sir – In your edition of October 20, your second leader concerning the county’s educational performance, was most timely.

For many years the county was fortunate in having a former distinguished headmaster as the cabinet member for education.

Recently there has emerged, as his successor, councillor Melinda Tilley, who, whatever other qualifications she has for the responsibility, they do not appear to include teaching; while it can be advantageous to come to such a task with an independent mind, I do feel that, for such a responsibility, teaching experience and a deep insight into the learning process would be necessary.

Presumably Ms Meera Spillett provides a professional view on the formulation of educational policy and I am sure it would be valuable to hear, publicly, how educational performance could be improved.

You were right, Sir, to point out that councillor Tilley’s excitement over getting “good” schools to help “not so good” schools may be premature and, in any case, the idea is old hat.

School improvement is a hard row to hoe, especially in a city, many of whose children arrive during Stages One and Two with no English. Let us hope that these two ladies can make a difference.

Martin Sheldon, Headington Quarry