Richard Hand is correct in pointing out the folly in teachers battling the government over pay and pensions, however justified the grievances might be. In addition to his suggestion that Ofsted should be the target, I would like to suggest the review of the national curriculum, including the idea that level descriptors and levels themselves could be abolished. The public would still support surgeons even if some bright spark in the Department of Health suggested that they should use blunt Stanley knives for operations. In the same way, Ofsted and the curriculum are important professional issues and I am sure that the public would respect teachers for insisting that they should have a voice in these matters.

Alan Harding, Oakridge, Reading.