Our exported education relies on our reputation

27th July 2012, 1:00am

TES is right to draw attention to both the economic value of a British education as offered in international schools overseas and the risk to this valuable sector from the constant, noisy washing of allegedly dirty linen - the criticism of British qualifications - in public (“Why the world is buying what we’re rejecting”, 20 July).

But you might also have noted that bad publicity about our examination system will weaken the appeal of a British education to international students, who contribute hugely to our economy by attending British boarding schools, independent and state maintained.

We should be pleased that after years of grumbling about falling standards, the present bad publicity about our qualifications is accompanied by plans to fix them. And about time, too.

Hilary Moriarty, National director, Boarding Schools’ Association.