The article on PE teachers becoming managers was interesting but at least 30 years late (“The winning streak”, TES Magazine, August 13). When I started teaching in 1976, two-thirds of the senior managers in my schools were either ex-PE teachers or ex-home economics teachers.

This seemed to be traditional, while those PE teachers who did not achieve such greatness moved into head of year posts.

It was widely believed that progress untramelled by GCSE results, league tables and so on was the norm for PE staff, while potential managers from subjects like English were knackered by the age of 45 or being edged out of their jobs by 55.

I met some good managers from what used to be called, in less enlightened times, “Mickey Mouse” subjects. But don’t tell us the phenomenon is new.

Colin Padgett, Secondary teacher, Essex.