Gabriel Sahlgren’s piece advocating for-profit schools in the state-funded sector (“Profit provides biggest boost for the poorest”, Comment, 7 June) leaves unanswered questions. Where will the profit come from? Higher taxes? Money siphoned off from school budgets? And what should we conclude from his statement that “with well-differentiated funding, companies have stronger incentives to target poor students because they are compensated accordingly”? Does this mean that in times of austerity, companies will pull out of poor districts leaving the children high and dry? Or will profit be protected and the schools take the hit?

Dr Janet Dobson, Senior research associate, University College London.