I found it fascinating to read how much academics claim to know about bilingual science teaching at White Hart Lane school (“Why stop this vital experiment?”, TES Letters, March 10).
The “experiment” is in its fourth year and we can find no evidence anywhere in the school of any assessment or evaluation. Perhaps the academics who signed the letter in your pages are evaluating from a distance in some way or can provide the name of the institution they claim is carrying out evaluation without the school’s or head’s knowledge.
They state that the termination of this experiment is depriving the educational community of important research evidence. At the school we regard our role as supporting children in fulfilling their potential, not providing research evidence.
The statement that the press were informed that we had stopped bilingual teaching before appropriate discussion with governors, and relevant staff was ill-informed. I and my colleagues believe that governors and staff should not be put under pressure by external organisations who have no direct knowledge or understanding of the school and this issue.
Joan McVittie Headteacher, White Hart Lane school, London N22
