As Brian Lightman says (“This ‘toxic narrative’ constrains creativity”, 23 March), “The opposite of a constrained school is a confident one, in which the leadership team and governing body are able to set out their own vision and plans over a period of years rather than months.” This is an accurate description of the two schools in which I was a deputy and later a head. However, both were independent schools. Why did I have to move into the independent sector to experience this?

Jill Berry, Former head of Dame Alice Harpur School, Bedford.