Reading Tom Finn-Kelcey’s “Fact or fiction?” feature (29 November), I was disappointed. I am immensely proud to belong to a profession that strives to remove barriers to achievement wherever possible. I was saddened to find a crudely generalised statement about “problematic children” contrasted with the “extremely bright” ones now taught by the author (unsurprisingly at a grammar school). Does Mr Finn-Kelcey truly believe that children with emotional difficulties are beyond help? Clearly, being inadequately prepped for the 11-plus can happen to anyone, not least those with difficult home circumstances. It is systems such as grammar schooling that have kept social mobility down and barriers up. We have a responsibility to monitor the language, stereotypes and assumptions that we subscribe to and I’m afraid that TES has fallen short here.

Chris Winfield-Chislett, Teacher.