We should welcome Janet Ryland’s defence of the Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF) as a creative and progressive way of building achievement.

The QCF is of obvious benefit to young and old - and above all to those whose learning pattern doesn’t conform the ever onwards, ever upwards pattern of people who traditionally succeed.

In hindsight, everything could always have been better introduced. My fear is that the awarding bodies are giving the QCF a sidestep. Their problem is that collaboration and compatibility are central to the framework, but they are fearful of giving anything away to their competitors.

It is worth pointing out that learners’ interests necessarily take second place to their drive for competitive profit.

It would be nice to think that, as we march towards the privatisation of public services, we might see great ideas taken back from private providers who cannot implement them and passed to public services that will - imperfectly maybe, but at least willing to act for the benefit of learners. A single, publicly owned awarding body - now there’s a thought. Then we really could all be in it together.

Mick Murray, Matlock, Derbyshire.