As the chair of governors of a Cumbrian secondary school offering pupils a wide range of opportunities and as a firm opponent of independent education (on the principle that education is too important to be bought and sold in the marketplace), I resent the implication in David Hanson’s letter (“Try to give independent staff and pupils a break”, 2128 December) that state school teachers work fewer hours, engage in fewer extracurricular activities and have to meet far less demanding expectations than their independent school counterparts. Where is the evidence to back up his assertions? Is it to be found only in the promotional literature of his organisation, the Independent Association of Prep Schools, and of its constituent schools?

Colin Richards, Chair of governors, Millom School, Cumbria.