A few weeks ago I read Ms Anne Thrope’s attack on the North East in her piece on regional pay (“It really is grim up North”, 12 October). And in the 9 November edition she is critical of faith schools (“Eyes front, atten-shun!”). If she doesn’t like faith schools and she doesn’t like the North East, it’s frankly no surprise that her column reads with such bitterness.

She also describes my preferred seating arrangement (a horseshoe) as “frankly preposterous” and advocates rows. Despite some of the problems with rows, I would not call them “presposterous”. What works is different for different teachers with different classes at different schools, and Ms Thrope’s passing of critical judgement helps no one.

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