I was horrified by John Linfoot’s idea that many young people are achieving “qualifications of little or no value”.

As a trainee further education teacher of dance, I believe every course has tremendous value.

It is short-sighted to patronise vocational courses - they demand just as much skill, passion and discipline from learners as academic courses. In this day and age, gaining entry into employment is extremely difficult, regardless of qualification route.

Surely it is not in any way wrong to support young people in their education and training: shouldn’t the very fact that young people want to learn, and that they are learning, so they may have a better chance of contributing to society through employment, be celebrated?

M Hodges, Chippenham.

FE Lecturing forum