The “nit nurse” shown on page 31 of the TES of May 2 may be surprised to be so called. The picture was taken in 1996 when the BBC made the film Breaking the Code about Alan Turing and the code-breakers at Blechley Park, and the young lady is a make-up specialist. In recreating a lecture that Turing gave at a school, the BBC used three year groups from John Hampden Grammar School in High Wycombe as his audience. All the boys had to have their hair gelled and combed into an appropriate 1940s style and this is what is taking place in the picture that was printed. The boy in the background is not grinning at the sight of nits, but because he knows his hair is going to be flattened and scraped next.

Andrew MacTavish, Headmaster, John Hampden Grammar School (retired).