Mr Gove’s recent comments about governors are patronising and demeaning of his own “badge of office”. Almost all the governors I have worked alongside in my years as a senior leader have been dedicated, committed to improving the school and deeply concerned that the pupils get the very best outcomes. It is worth remembering that governors work voluntarily, and many will be spending several hours in a chilly classroom on a winter’s night after a full day’s work. They do it for the good of others, not for their own reputations. The fact that there are occasionally difficult or ego-driven governors shouldn’t detract from the excellent work put in by most. I’m sure the same applies to ministers of state.

Kieran Quigley.