I would like to express my utter disgust at your attempt to lead people to believe Great Barr is a “deprived” area just to promote Liam Nolan’s success even further (Feature, 23 September). While I agree that Perry Beeches School was in a poor state before his appointment, this was not because of the area surrounding the school but because the school’s catchment had to widen to the true inner-city areas of Birmingham to fill its classrooms. As a homeowner in the Great Barr area, I am appalled that you and Mr Nolan feel the need to talk so poorly about an area of Birmingham that is neither deprived nor inner-city.

Louise Hodson, Great Barr, Birmingham