I find it remarkable that the Secretary of State for Education labours under the misapprehension that independent schools hold expertise capable of helping those in the state sector. Any “educational excellence” in the form of seemingly impressive examination results produced by many independent schools is not the result of any mysterious expertise beyond the ken of teachers in the state sector. Those results stem from a highly selective intake of pupils, small class sizes and the ability and willingness to show disruptive, troubled or underperforming youngsters the door.

Ian Luff, Yaxley, Eye, Suffolk.