History lesson on standards

I NOTE that in view of the appalling statistics showing that 285,000 pupils currently leave school without a basic
C grade or above in English and Maths at GCSE level (Yorkshire Post, September 2), it will be mandatory from this term on, for that standard or above
to be attained before the
General Certificate of Secondary Education is awarded.

In the 1940s when I sat the School Certificate (then the equivalent of today’s GCSE), in addition to passes in English and Maths, and two other subjects, a pass in a foreign language was required for the certificate to be awarded.

A return to the educational standards expected 60 years ago is surely long overdue.

Crash course for misguided MP

From: DJ Hough, Penhill Court, Northallerton.

DID Rachel Reeves really believe her speech and article (Yorkshire Post, September 5)?

Surely Labour’s Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury
should know the crash of 2008 and our problems are due to Gordon Brown selling the country’s gold at the lowest price for many years, his excessive spending and borrowing that nearly bankrupted the
country?

Tony Blair took us to an expensive war on the basis of a dodgy document. In my opinion, all Labour MPs and members should hang their heads in shame.

Split decision
on Richard III

From John Lee, Hawkcliffe View, Silsden.

The argument over where to bury Richard III has rolled on for far too long and cost far too much (by the way who is paying for it?). So why not just cremate the poor old king then divide his ashes into two equal piles, put one pile into an urn and give it to York and the other pile into another urn and give it to Leicester then each city can have its own funeral. Simple!