Monday's Letters: Every effort should be made to save these village schools

I was welcomed at the door of this delightful village school set in the most magnificent Dales scenery by two bright-eyed children who introduced me to Miss Clayton, the head teacher, who was taking a class. I describe that visit in the first of my Dales books.

I watched with great admiration an outstanding teacher. She outlined clearly to a very attentive and interested class the writing task to be undertaken and the children got on with their work quietly and with genuine enthusiasm.

It was clear to me at the end of my visit that the children in the school received a first-class education.

The lessons I observed that day were interesting, challenging and broadly based. The teachers had a firm grasp of the subjects they taught and developed the children's knowledge, skills and understanding of them.

The pupils achieved very high standards, were well-behaved and good humoured, not afraid of asking questions and making comments and their exercise books were marked carefully and constructively.

The school itself was cheerful and optimistic, a place where children could learn in a safe and secure environment, where they felt valued and respected, where the teachers were enthusiastic and committed and the leadership was purposeful and dynamic.

Miss Clayton moved on to become the head teacher at Grassington Primary, another outstanding school which received high praise from the OFSTED inspectors. Indeed in my report I wrote that the school "sets the standard by which other schools should be judged".

I was therefore greatly saddened to hear that the schools at Arncliffe and Threshfield are threatened with closure and I can fully understand how the communities they serve are strongly opposed to such a move.

Village schools, in my experience, invariably provide an excellent education. They are often at the very centre of the community and serve many purposes – the meeting places for the groups like the WI and Countrywomen, for evening classes and village events – quite apart from the education of the young. Every effort should be made to keep them open.

From: Dr Gervase Phinn, Tickhill, South Yorkshire.

From: Liz Philip, Principal, Askham Bryan College; Alan Blackwell, Principal, Craven College; Tim Grant, Principal, Darlington College; Tom Potter, Principal, Scarborough Sixth Form College; Allan Stewart, Principal, Selby College; Alison Birkinshaw, Principal, York College; Bonita Hodge, Principal, Yorkshire Coast College.

WE are writing to express our concern at the Department for Education's decision to stop paying Education Maintenance Allowances in July 2011 to 16-18 year olds, including those who will be halfway through their course and those whose household income is less than 20,817 per year. We are also alarmed that the Department is stopping new applications at the end of December before it has alternative arrangements in place.

The overall spending cut, from 574m to possibly as little as 75m, will cause real hardship for many young people and their families and force others to narrow their choice or stop attending education altogether.

We urge Ministers to reconsider their decision and to remove financial obstacles to study for young people from low income families.

Lib Dem MPs should admit their mistake

From: Gerald White, Jackson Avenue, Leeds.

I AM 83 and a lifelong supporter of the Liberals/Lib Dems. I am also of the generation that had "free" education. I started with a scholarship to a direct grant school that now charges tuition fees of 11,940 a year, making 9,000 for a university seem quite modest.

At university, I studied engineering, had more or less everything paid for and behaved badly (not quite as badly as the current loutish lot but pretty badly including trashing the refectory of the London School of Economics).

However, I represented about eight per cent of the population who were fortunate enough to go to a university. And the education I received was far from free, it was just that it was not paid for by me or my parents (except of course, indirectly through their taxes).

Once the proportion of the population going to university reaches its present level (30-40 per cent), there is no way that the system that I benefitted from will work. Students will have to contribute to the cost of their education. After all you pay for your extra courses like music and even the Open University without demur.

As a Lib Dem, I am appalled at the naive stupidity of our candidates at the last election making their pledges about removing tuition fees when it was obvious that such a policy could never work in present circumstances. And a fat lot of good it did us – we actually lost seats overall.

I shall continue supporting my party as I think that Vince Cable and Co in the Government can do nothing but good in the long term helping to temper the possible excesses of our coalition partners and I hope that our MPs will sit down, admit their mistake and get back to governing our country as well as possible.

From; Heather Causnett, Escrick Park Gardens, Escrick, York.

HAVING witnessed yet another demonstration by supposed students complaining about university fees being increased, I did wonder if any of these young people actually voted at the last election, or if their gripes are simply excuses to join in childish and noisy actions against those in power, because they have nothing better to do with their time?

Do they even know or care who is in power? Methinks it is yet another proof that in this country we are far too lenient with malcontents who are only happy when they are complaining about something, and anything will do. They should be glad that we have such a respected education system that is accessible to all instead of being hell-bent on proving that they are not worthy of that service.

Perhaps we should rethink not only the university fees, but the type of person who expects to be accepted for such higher education.

From: Phil Hanson, Beechmount Close, Baildon, Shipley.

THE media really does need to do a balanced job on reporting the issue of student fees.

With many graduates being equipped to earn millions of pounds in their careers, it is reasonable in a time of austerity that these people should cough up. Those who study and end up in poorly paid jobs will not be expected to pay, so where is the problem?

From: Peter R Hyde, Kendale View, Driffield, East Yorkshire.

I FULLY support anyone's right to demonstrate against Parliament but all the activity of the so-called students, who are willing to injure police officers who are only doing their job, and to cause the damage and disruption, will only serve to harm their cause. They are not fit to be granted university education if they behave like this.

I am totally disgusted by their actions and consider them hooligans. Left to me, I would bring fire hoses into play to disperse them.

From: David Pickering, Gloucester Road, Stonegravels, Chesterfield.

I TOTALLY agree with the coalition Government on their decision on tuition fees, at the moment there are far too many students of poor quality, subsidised by taxpayers.

This situation is laid squarely at the door of poor standards of comprehensive education, poor disciplinary standards, poor exam standards, all resulting in so called "students" rioting in the streets of London.

Bonuses of junk mail

From: Robert Carlton, Athol Crescent, Ovenden, Halifax.

I REFER to the article (Yorkshire Post, December 1) in which Coun James Monaghan (Lib Dem, Headingley) raised concerns about businesses ignoring pleas not to put junk mail through letterboxes in Headingley and his request to enforcement officers from Leeds City Council to write to businesses who are ignoring residents' wishes.

I can't help criticising the council and residents involved and asking the question: "Haven't they got anything better to do?" My view on junk mail is that it's fair competition as long as it is honest and not misleading. Also, I believe that it's not intrusive for people to put mail through your letterbox.

It keeps thousands of people in employment – printers, post office workers and other delivery people. I often read junk mail and it's not all bad, I like the competition it creates.

I would urge people to think of this when complaining about this issue and then throw the material in the bin, if that is what they want to do. But it is petty and trivial to complain and the whole country would come to a standstill if such complaints were listened to.

Employment must be encouraged.

When I throw junk mail in the bin I always think that it pays someone's mortgage. When you think like that, it is not a problem at all.

Queen deserves our donations

From: Miss Judy Gibbard, Littlecoates Road, Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire.

WITH regard to Richard Heller's article (Yorkshire Post, December 4), I agree with him that the Queen deserves a proper diamond jubilee celebration.

I'm worried the 1m that the Government is going to put towards will not be sufficient, and I wondered if the public could somehow arrange a collection for her.

I'm not sure how one could do it, but if everyone gave

just 2 each, it would be a help for her. One would also

have to get permission from her to do it.

High risk at Westminster

From: Robert Reynolds, Dixon Terrace, Harrogate.

The Russian Embassy in the UK says that the female Russian assistant to a Lib Dem MP isn't a spy. They tell us this is a diversion by our Government because we lost the World Cup bid.

However, there is a more important question. How did

a "high risk" national ever manage to pass security and begin working for one of our MPs?

Show is still streets ahead

From: Barry Foster, Manor Cottages, High Stakesby, Whitby.

FIFTY years of Coronation Street – what an achievement!

I well remember watching the first episode. As a part time actor, I always took, and still take, a great interest in the casting and production.

I would like to say that last week's anniversary episodes were brilliant and every performance outstanding.

Congratulations to the production team and all who have taken any part. The actors all deserve Oscars. Brilliant.

When the Tories backed a PR voting system

From: Robert Heys, Bar lane, Ripponden, Sowerby Bridge.

I NOTE with interest the strident Tory opposition to the modest hoped for move towards proportional representation offered by the approaching referendum on the alternative vote. Such opposition was not however always the case.

Indeed, the Conservative-dominated coalition government in office at the end of the Second World War actually insisted on a PR system being adopted by the Germans.

Today's Tories can hardly deny, in the light of Germany's present stronger financial position, superior infrastructure and manufacturing base, that this has served that country better than "first past the post" in the UK.

From: Paul Charlson, Westfield Park, Brough.

The Liberal Democrats have been calling for PR for years. In PR, you form coalitions and develop policies based on agreements. Pre-election manifestos mean nothing. We have a coalition Government. The policy on student tuition fees has been made. The whole point of a government is to agree on a policy and support this policy whether you agree or not. It is not therefore acceptable for Ministers to talk about abstaining on a policy that they have developed even if they eventually vote for it.

This brings into question whether the Lib Dems are really ready for the results of a PR election system and whether the UK (or at least England) can be governed on this basis.