Letter: Statistical mess

Your education correspondent's own education obviously did not include an introduction to statistics, as she mistakes percentage points for percentage improvement (your report, 30 September).

Her quoted figures should be presented as follows: East Renfrewshire: up from 47 percentage points to 49, an improvement of 4 per cent; Glasgow: up from 13 to 16, an improvement of 23 per cent; West Dunbartonshire: down from 19 to 17, a reduction of 11 per cent.

Obviously, Glasgow started from a low base, and thus had more scope for improvement, but nonetheless that improvement should be applauded.

By the same token, the drop of 11 per cent in my home county, West Dunbartonshire, has to be addressed urgently, otherwise Glasgow will not be at the bottom next year!

Fraser Gillespie

Bonhill Road

Dumbarton