Lettter: School pride

Your comment that "little educational aspiration exists at this local secondary" is not only hurtful and inaccurate but a sweeping statement that is not based on any facts. As many educational experts agree, league tables and figures, looked at in isolation, are neither helpful nor paint a true reflection of a school.

For this very reason a number of years ago a decision was taken by the Scottish Government to stop publishing league tables.

We are only too aware of the impact that deprivation can have on achievement and attainment. Glasgow City Council has worked tirelessly to try to close this gap and address the learning needs of all our children, especially the most vulnerable.

Our internationally recognised "nurture classes" have been in existence for almost ten years and we have academic research that proves their success in nurturing a child's development and attainment.

We are very proud of our approaches to bridge the attainment gap in Glasgow. Comparing one of our schools with one in East Renfrewshire is totally ridiculous. Glasgow's young people, their teachers and families should be extremely proud of their success in this year's exams - the best for many years.

Your decision to single out one school in a feature that was an otherwise fairly balanced piece of reporting was wrong.

Drumchapel High School has high aspirations. Young people are actively encouraged to aim high. You only need to look at the success of the group of Drumchapel High youngsters - the Glasgow Girls - who successfully campaigned for their asylum seeker classmates and won national acclaim and awards.

The only saving grace is that the young people, their parents or carers and staff of Drumchapel High School know that they have an abundance of aspirations - some just follow a different path from the academic one.

Bailie Jean McFadden

Executive Member for Education

Glasgow City Council