IT is strange to read Cllr Frank Eadie, leader of the Conservative opposition in Trafford, condemn comprehensive schools out of hand (SAM, March 11).

For there are localities with similar population mixes which provide better standards of education for the majority of pupils in their comprehensives.

Far from his claim that comprehensive education has 'failed the youth of this country', the teaching profession and universities recognise that overall national standards have risen steadily over the past three decades when 11-plus selection has been abolished in all but a handful of districts.

The big problem has been the often low standards in many of our inner city or outer estates schools, especially since the rise in youth unemployment and social exclusion.

This is a challenge which selection at 11 only makes worse by creating so-called sink schools without much prospect of brighter pupils setting the pace.

As for the letter from a 'Parent' claiming that the present Government favours streaming, that is quite incorrect. This is far too inflexible and most grammar and comprehensive schools no longer use streaming any more than good primary schools do.

David Blunkett, in contrast, favours all-ability schools but supports 'setting' - or putting children together in ability groups - for particular subjects such as maths or languages or science.

Finally Norman Holland's letter raises the difficulties of selecting children for secondary schools when a comprehensive system is first introduced and only ex-grammar schools have sixth forms.

This is a real challenge for the heads of former high schools, but working in partnership with the local education authority, special support can be given to provide the specialist teachers, books and equipment. It's been done elsewhere and it could be done in Trafford.

Pat Jones, school governor.

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.