IT STRIKES me so many times that people write to the papers to provoke.

On this subject was it the council who proposed a ‘grammar stream’ or was it the first correspondents who wanted to see in the statement more in than there is?

It’s a moot point, but shouldn’t we anyway stand back and be less idealistic or political?

This country needs to succeed. Not so that it can dominate the world but so that it can stand still versus the emerging nations.

And this surely means ‘appropriate education’ for everyone with no one held back.

It also means people being able to seek and find what they are good at.

Not everyone can be the greatest academically so shouldn’t we tailor, stream, so that similar minds can learn at the right pace?

If the grammar system didn’t work, and I suspect none of us can be sure since even if we are of the right age or geography, we are still just individuals, then surely right-minded people would agree that teaching mixed ability classes (with other than the very best motivational teachers) can often lead to lesser outcomes.

Those who could do better will probably not.

And those who need extra help probably won’t get enough.

Schools have been streaming for years and if it’s done well with people able to move in and out of subject streams at suitable times, then what is there to argue about?

Far fewer barriers than the artificial decision at the age of 11. Do the Tories want something different?

Consider further those classes of children where there is the group who can’t or won’t learn with the teacher who isn’t able to inspire them.

Consider also the parents who won’t see that their child can ever be disruptive and will back them to the hilt, despite the reality.

Don’t we need something that gives us an edge and which enables our education system to match those societies whose children thirst to learn – it may only be a stereotype that the south east Asian countries do this but why would we be willing to take the risk?

If we play to the common denominator then I suspect we’ll certainly end up with what some correspondents feel is a ‘very fair society’ but we will be a third division nation.

Not everyone can be a car mechanic or a doctor, yet being either of these is good for our society but the education needed is likely to be different. Different but of the same value.

GRAEME CHRISTMAS Lakeside, Swindon