SIR – The First Middle School established in Worcestershire in 1970 – since when I have chaired its governing body – closed on August 31, 2008.

The school was in good condition, on an excellent site, without parking problems and serving an area of social deprivation.

Despite the plans of the West Midlands Regional Strategy for the Redditch area, Worcestershire County Council in its wisdom has since demolished the school, hoping to sell the site for housing.

The national picture, in respect of academic, is patchy to say the least.

On reading of the plans for Elgar High School/technology college, I pondered the effects on the Worcester community as a whole.

After a lifetime spent in further education and industrial training, an ex-City and Guilds examiner too, I could plan rather differently for Elgar’s future, along with the implementation of the new diploma courses that are presently a hotch-potch it seems.

TOM WAREING,
Chartered MCIPD,
Redditch.