OUR education system owes its existence to sound Judaeo/Christian principles. Jesus said: "Suffer the little children to come unto me."

"Parental preference" in practice allows the children of the well-informed to enjoy education at the taxpayers' expense and at the expense of children in areas of social deprivation.

There are schools throughout the UK, where children are ferried in, causing horrendous traffic hazards, when it is not unknown for 60 per cent-plus of pupils to be "out-of-area".

So-called "catchment areas" are a farce, yet the local school - according to New Labour's latest wheeze - is a "focal point" in the community, an integral part of community development.

Education entrepreneurs have caused primary and secondary schools to expand way above recommended sizes, while we have falling school rolls in adjacent areas.

The Wyre Forest Review should heed lessons learnt in the Redditch Review of Education Provision about how to avoid socially divisive and financially wasteful provision.

And if people wish to buy private education for their children, then that is their choice.

COUNTY COUNCILLOR TOM WAREING, Redditch.