SIR – I must say I was extremely disappointed at the article in the Worcester News and also the Comment.

Elgar Technology College was a failure and known not only for poor educational achievement but poor standards of behaviour. If asked quietly most parents in Worcester would not have wanted their children to go there – sad but true.

Instead of criticising the new regime for the number of exclusions, perhaps we should instead ponder the need to exclude so many and the reasons for them (violent behaviour, swearing at teachers and more).

Perhaps unintentionally what seems to be coming across is that the powers-that-be in Worcester don’t like to be shown the way by those from outside the city and that their priority perhaps is for other schools not to be “dumped” with those pupils that don’t behave. They should remember that if the old Elgar college closed where would the pupils go?

I know Tudor Grange School in Solihull well. I grew up in Solihull many years ago. It has always been a truly wonderful school which achieves superb results by putting in a lot of effort and dedication from staff but also asking for good standards of behaviour from pupils.

Let’s give them a fair crack at turning round a failing school and give our full support to the pupils who want to learn – not just the ones that don’t.

Richard Farrell Adams,
Worcester.