18/05/04

Schools are imposing a regime which they opposed ten years ago, when there was an outcry from the teaching profession with the introduction of SATs.

Now we are producing children who may achieve high levels of attainment in these tests. It is great that their "standardised" creative writing includes metaphors, and the ambitious vocabulary and interesting connectives which we have taught them to use are all spelt correctly, but are we really encouraging creativity? Are we just priming our children for tests?

I am in favour of SATs, but believe that they should be anonymous, so that they serve the purpose for which they were designed.

That is, to ensure the school is teaching the curriculum and pupils are progressing accordingly between the Key Stages. They are supposed to be a means of measuring the standards of the school, not the child. This should not be a difficult time.

A 100 per cent success rate could come to represent the fact that pupils have over-zealous parents, who are constantly tutoring their children at home and, in school, SAT revision is being taught to the exclusion of other important areas of the primary curriculum.

Our children should not be "cramming" and held accountable for failure at such a tender age.

We can encourage personal achievement, high standards and a love of learning, without the pressures pupils are currently experiencing. If we do not, then by the time they sit GCSEs, A-levels and approach further education, they will rebel, feeling that they have had enough. - Name and address supplied.

CLEVELAND POLICE

READING through Councillor Ken Walker's effort of self justification and glorification (HAS, May 12) I wondered why, if things were so wonderful in Cleveland Police while he was chairman, as he claims, it acquired a national reputation for intrigue, office politics, and the diversion of public resources.

In fact, it seems to me that Coun Walker must be a very introverted individual because if he were able to view his position at all objectively he would realise that he should have vacated it long ago, certainly no later than the end of Operation Lancet.

As it is, his departure is as ignominious as the rest of his record as chairman of Cleveland Police Authority. - Tony Kelly, Crook.

TAXI DRIVERS

THE letter on the subject of driving tests for taxi drivers (HAS, May 15) cannot go unchallenged.

Everybody knows that the general standard of taxi driving and the consideration for other road users are atrocious. Excessive speed has to rank as their most frequent and dangerous offence.

And the claim that you don't hear of too many taxi drivers appearing in court on driving charges isn't valid. I imagine that the locations of speed cameras are quickly transmitted to all taxis.

I suggest that a scheme, similar to the one used by delivery firms who ask how the vehicle is being driven, should be introduced.

But a further driving test would be ideal. We would see fewer taxis around if a test were introduced. - D Brearley, Middlesbrough.

EUROPE

JIM Ross (HAS, May 10) asks why the UK Independence Party which "wants out of Europe altogether" puts up candidates for the European Parliament. The answer is very simple.

By adding to the UKIPs' existing MEPs we can gain more first hand information on the workings of the European Union, gain more access to the press in order to further expose the EU Parliament for the sham of democracy that it is, whilst, at the same time, doing our very best by voting to protect the UK's best interests.

The UKIP is not wanting to get out of Europe - we want to get out of the EU, we are in fact saying an empathic no to the EU. We are seeking an amicable divorce from the European Union and then to enter into a genuine free trade agreement with the nations of Europe. - Chris Williamson, Chairman Durham Branch, UK Independence Party.

ALED Jones (HAS, May 11) wishes to ditch the monarchy because he says it has become too corrupt.

Well, Mr Jones, I will tell you this: if Tony Blair wins the next election you will get your wish granted, for our country will become a republic with Mr Blair as president.

We have two very important votes to make in the next months to save our freedom and our way of life, and I suggest that it should be out with Mr Blair and his puppets and corrupt New Labour and no vote to the European Constitution and let our people have our country back from a future dictator. - F Wealand, Darlington.

FIREARMS

Last week the Government published a consultation paper 'Controls on Firearms' with an emphasis on tackling the escalating problem of inner city gun crime and funding to community projects to counter urban 'gun culture'.

But when you read the consultation it is revealed not as a serious attempt to get to the root of 'gun culture', which we would all support, but as a platform for the anti-gun lobby to push for restrictions on legitimate firearms. It completely ignores a proven and accepted fact about gun crime - there is no link between legitimate licensed firearms and illegal gun use.

Reports from the King's College Centre for Defence Studies and Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary have both found that current controls are effective in keeping legitimate firearms out of the hands of those with criminal intent. Crimes involving handguns, for instance, have doubled since their legal possession was banned.

So why has the Government hinted at further restrictions on the legitimate possession and use of firearms when it knows it will have no impact on gun crime? Is it because it knows that, while the social problems of inner city Britain persist, gun crime will inevitably continue to rise?

The Labour Party manifesto said that it had no intention of restricting the sport of shooting and we will seek to hold them to that commitment.

Legislation based on principle and evidence will have our support. Proposals to restrict legitimate gun use just because the Government needs to be seen to be doing "something" about gun crime will not. - Simon Hart, Chief Executive, Countryside Alliance.