THE recently published State Secondary School League Tables show that of the top 200, there are 153 selective, 16 partially selective, and only 31 comprehensive schools. Looking at the top 100, only five are comprehensives.

I recall that when our world class network of grammar schools was rapidly steamrollered out of existence with very little public consultation, we were told that nationally only a handful had survived .

However, 169 of the top 200 is hardly a handful.

I wonder if someone from the world of education could explain how this happened because I believe we were duped into believing that the we had no choice .

The top school in our area, Durham Johnston, comes in at number 138 in the country, but in the comprehensive only list it is ninth, so well done to them, but it does show the gulf between the two systems.

G Carr, Aycliffe Village.