In 1870 before governments were involved with education, 95 per cent of 15-year-olds were literate. A century later 40 per cent of 20-year-olds in the UK admit to difficulties with writing and spelling (Central Statistical office 1995).

This implies several things. Firstly, money was not the main cause of high literacy rates in the 19th century. Secondly, governments like running schools merely because it trains children to believe in the government’s preferred point of view. Reading and writing become a by-product not the essential work of a school.

Unless parents are ambitious for their children and encourage them to work and behave in lessons as they once did, money or buildings are not going to change anything. The real changes needed in education are too painful for unions and many teachers to accept.

So the only hope pupils have is to get away from the dead hand of bureaucratic government and begin a new system, ie. Non state run schools. The unions who control the schools are very annoyed to lose their power over young minds.

I urge parents not to fall for their propaganda but keep reminding yourselves that before 1870 most 15-year-olds were literate.

Frances Howard, Harnham

Your unnamed correspondent (Postbag, July 15) has found out the hard way just how illusory the notions of ‘parent power’ and ‘parental choice’ really are.

The same will apply to those parents who set up free schools as soon as sponsorship and commercial interests are firmly in place.

Richard Merwood, Salisbury