Sir, When new teachers start work now, where is this intelligent flexibility (letter, May 7) to come from? At Homerton College 40 years ago we were taught to think about how the curriculum was constructed and how it might change, how new research might inform teaching methods, how the latest report on education (Plowden in our case) could be questioned and its underlying philosophy unpicked.

But teachers in the current climate risk losing their jobs if they think too much. We “deliver” a prescribed curriculum, and we are criticised if we stray from rigid policies on everything from health education to citizenship. Teachers in schools “causing concern” are even told to use every noticeboard in their classroom in a prescribed way, and headteachers at conferences are slapped down publicly if they dare to question government policy.

If we want to find good teachers in our schools, showing “independence of mind”, let us start with a national decision to train teachers to think for themselves, free qualified teachers to make their own professional decisions, and celebrate the diversity and freedom this produces.

Barbara Curry

Retired Headteacher,

Winchcombe, Glos

Sir, You report that there are about 10 per cent fewer applicants for teacher training than last year (May 9). This is hardly surprising; this is the last academic year that trainee teachers undertaking a PGCE course get their tuition fees paid by the Training and Development Agency for Schools or their LEA. From September 2008 students will have to pay their tuition fees — anything between £2,700 and £3,145 — out of their own pockets.

Jane Daniels

Long Ditton, Surrey

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