AS chairman of the governing body at St Peter and St Paul's School, Rishton, I was saddened by the way in which you dealt with our recent Ofsted report (LET, December 20).

Our headteacher and staff have worked extremely hard to make improvements within the school and your article reflected this. However, the headline: 'School praised but told to try harder' and the posters on your billboards in Rishton which proclaimed: 'Mixed report for Rishton school,' are demoralising for teachers, governors and all involved in the school community.

The report was a good report, and the lack of sufficient computers and software, which was highlighted as a weakness, is, to a great extent, beyond the control of the school.

Our School Families Association has raised thousands of pounds to buy computers, but in a school which the Ofsted report states gives sound value for money and adds that "the income and expenditure per pupil are low," there will always be a problem.

Please be more encouraging and positive about our schools for everybody's sake.

THE REV PAUL A SMITH, Somerset Road, Rishton.

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