I HOPE you will do me the courtesy of allowing me to reply to Mr Stallard in your column this week. I have known Thomas Clarkson Community College and its predecessor, the Queens School, since 1987. As the school is now, it has never been better placed t

I HOPE you will do me the courtesy of allowing me to reply to Mr Stallard in your column this week.

I have known Thomas Clarkson Community College and its predecessor, the Queens' School, since 1987. As the school is now, it has never been better placed to be the centre of its community and serve the people of Wisbech well. It has, as Mr Stallard says, an excellent new head teacher.

As far as the quality of education is concerned, of course we all wait with baited breath to see the next GCSE results, but I have every confidence they will be the best for several years.

The new school, to be ready in 2011, will be organised as three units of about 500 pupils in each, with separate and shared facilities which will be state-of-the-art.

I have never seen bad corridor behaviour; I have seen interested and lively young people who deserve to be taught well and increasingly are taught well. Attendance has improved dramatically.

I don't know what motivated Mr Stallard to write as he did, but I am happy to meet him and discuss the school with him.

Maybe he would like to become a 'Friend of Thomas Clarkson', joining members of the community who work alongside staff to make things as they want, and deserve them to be.

SYLVIA RICHARDSON PRYER

Vice chairman of Governors