You report (20 August) that “retake pass rates slumped this year”. I see now that I was mistaken in believing that the whole idea of replacing O-levels with GCSEs was to end the dispiriting concept of “pass” and “fail” in favour of recognising the sitter’s personal level of achievement in a subject.
Vivien Scorer
Southwell, Nottinghamshire
• At my grammar school in 1966, during a morning assembly, it was announced, in thunderous tone, that Susan Shaw must immediately afterwards go and stand outside the headmaster’s office. As head girl I dutifully turned up, along with two other Susan Shaws – one of whom looked worried (Letters, 23 August).
Susan Rawson (nee Shaw)
Scarborough, North Yorkshire
