October 3.

Your Highland correspondent reported, in his article on Lord James

Douglas-Hamilton's visit to Sutherland, that the Minister compared Ellon

School and its overcrowding problem with Dornoch Academy and its

capacity for expansion (September 29).

The Minister, who declined an invitation to visit Golspie High School

while he was in Sutherland, missed an ideal opportunity to see a

sixth-year local authority school in the Highlands at work. During the

current year the school has achieved very good examination results, won

awards and trophies in mathematics, music, and sporting events, and has

won both a national and an international award.

The projected rolls for Sutherland are showing a distinct downward

trend, unlike Ellon, and there is no requirement for expansion in

Sutherland given that building work has commenced on the Kinlochbervie

school providing more educational capacity.

Lord James, as Minister of Education, is responsible for the education

of all Scottish children. The provision of education and the capacity

for expansion in Sutherland must be looked at in a wider view so that

the resources for education are used to the benefit of every child in

Sutherland.

Christine Port,

Chairman, Golspie High School Board,

Woodland Way,

Golspie.