The business of skill levels

YOUR report on weak business courses (Yorkshire Post, June 8) included a comment by Ofsted that pupils need to do better when applying higher-level skills. But what counts as a higher level skill – selecting a library book from the school library, editing an essay, or designing a business advertisement?

Does the educational world of teaching business studies divide neatly into high and low skills? Perhaps even higher level skills are required to assess what’s going on (or ought to be going on) in West Yorkshire.

Assuming there has been some serious research into this issue, the Ofsted team should have indicated where teachers and parents can read clear guidance about levels of skills.

Beagle testing is obscene

From: J Bookbinder, Cottingley Gardens, Leeds.

I SEE (Yorkshire Post, June 1) that Marshall Bio Resources are hoping to build new facilities for breeding thousands of beagles for research purposes.

The company states that it’s better the animals are produced in the UK to British standards of welfare and care. And then what?

That these beautiful, docile and obedient dogs are still being mass produced for experiments is obscene.

Wrong code

From: C E Kennedy, Barmby on the Marsh, Goole.

YOUR writer is incorrect in describing Lieutenant Simpson as a footballer, he was a soccer player (Yorkshire Post, June 11). A footballer who was awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross in the First World War was Jack Harrison of Hull FC.

Drought solved

From: Jack Kinsman, Stainton Drive, Grimsby.

OFFICIALLY, Lincolnshire is now in drought. Why?

It has the sea on one quarter of its borders, why not use this? Two or three desalination plants could be built, run by a wind turbine, and the water pumped all over Lincolnshire. The salt from the desalination plants could be sold to pay the running costs.