SIR - Bearing in mind that Worcestershire children receive £840 each per year less than any Birmingham child, and £420 each less per year than the national average payment in terms of school funding, I find it a bit rich for the Government to criticise our schools and claim they are failing their brightest pupils (Worcester News, January 5). It is more a case of Whitehall failing Worcestershire pupils.

Yes, we could no doubt provide more within our schools for specific groups of pupils, given the funds to provide it (who couldn't!), but our schools and staff do a damn good job and get excellent results with the low funding they get. We are ranked eighth bottom in terms of funding out of 150 local education authorities. Instead of publicly berating the schools in our county, how about praising them for the excellent job they do, with the very limited resources they get? And as for unfairly "naming and shaming" the schools for allegedly failing their pupils, which does nothing for the morale of the staff or the school community, there are a few government ministers that I wouldn't mind naming and shaming when it comes to their handling of our county's funding shortfall.

For a start Jacqui Smith, you owe me a letter regarding funding, sent to you way back in November, and for which in writing you promised me a response by December 16. I am still waiting.

HELEN DONOVAN,

Evesham.