I agree with J Mathie (Letters, September 24) on the importance of good quality nursery education. My granddaughter thoroughly enjoys her 15 hours a week of free nursery education and at the age of four can neatly write her name, do simple sums, and has just started learning French. Best of all are the happy smiles on the faces of her and her little friends as they walk through their nursery door.

In my day you were thrown in at the deep-end, swapping mother for the infant mistress, and even when my children were young, the local playgroup, organised by parents, was in many cases the only option children had to socialise outside the home and learn in a very limited way before being decanted into the school system.

There will always be challenges in education, but the fact that a record number of Scottish pupils passed Highers this year is surely proof that while it is not perfect, the Scottish education system must be doing something right.

Ruth Marr,

99 Grampian Road,

Stirling.