Glasgow's new model for Advanced Highers will increase opportunities

The working group’s proposals also reflect the overwhelming support for a more localised model from many young people, who highlighted the impact of travel time and missing classes within their own school. It also takes account of the responses from teachers, including the widely-held view that better coordination between schools will enable a better digital offer, with many aspects of Advanced Highers suitable for online learning. This has been reflected to me personally in the regular youth surgeries I hold. Indeed, given the importance of online learning within college and university settings, this can help prepare young people for the next stages of their education.

The location of the Hub within Glasgow Caledonian University was, for many who attended, an important step in bridging that gap between secondary and tertiary education and I look forward to exploring potential new partnerships with Glasgow’s universities and colleges. But it is worth remembering that the Advanced Highers Hub was far from the only widening access programme that schools are involved in and we continue to offer many opportunities for young people to have a blended senior phase with partnerships with further education in the city.

Glasgow’s school leaver positive destination and attainment figures are at an all-time high. It’s something that we are immensely proud of and reflects the commitment of teachers and staff. We have an improving record of achievement that we are continually building on. Where savings have to be made and models of delivery adapted, our young people will continue to have the very best opportunities. I believe the new model for Advanced Highers does just that.

Cllr Christina Cannon, City Convener For Education And Early Years, Glasgow City Council.

Read more: Council tax plan is unfairly robbing people of their retirement dreams

Just what is middle class?

I READ Sir Peter Scott's article on tuition fees ("England not the uni fees solution", The Herald, January 24) with interest. However, I was unable to fully understand his argument because in referring to "middle-class homes" and "middle-class entitlement" he failed to define precisely what, or who, he meant by "middle-class".

Did he mean those with a certain level of education? Or those in certain types of occupation? Or those who live in certain streets or areas? Does "middle class" depend upon one's parents? Or just the way one speaks?

When I was a child it tended to mean somebody who worked in an office rather than a factory or, in the case of women, wore a hat rather than a headscarf.

It may be that he simply means those of a certain income level. In which case he should say so and ideally specify that level.

This is important because when an imprecise term such as "middle class" is used, it means whatever the reader wants it to mean, rather than what the author intended. In addition, any good Marxist will assure you that the middle class are the oppressors of the poor and as such wholly undeserving of any consideration. The term, therefore, is not only imprecise but also loaded; nowadays one might almost say it is pejorative, on a par with "do-gooder".

I expect better of the authors of serious and scholarly articles than to lazily resort to emotive and imprecise terminology. It would have been much better had the good Sir Peter referred to "the better-off", assuming he did not wish to use the appropriate socio-economic group terminology.

Jane Ann Liston, St Andrews.

Read more: Let's be honest: McArthur's bill is about killing

Time to deal with Sussexes

INTERESTING to read that Harry and Megan had popped out to Jamaica for a night at the cinema (as you do) to watch the screening of a film honouring Bob Marley. Your report ("Harry and Meghan pose with republic-backing PM at film premiere", The Herald, January 25) reminded me to book my annual eye test as I can’t reconcile your photo with the text description as to me Megan’s gown doesn’t look black, nor does Harry’s shirt look white.

This disagreeable couple’s attendance and selfies with Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness and Constitutional Minister Marlene Malahoo Forte will be taken inevitably as them deliberately demonstrating support for the determination of these ministers to “urgently" sever ties with the UK and remove King Charles as Jamaica’s monarch.

This is simply the latest action of the Sussexes in what appears to be a deliberate campaign to damage the institution of the monarchy in general and the senior members of it in particular. Surely in turn it is high time for Charles to lance this disloyalty boil by removing their titles and severing his ties with them, leaving them to sink or swim without the benefits of membership of an institution they seem determined to destroy.

Alan Fitzpatrick, Dunlop.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex (Image: PA)

Get the Letter of the Day straight to your inbox.

Why we are switching

YOUR article reporting a record number of customers "ditching and switching" current accounts ("Record number of current account customers ditching and switching their provider", The Herald, January 25), mentions offers, incentives and special services as some of the reasons for this.

Is it not more likely that the trend is directly related to the continuing policy of widespread branch closures?

David Hay, Minard, Argyll.