I WAS saddened to read the report of the Chase School prize-giving (Gazette, January 2) as the headteacher excluded past pupils and did not celebrate their outstanding success.
Richard Jacobs's predecessor invited previous students back to the Chase to celebrate their sporting, charitable, artistic and academic achievements.
This year Mr Jacobs stopped that tradition and disappointed many former students.
The current students missed being enthused by those who had left for pastures new.
In past years the Chase has invited back former pupils as guest speakers, rather than the local MP, this has included a young female vet and a theatre designer. Both inspired pupils to fulfil their potential.
Mr Jacobs misses the fact that Malvern needs the Chase to continue to offer not only a great academic education, but also lessons in life. He appears to be chasing league table and Ofsted results at the expense of wider educational goals.
The Chase seems doomed to become Mr Jacobs's vision of an outdated grammar school.
Please, Mr Jacobs, invite your previous cohort back next year to celebrate their successes, dump the MP and invite former pupils back to inspire others.
Ian Londesbrough
Malvern
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here