As an ex FH School boy I am pleased to hear that the school is continuing to perform well. However, having worked in a university for many years, my experience suggests that more time needs to be spent on teaching basic literacy and numeracy.

The fact is that is doesn't matter how well a pupil might be able to act, sing, dance or play a musical instrument (and we did all of those things when I was at FHS - but it wasn't considered to be specialist) you still need to be able to read a set of instructions, write (type?) a letter and mentally calculate the change you are given.

Since universities are under pressure to admit everyone nowadays, we have to spend a considerable amount of time on "refresher" type courses, just to bring them up to a suitable first year standard, which indicates to me that either not enough is being done at secondary level, or if enough is being done then standards have dropped.

The problem with specialising in something is that it can shift the emphasis away from the important basics - ie, because the school specialises in performing arts, the pupil considers it's ok not to take their english and maths studies so seriously.

Hence, in considering english and maths, I don't think the conflict of interest here is whether the school should teach either science based subjects or performing arts, but rather on where most importance is being placed and my experience suggests that in some specialist schools it might be misplaced.

As for the school's commitment to challenging the traditional macho stereotypes then I would question why performing arts should be considered to be any different? Some of our greatest actors, musicians, singers and dancers might be considered to be very macho and stereotyped. Like everything else in life, there is a right time and place for macho and the world would be poorer place without it. Although I'm far from being a sporty person myself, I am pleased to see from the school's curriculum that a good choice of sporting activities are still available.

I commend the school for diversifying and catering for all types and abilities, whether it be in science based subjects, sport or the performing arts. But in doing so what it must ensure is that it continues to place most importance on the key subjects of english and maths.