SIR - How on earth can anybody claim that a six-term year will improve performance in schools? Apart from causing more problems for working parents, is it going to please children, or even make them work harder during the time they will still have in school?

During my many years of teaching (thankfully when common sense reigned), children often came up to me, after holidays, to say how glad they were to be back as holidays were so boring.

I wonder what today's children think? Do the people who dream up these ideas take the trouble to find out? No doubt these same people will make sure teachers are kept busy catching up with all the paper work.

I wonder how many potential teachers have accepted the bribe to learn to teach "on the job"? Who is going to train them? It is rare to find teachers today who enjoy the work as happened in the good old days.

I can't recall having such a shortage of teachers then. I think most of us know the reason.

M Cook, Hall Bank Drive, Bingley.

SIR - On a regular basis, the T&A contains reports of local residents complaining about the Council failing to clear refuse. The latest area is Fairbank Road (T&A, January 31) where the locals say that the pile of rubbish is increasing in size.

The situation begs the question: who started the pile and who is adding to it? If the answer is the people who live in the area, then why do they expect someone else to move it for them?

D Slater, Avondale Road, Shipley

SIR - Stephen Watson (Letters, January 27) is at least original in his selection of reasons as to why hunting with dogs should not be banned.

I did not (for example) realise that this so-called sport was actually a job, nor did I know that the fox was a dangerous wild animal.

I am also very cross to discover that Tony Blair has personally ordered the destruction of all those hounds which will be made redundant when "his ban" becomes law. When will the apologists for this vile activity which masquerades as a sport have the courage to admit that they enjoy it because it involves wearing fancy dress and that they get their "buzz" from chasing a terrified fox to a cruel and violent death.

Until then, I suppose we will have to endure all manner of increasingly bizarre justifications.

Brian Holmans, Langley Road, Bingley.

SIR - One hears all the bad things that happen within the NHS these days, but my experiences have been just the opposite.

I was an in-patient from December 18 to January 6 and again from January 21 to 26, mostly on Ward 18, ENT at the BRI.

What a lovely welcoming ward, a happy ward, spotlessly clean, due to Pauline the cleaner-cum-tea lady always keeping busy. And the staff? Well, no words can describe the care I received from doctors and nursing staff. I could not have had better service had I been a private patient.

Thank you to everyone concerned.

Mrs Vera Wedmid, Duckworth Lane, Bradford.

SIR - I am a member of the Wrose Community centre management committee and our present building was only a temporary building when erected in the 1940s and will not survive much longer.

I think it would be an excellent idea if we could move into the soon-to-be vacated Oakdale School which is at present an annexe of Low Ash Primary School. One good thing in its favour is the newly-built footpath across the fields linking these two sites and we would love to develop a lasting relationship with the school.

There must be someone who can help us make this dream a reality. The people of Wrose really need a new Community Centre building we can be proud of.

Mrs Jean Myers, Low Ash Crescent, Wrose.