Sir – Very hard to know where to begin over the way the proposed Windmill School expansion has been handled/mishandled by Oxfordshire County Council (Report, March 21).

Last year, during a public meeting at the school, Oxfordshire County Council cabinet member for education, Melinda Tilley, told parents and staff not “to shoot the messenger”, meaning her.
On February 2 this year, headteacher Lynn Knapp sent a letter to the county council in which requirements for successful expansion from 480 to 630 pupils were set out, plus objections to the way Mrs Tilley and her adjutant, Jim Leivers, have ‘managed’ (or failed to manage) the expansion plans/lack of plans so far. All very clear against a very dark sky.
On March 19, the county council’s cabinet unanimously approved the expansion plans, although no actual building plans have “yet been drawn up” (Mrs Tilley). By way of assurance (?), Mrs Tilley declared “We have got the money for the expansion, but I can’t promise totally that it’s going to pan out”, subject to finding “something horrible” during construction.
When Windmill First School moved in 2004 from its 1908 site (next door) to the 1936 site of the late Headington Middle School, significant refurbishment was undertaken and thorough surveys carried out, so what Mrs Tilley means by “pan out” and “something horrible” is not at all clear and certainly shouldn’t be used as an excuse for not seeing the expansion work through to the highest standards, as one would expect for any state primary or secondary in Oxfordshire which is facing enlargement.
All schools in the state sector merit the very best facilities because all pupils deserve the best and teachers and (all) staff the same. Since the end of the three-tier system ten years ago, Windmill as a primary has gone from strength to strength and Lynn Knapp and her school community are continuing to maintain the highest levels of pastoral and academic care in these troubled times.
In a rather different context, Winston Churchill urged: “Give us the tools and we will finish the job!” Over to you, Mrs Tilley and Mr Leivers.
Bruce Ross-Smith, Headington