EDUCATION Secretary Michael Gove recently castigated Simon Cowell for his negative attitude to his school days, but many children hate school.

Perhaps Gove should look at what our schools are doing these days. Our education system is out of step with real life and needs a revolution to unleash children’s talents and be exciting, inspirational and more individual. We are killing creativity and stifling minds for government league tables. The soul is as important as the brain.

Why do we highly praise someone who is born accidentally with so-called “intelligence” and finds learning easy, but not someone who has to work really hard for their results? Why should a university degree be more worthy when so much in life is enriched by artists, dancers, sports persons, writers, photographers, singers, musicians and actors?

A friend of mine left school at 15 and was asked if he thought that this had hindered him. “Oh yes, it did tremendously” he said. “I should have left at ten and I would have been far more successful”.

He happens to be one of the most successful, richest and influential people in the country and didn’t come out of university with a £53,000 debt.

Keith Massey, Mill Lane, York.