Sir – It was no surprise that Finland was the star of this year's school ratings - top in reading and science and second in maths (News, Dec 7).
I am a primary school teacher in Hampshire and have a Finnish sister-in-law. Finns do not start school until six years of age. This is because, during the cold dark winter months, it is treacherous going out and about in snowy conditions. Children stay at home in secure surroundings learning about science in the home at first hand. They also learn to read at home – helped by the army of elderly folk who are also hibernating from the cold and dark of winter.
In summer they enjoy the fresh air, lakes and woods, and stay up till all hours of the night enjoying sunshine and nature. Our young children in the UK are faced with the constraints of pen and paper at four years old and have lost the sense of wonder that used to be apparent in children a generation ago.
Diana White, Fleet, Hants