Our daughter has recently obtained her AS results: an A in English literature, a C in maths and Es in chemistry and physics. At GCSE she gained three A*s, six As and two Bs. She was subsequently predicted As and Bs at A-level and invited to join the Oxford and Cambridge group. We now have the unenviable task of applying to universities with some very unexpected disparate grades. She is confident she can bring her maths grade up to an A and we are prepared to find her a private tutor for science to try to improve her grade. How else can we ensure that our daughter obtains the minimum grades predicted? What, if anything can we ask her sixth form college to put in place? And is there any way that she can apply to the universities that would be in line with her strong GCSE grades?

Mr & Mrs N Parkinson West Yorkshire

Something has clearly gone wrong. Try to find out what happened to other students. If they, too, have failed to achieve their expected grades her sixth form college ought to inform the universities to which these students are applying that there may have been a problem with its teaching. You should certainly ask the principal how he is going to ensure better teaching next year.

Your daughter can resit papers in which she has done badly in January. Private tuition would certainly improve her chances. Next year students whose actual A2 results exceed their predicted grades will be able to apply to more prestigious universities. So allis not lost even if, because of these poorresults, she has to lower her sights and initially apply to weaker universities.

In November 2007 my 10-year-old son’s thumbprint was taken at his primary school against my wishes. I wrote a letter of complaint to the head teacher but got no reply. I wrote two letters to the chairman of governors but, again, received no reply. West Sussex county council advised me to forward the matter to the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF), which I did, but again I received no reply. When I complained to the permanent secretary at the DCSF he sent the matter back to the county council, which then took a month to tell me it was referring the matter to the school. Can I insist the DCSF conducts an investigation or am I stuck with having to go through the school’s procedures?

Terri Coleman, West Sussex

Kafkaesque, isn’t it? Ministers are encouraging schools to spend £20,000 on finger-printing systems for library books, registration and payment for school lunches. Children as young as five are having their prints taken without parental consent. Many parents believe this is one more step towards a surveillance society and are understandably furious.

The education authority and the DCSF cannot become involved until it is clear that the school has failed to respond to your complaint. If you do not receive a reply within a month, write again to the authority and to the DCSF. Ultimately, if the department refuses to do anything you can complain through your MP to the parliamentary ombudsman.

Chris Woodhead is a former chief inspector of schools and now chairman of the private schools group Cognita. If you have a question for him, please write to him c/o The Sunday Times, 1 Pennington Street, London E98 1ST or e-mail him, with your name and address, at education-questions@sunday-times.co.uk

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