I would like to correct Amy Winston’s assertion (“A great teacher needs more than a good degree”, January 28) that a school with a relatively low proportion of pupils gaining five or more A*-C grades at GCSE cannot be judged to be better than satisfactory overall in an Ofsted inspection, even if the teaching is good.

Examination results are very important, and good outcomes at school are vital in providing young people with better life chances. But the critical issue for inspectors is the progress that pupils are making.

The proportion of outstanding schools in the most deprived areas is similar to the proportion in less deprived areas. These schools don’t accept the myth that deprivation is synonymous with poor outcomes.

Patrick Leeson, Education and care director, Ofsted.