I am writing to set straight a couple of matters from your story “Elite private school group may force out ‘struggling’ members” (27 July). Your reporter’s “senior HMC source” is poorly informed. The figure of a dozen or more schools whose dwindling numbers would require them to leave the HMC is entirely imaginary. During the course of the year there has been no debate about a group of such schools because there has been no need.

By the same token, HMC is not actively recruiting top girls’ schools. Indeed, it does not actively seek to recruit any extra members. The criteria for membership of the HMC are in the public domain and schools that meet those criteria and wish to join may apply to do so. A number of schools do just that. The result is that the association has grown gradually in recent years. Currently, 252 women and men are leading HMC schools across the UK and Ireland.

William Richardson, General secretary, Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference.