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Brief letters: GCSE retakes | Perils of shared names | Ponytail power | Alternative roles for the Duchess of Sussex | Meghan mockery
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Education — The Guardian
You report ( 20 August ) that “retake pass rates slumped this year”. I see now that I was mistaken in believing that the whole idea of replacing O-levels with GCSEs was to end the dispiriting concept of “pass” and “fail” in favour of recognising the sitter’s personal level of achievement in a subject.
• At my grammar school in 1966, during a morning assembly, it was announced, in thunderous tone, that Susan Shaw must immediately afterwards go and stand outside the headmaster’s office. As head girl I dutifully turned up, along with two other Susan Shaws – one of whom looked worried ( Letters, 23 August ).
• A ponytailed Erling Haaland scored on the opening game in each of the past four seasons. On Sunday the recently shorn Haaland failed to score in the opening match ( Guéhi and Gvardiol late show earns Manchester City dramatic win against Bournemouth, 23 August ). The Samson effect?
• In your article ( Meghan as the next Bond? Five roles that almost certainly don’t lie behind UK return, 21 August ), you overlooked the obvious one. Meghan could be the new Doctor in Doctor Who.
• Time for a remake of A Yankee in King Arthur’s Court?
• Re Meghan and Harry’s return, the tabloids are predictably on the case, and now the Guardian. I’m not short of a sense of humour, but I’m sick of all the sniping. For goodness sake, give the woman a break.
• Have an opinion on anything you’ve read in the Guardian today? Please email us your letter and it will be considered for publication in our letters section.
• At my grammar school in 1966, during a morning assembly, it was announced, in thunderous tone, that Susan Shaw must immediately afterwards go and stand outside the headmaster’s office. As head girl I dutifully turned up, along with two other Susan Shaws – one of whom looked worried ( Letters, 23 August ).
This report is published with credit to The Guardian. Full available text from the wire is above. Read on The Guardian →
Source: The Guardian. Published 25 Aug 2026, 04:44 pm.
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