Letter: Confirmation that size doesn't matter

AS HEAD of Milham Ford School, I read Geraldine Bedell's piece on eating disorders ('Show me a girl with an eating order', 15 May) with a great deal of interest. I was, however, rather perturbed to read of one of my pupils that, as she didn't live with her parents, 'there's no one to do anything about it', 'it' being her poor eating habits.

It was, in fact, my staff who first realised that something was wrong and they spent hours trying to counsel her, obtained professional counselling, referred her to a specialist unit and did their utmost to support and help her.

I am sure I speak for many other heads when I say that anorexia and its attendant problems give us a great deal of worry. Far from doing nothing, we are constantly seeking advice from the medical profession and counselling organisations. Indeed, my school will soon be taking part in a pilot project to try to find some causes and solutions to the problems.

Elizabeth A Higgins

Milham Ford School

Oxford