What was it that your predecessors got wrong that you’re now having to put right?
Do you remember that speech in Shakespeare’s The Tempest when Prospero’s slave, Ariel, reports back to his master with an account of all the work he’s done to capsize the king’s ship? He says he boarded the ship and “flamed amazement”. One moment he was on the deck, the next in every cabin, then up on the topmast and then on the bowsprit, creating “sulphurous roaring” and causing people to jump into the sea.
It made me think of you. There I was last week, hearing you presenting all your big new ideas on the radio and on TV. You were firing off in all directions. I hope you’ll excuse me if I express some scepticism about your schools white paper. You see, people like me who’ve been parents and education-watchers for nearly 50 years don’t whoop with joy when a new secretary of state for education comes on the scene with yet another Great Big Bag of Big Ideas that will – of course – drive standards up, narrow the attainment gap, give parents what they want, deal with bad behaviour, give everyone a job, level up, simplify the types of schools, and give help to those pupils falling behind.
