And I had such high hopes after Friday, too.
Ruth Kelly, education secretary has announced the contents of a White Paper which details yet another shakeup of the education system.
It's nothing really new, but it just goes to show how deeply the government just doesn't get the needs of schools.
In short, the proposals are as follows:
* - All schools can be run by 'trusts', with parents, businesses, faith groups and charities taking part
* - Schools commissioner to oversee setting up of trusts and matching them to schools
* - Councils to become pupils' 'champions'
* - Bus subsidies for poorer children
* - Failing schools to 'federate' with better ones
* - 'Easier' for independent schools to 'opt in' to state sector
The idea of these Trusts bothers me - businesses and faith groups getting involved in the running of a school? Bad Idea. Sure, call on them to provide assistance to the school. God knows, every school could do with a tame, competent firm of builders, or perhaps a technology provider, but when those businesses start deciding the focus of curricula, or what teachers are recruited, or whatever, then that can only lead to the same kind of bias we see in other areas, where decisions aren't based on what would be the best option for the kids, but on who the governors needed to keep happy shudder.
"Councils to become pupils' champions? Don't make me laugh! How, exactly? By hiking the rate of insurance for extracurricular activities? Freezing teachers' pay? making the beaurocracy surrounding any activities the school might want to put on prohibitively complicated?
Subsidised bus fares - C'mon, kids don't want to be reminded how poor they are before they even get through the gates - I still remember the stigma of the kids who had free meals. That was bad enough. Also, the best solution would be to make the local schools better, not to send the kids hiking half way across town to the only good (and bulgingly overpopulated) school in the area.
What's the best way of making sure a good school goes downhill rapidly? Overpack it so the previously decent, achieving teachers suddenly find themselves teaching classes of 70 and unable to cope.
From what I can see, these proposals aren't meant to reinvigorate the education system, they're focussed on making sure every school is diminished to the same level of mediocrity.
What needs to be done is this:
Remove the budget stranglehold most schools face. Let them have whatever money they need to get the place running right.
Enhance the "key workers housing" scheme so that teachers can afford to live where the jobs are.
Stop tweaking the curriculum, or scrap it altogether in favour of the International Baccalaureate.
Don't just rename bad schools, remove the barriers to their success - that is, overworked teachers not having time to spend in pastoral activities with the kids, crushing red tape which frustrates every attempt to try new schemes and idiotic legislation which means teachers can't gain control or respect of the pupils.
There's more, but I doubt you're even following what I've said so far, and I'm always struck with the nagging suspicion that I don't actually know what I'm talking about.
Anyway, I've got an idea for NaNoWriMo, it's a good one and I might even make it work. Aside from that, I'm keeping schtum.
Oh, and my driving lesson went averagely. I've almost got the hang of changing gear and turning corners, which isn't bad for two lessons.
It's late, there's no kids around and I've still got a rotten gut. Bliss.
Nytol.
