Cameron has a cunning plan as PM - a punch up over schools

A good column yesterday by Matthew D'Ancona stating that Michael Gove is planning to set up a new network of independent state schools modelled on the Swedish system as well as to make available for parents, students, commentators, et al an online archive of exam papers so that we can all make up our minds whether exams have got 'easier' or they are just 'different'.

It is a very good "Comment" article and well worth a look. I do like this section:

"Every August, we go through the annual ritual of hailing the "record results" that have been achieved in the GCSEs and A-levels: everyone involved - including in my experience, the teenagers themselves - knows that the questions are getting easier, which is why candidates are forced to take absurd numbers of exams in order to distinguish themselves from their peers.... any critique of the exam system is somehow a malicious and brutal attacked upon our teenagers at precisely the moment that we should be celebrating their achievements. Of course, it is no such thing"

Michael Gove has gone on YouTube so that might be worth a search. But exciting times could be ahead, if the Conservatives start telling the truth and stop trying to pull the wool over every one's eyes.