By the time former soldiers are summoned to the classroom to remove disruptive pupils how much damage will already have been done? What are the other pupils and their teachers doing meantime? What will former military personnel be able to do that teachers and parents can’t do? “No homework again, John Smith? Just stand in …

Military discipline in schools – shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted Read More »

On March 19th 2014 The Times reported that half the inmates do not see jail as a punishment. We hear of drugs, alcohol, sex with warders, tobacco as a currency, and opportunities to control, bully and intimidate one another. Why are criminals allowed to mix unsupervised? Rather than measuring sentences by time, why not impose …

Prison no punishment Read More »

Last week, at an Intelligence Squared debate, I challenged a claim by Times journalist Oliver Kamm that English is still taught well in English schools. I explained that just a few years ago Heinemann invited me to submit material for an A-level text book which they then rejected as too difficult. I pointed out that …

Declining educational standards – a crowd gasps Read More »

Thanks to Libby Purves in yesterday’s Times we can identify Harriet Harman as yet another MP whose has found a place for her child in a massively oversubscribed state school. Not for her the bog standard comp that is the only “choice” for other people. The quickest way to improve state schools would be to …

Schools for other people’s children Read More »

Back in October, I cut out the excellent article of yours (East Anglian Daily Times) entitled, ‘A Good Command of English Makes a Difference to our Lives’, and have used this for discussion from time to time during my English lessons with young foreign students.   I believe our country is not alone in suffering …

High Praise – it’s what I have been trying to tell some publishers Read More »

 I once whispered the words “Apple sauce” into the ear of a young pig. At the time I was scratching him under the chin; he was ecstatic. Urban friends were appalled and accused me of taunting the pig cruelly. Like those who object to the displays of animals in butchers’ shops they failed to appreciate …

Butchers’ Displays Read More »

Dear Prime Minister, I would like to have my say on Europe. Would you please tell why we continue to pay vast amounts of money to the EU which does not account for its spending, supposedly made on our behalf. I have been told that we have treaty obligations that require us to do this. …

David Cameron has invited my comments on Europe Read More »

I have just received an invitation to join UKIP. It’s not an invitation that I am likely to accept; when I suggested to the party that if they wanted their concerns about the cost of EU membership to be taken seriously they should take the Chancellor to court I received three very different responses indicating …

EU – Unite supporters and opponents Read More »

Today one of Nigel’s supporters, a friend of ours, has called to seek our financial support for UKIP in May’s European elections. I would be far more inclined to donate to UKIP were it prepared to seek a restraining order against the Chancellor of the Exchequer to prevent him paying any more money to the …

So UKIP want financial support. They must be joking. Read More »

There is now a call for schools to teach boys how to treat girls and this worries me. (Times Monday January 27th 2014) Giving the right answer in class is very different from doing the right thing when you are unobserved and have an advantage over someone else. Any school class will contain young people …

Schools expected to teach boys how to treat girls Read More »