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Education and Inspections Bill

My Lords, perhaps I may reflect for a moment. In 1993, I was withdrawn from the world of higher education, where I was devising a new funding methodology, to do a lightning review of the national curriculum. By comparison, university was a kindergarten. I had never been so terrified in my life as during the three months I was given to review the national curriculum because there was such passion and conviction, but it was all over the place. Macbeth says: ““that we but teach Bloody instructions, which, being taught, return, To plague the inventor””. Earlier this afternoon, I was saying that local authorities should be accountable for their decisions. I look around this House and think ““I am going to produce a report, and will be accountable to this House. I cannot escape!””. Perhaps I should take special leave after Christmas. Somewhere in the ““Good Book””, it says: "““To everything there is a season … a time to be born, and a time to die””." Dearing, this is the time to listen and shut up. I will say things, however, from time to time, because it draws fire, excites interest and I learn. A couple of things. First, I had a letter from a head teacher in a special school which said some good and sensible things, but she felt that this review was not really for special schools. I e-mailed her to say, ““Yes, the review concerns all schools””. Secondly, several references have been made to the ladder. Without having studied it, I see it as something that must command my attention, partly because of the small steps and the motivation and recognition that come from it and partly because, between steps, there are smaller steps recessed within the school rather than externally—the individual rungs are external. It could be a means of getting that articulation between primary—where everybody is saying we should start—and secondary without the dislocation that so often happens. I say that with some anxiety but, since it has been urged upon me, I shall look into it. I am vastly intrigued by the dance mat. I have received in the post ““Flirt Spanish””, and wonder if we could trade. I have not yet assessed it for its relevance and value. I feel privileged as well as terrified to undertake this review, and do so with the recognition of how important it is to make progress in this area. I recall the German ambassador once saying something like, ““If you come to my country to buy something, speaking English, OK. But if you come to sell something, it helps to speak a bit of German””. I think we all gain from speaking a bit of German.