The Education and Skills Bill had its Third Reading last week – and a Lib Dem amendment was accepted by the Government: schools must, "seek and take account of pupils’ views on policies on the delivery of the curriculum, behaviour, the uniform, school food, health and safety, equalities and sustainability " according to Children’s Minister Baroness Morgan.

When 150,000 school children were asked by Ofsted last year how much they felt that their views were taken into account when decisions were made, 34% replied "not much" or "not at all." So, in response, legislation will be submitted for Royal Assent "within the current Parliamentary Session" to ensure that children are consulted.

Meanwhile, senior teaching staff and LEA officials have a perfect right to ride roughshod over the views of the rest of the education professionals in their schools – better still, they are provided with professional training in "overcoming resistance to change" and "managing dissent in the staffroom" as part of the NPQH.

It’s nice to know that the Government values the skills, abilities and opinions of junior teachers so highly.