Around the whole world, with exceptions, education needs s seismic shift. All we've done is put ells and whistles on the19th century model.

Our next door neighbor's son has just left school to do a building apprenticeship, his father not so keen on his not doing his final year.

We had the usual teacher chat about why it's not a life-threatening decision, and even if he were to change his mind about building, he still would have a secondary skill.

I taught a really intelligent girl who opted to be a hairdresser. She hated it, but she stuck it out, and then went to university to study nursing. She's still only 30, married with two children and a career she loves.