There’s an piece in yesterday’s Times about the head of St Paul’s school. Written by two journalists, the article begins thus:
Not for the first time in either of our lives, we are keen to get out of the head teacher’s office.
I can’t help shuddering in sympathy. I know what they mean, I really do.
The article goes on to describe the Head’s campaign to go back to the policies the school had when it was founded nearly 500 years ago. He says:
‘What we are primarily doing is deciding to turn the clock back to 1509.’
What he means is that he wants the school to be able to sponsor the education of poor, but bright kids, which is what it had been founded for. But it’s not the image I get when thinking about schools turning their clocks back.
Somehow, my images involve lengths of rattan with crooked handles.