Today’s announcements are extremely cautious. Some of this is justified, some less so, but it makes a stark contrast to the Gove era.
It has fascinated me since growing up in a single parent family on the outskirts of Belfast – before attending the lowest-performing secondary school in Northern Ireland.
Even in lefty France, socialist policies are now being dumped by Emmanuel Macron in favour of free markets. Now is the time to develop our next round of big ideas.
But some, perhaps many, Tory MPs have these tendencies – including one no less senior than the Prime Minister herself.
The stellar success of the London Academy of Excellence, supported by six independent schools, shows just some of what we can achieve by co-operating.
They want to know that their political leaders aren’t racist or judgemental or stuck in a 1950s parody – but they aren’t interested in hearing about these ideas primarily.
Unless we find a way to win over those in their forties, thirties and younger, we will have an even bigger problem at the next election.
Here on the Isle of Wight, in essence one week will be taken off the end of the summer holidays and added on to the autumn half term to give a two week break.
Even in an age of austerity, government has plenty of power and assets, which it could on a small-scale, experimental basis transfer to the control of community groups.
We need to renew that belief, that self-belief, and that optimism – about people, about society, about freedom and about human life – more than ever.
There is a suspicion that the Government wants to talk about other things – and a significant amount of attention is of course already being consumed by Brexit.
Research shows that investment in the early years of a child’s life is the most effective way to improve his or her long-term life chances.
We must rebalance Further and Higher Education, and ensure that those with most to gain from up-skilling actually get the opportunity to do so.
While Hinds’ grammar school announcement was welcome, his U-turn on the cap on faith-based free schools is simply baffling.