The end of AimHigher? Who would've thought it? But then, who would have thought it would come to this?

Students flinging fire extinguishers about in Westminster, professors encouraging their students and staff to 'sit in'..and now Gove saying that teachers' training will be unrecognisable by the time he's finished with it. It's difficult to know where to start.

With 50% of current secondary school being 'satisfactory' (meaning UNsatisfactory in Ofsted-speak) or below, and FE colleges doing even worse, there's no doubt that there are some things that are undeniably going badly wrong with our education system.

I'm wondering now what might happen if they inflict the worst on HE - namely Ofsted. I wonder how many Profs out there would put up with the Orwellian world of Ofsted language and 'specialists' in their classrooms (or perhaps I should more accurately say lecture rooms). But then, that's where the FE lecturers went wrong really - they just lack the self-esteem and self-confidence in their abilities... Mmmm well, as I'm writing about the context of the Marketisation of FE through the 90's Incorporation issues, and see what this has done to FE as a whole, I'll be intrigued to see what happens to HE under a similar aproach...

But the snow is here and that has helped (kind of) to allow me space to write and read and write some more. There's a shape forming of sorts. And its very pleasing to read in other's research that conclusions are in line with my own experiences of teaching.

Still time to work on the practicalities, ethics applications, expenses and meetings. I feel at times like (I can only imagine) someone blooming with their pregnancy might feel (as I've often heard said). Its pure magical luxury to be being able to immerse yourself in the readings without the time constraints that usually make my studying just stressful. No teaching commitments (yet); distance (emotional and physical) from difficult family situations; and support from friends and academics that are heartening and (for me) unusual. I suppose it's like the state of being able to enjoy just 'being'.......meanwhile, some kids are just clearing the drive of snow for me (payment of satsumas to follow), but I think Dizzy has other ideas involving football and snowballs. Monkey.