"Hey this state run school idea is totally useless -- why don't we run them all as private schools" And as you say if you repeat it often enough people start to believe it -- in fact lots of them believe it already. Any good ideas that the Tories have re. education (and I believe there are a few) are sadly lost within a muddled ideologically driven policy which doesn't seem to know what it wants to achieve. Do they want to get rid of Local Authorities ? -- then why not say so ? Do they want all schools to be provided by private enterprise ? Then why not say so ? They don't so say because they know it will make them unpopular -- and instead try to "sneak" the ideological things through within a smoke and mirrors blitz (or should that be "shock and awe" ) pretending it's a response to "the mess that Labour left" Well It won't wash with me anymore. Rant over for the moment. If anyone detects a little tetchiness there it's because I've been watching treasury spokesmen on the BBC and am a bit angry. ! I agree with your analysis of the Tory motivation for putting across negative propaganda about the current school system. There will always be difficult schools in deprived areas which will struggle. The school where I am governor is in a soft federation with a less successful school and works in partnership with them towards improvement. The