* After more than 80 years in the wilderness, 'personalised learning' has become fashionable - not for our three- to five- year-olds, as those nursery pioneers advocated, but for nine- to 13-year-olds.
* Finally, there is a scheme funded by the Government which provides book bags and treasure boxes to encourage sharing books with babies and toddlers.
* Children's centres encourage families to access user-friendly services and empower them to get involved in their children's learning from nought to five.
* There is a Government agenda that puts the emphasis back on a holistic approach to looking at children's lives - Every Child Matters.
* There is an emphasis on action research and peer coaching, with teachers looking at effective learning and reflecting upon how to improve on delivering a rich learning environment for the individual learner.
Just when you thought there was light at the end of the tunnel came a diktat from on high: 'Being prescriptive about what is right is not a mistake.' So says Andrew Adonis, education minister, on a new legal requirement for schools to teach phonics.
Oh dear! After 35 years of working with disaffected children and families, I know I am learning to get it right. I'm prepared to be a maverick to deliver an agenda that matters and to prevent another 80 years of ignoring the needs of children and their families.
Pat Wills, headteacher, Claremont Community Primary School and Centre of Excellence, Blackpool
