On the other side of this Bush is a stunning view yet it’s blocked by plant beauty.

Our Son loves history. You often see him watching very in-depth documentaries about a vast range of historical subjects

• Romans
• Viking
• Pharaohs
• Greeks
• Persians
• Incas
• American Presidents
• British Kings and Queens
• Battles and Wars
• and on and on

Unfortunately he doesn’t get the chance to extend this knowledge at school (yet).

It’s probably due to being put in the bottom set due to his dyslexia but the teaching is at such a low level. Son says he will keep watching historical videos as it’s the only way he learns anything new. He smiles when he calls himself the Hermione Granger of the History class. If the teacher asks a question he is always the first hand up but is never selected to answer.

I think one incident really sums up the problem.

In a test the class were asked to name facts about King John. Our Son then provided an in-depth answer which talked about

• When King Richard the Lionheart was captured on the third crusade John (his brother) negotiated with the captors to keep him imprisoned
• He lost most of his fathers empire
• After he was forced to retreat from France he alienated himself from the many of the barons and a rebellion started
• Eventually the two factions started negotiating after months of conflict. The end result was the Magna Carta which limited the power of the crown.
• He then got the Pope to declare the Magna Carta invalid sparking more civil conflict which spilled into the reign of the next king – his son Henry III
• He may well have killed his nephew (Arthur of Brittany) a potential rival
• John was excommunicated when he refused to let the Pope have a say in the selection of a new Archbishop of Canterbury
• He probably died of dysentery

That is my son speaking not me. My knowledge of John ends with the Magna Carta being signed under his rule and the stuff in Ivanhoe.

His teacher spoke to our son and basically told him that he provided too much information. That he was in Year 7 and he shouldn’t know this stuff until Year 10. That’s a way of inspiring his love of the subject. To be fair to the teacher her approach to learning is what the government wants. Sadly the government understands as much about education (and actually most other areas) as does that Bush in the photograph.