1.1 It might be supposed that I had chosen the title of this address to fit in with the great national debate on education which has taken place since the Prime Minister’s speech at Ruskin College in October last. However, this is not so (and thus this is not a trendy genuflexion to these recent events). It is entirely fortuitous that the theme does enable me to make references to the debate and to some of the issues raised by it. Before and at the Conference last year I kept wondering what approach I should take in this address. I knew that I wished to choose a theme which fitted in with my personal and recent experiences.