Let's all cheer up and stop being so miserable*

*I wish I could take credit for this quote, but it was said by The Rt Hon. the Lord Blunkett. He was responding to a question posed by an audience member during a panel session at the Schools and Academies Show held at the NEC last week. The question was about the importance of happiness in education, and Lord Blunkett's response was met both with laughter and widespread agreement. Here he is pictured with my Employment Team colleague Surinder Kaur Dhillon.

Chaired by Tes Editor Jon Severs, the other panel members were fellow former Secretaries of State for Education The Rt Hon. the Baroness Morris of Yardley and Sir Nicolas (Nick) Gibb, along with the Chief Executive of the Confederation of School Trusts Leora Cruddas CBE. Such an incredible line up promised delegates the opportunity of clear thinking, insight, and honesty - and it did not disappoint.

We can often get caught up in the detail of specific policies which are well intentioned, but this can sometimes distract us from the core issue of what we are really here for. The panel members each contributed in their own way to the development of schools, the former Ministers having each implemented policies in pursuit of their elected Governments' ideologies. There will always be different perspectives on what is the right thing to do, and views that different decisions should be made, but Leora put it beautifully when offering thoughts on where to start in her quote below.

Thank you Leora, David, Estelle and Nick both for what you have each done and continue to do in the service of children, and for a great end to the Show last week.