Gold Medal

I wrote to the 'head honcho' at Ofsted - Sir Michael Wilshaw - the other week to tell him that I thought he was doing a splendid job as the chief inspector of schools in England.

Not only does Sir Michael believe in the benefits of regular, independent inspections - he's not afraid to raise difficult issues and to act as a champion for the consumers of education services - school children and their families.

Whose voices, of course, are not as loud or as powerful as the big teaching unions and education authorities - who are well used to throwing their weight around and getting their own way

And do you know what?

I received a nice letter back from Sir Michael, thanking me for my comments - and taking the time to drop him a note, which he greatly appreciated apparently .

Now that's what I call a public service - and I get the distinct impression that the same thing would have happened, if I had written to Ofsted making a complaint. 

Compared to my experience of other public services recently - the Procurator Fiscal's Office in for example - I would happily present Ofsted with a gold medal.