I am prone to moments of hubris. Take the educational conference at my spiritual home, King Alfred School, where, during a coffee break, I bearded the parent who’d organised the event.

“I’m a Year Six teacher. Can you give me a bit of advice? Oh, and by the way, here’s a book you might enjoy.” I suggested that she should read Maverick, by Ricardo Semler. It’s the only management book I read in the twenty years of my career as a management consultant (my view was that all other books were little more than snake oil).

That day, she spoke to my condition; only later, as I lay in bed listening to Desert Island Discs did I realise quite how insightful Professor Tanya Byron is. And how famous. And clever. I felt a cold sweat creep across me as I recalled my impertinence.

I won’t even attempt to paraphrase her: find out what she has to say about your children. Oh, and about education policy in Britain.

ps I found this on YouTube – a link to a TEDx talk she gave in Cheltenham. Good advice, but I am sad to say that she tells the same jokes wherever she goes…