The debate about the role of councils in schools is a curious one. Many of us probably find ourselves throwing things at the radio when someone talks about council-controlled schools in a way which bears little relation to the reality of the last 25 years.

Equally, there is a frustration about the seeming ambivalence of Government about what being a champion of pupils, parents and communities might actually mean. How accountable does the wider system really want councils to be for helping secure improvements?