By creating useful job descriptions and making clear what qualifications should be expected, the Department aims to help improve schools' ability to recruit the right people.

I know there are things I did in education that will never be reversed. I have not done that in film yet because I have only been here for about nine months.

What politicians want to create is irreversible change because when you leave office someone changes it back again.

It is a very unusual sector and the one thing I would ask of them is to understand that for most of them one-third of their films are being financed by the taxpayer and that carries huge accountability and responsibility.

Before this government came to power, many failing schools were simply allowed to drift on in a pattern of continuing failure. The government is determined to break that pattern and is successfully doing so.

There is a shortage of teachers but the January 2001 schools census showed that teacher numbers were at their highest level than at any time since 1984 - and 11,000 higher than 1997.

You have got to attract the brightest and the best, but the brightest and best won't stay unless they see real career options.