Portrait of the artist lacking concentration

It's fair to say that remote learning doesn't really work for me but, on the other hand, I'm not making the round trip to Salford to attend what is only a ninety-minute lesson (albeit with a practical session tacked on the end).

What it has taught me - as well as a bit about electronic music composition, which is the actual course - is just how much of a challenge the online learning was for both pupils and teachers during lockdown. I honestly don't know how anyone was expected to teach or learn like that.

Of course I get that it was unavoidable and no one was suggesting it was a great way to run an education system: needs must when the virus drives!

But that doesn't excuse the fact that Gavin Williamson, the Secretary of State For Education, seemed to simply be asleep at the wheel and has remained that way since. The cost of recovery - that is to compensate the lost education for students - was estimated at £13 billion. The government has 'found' £1.4 billion. You do the maths (assuming you didn't have that lesson online).