Progressive thinkers such as Piaget and Young have been squeezed out of the teacher-training curriculum, as first the Tories and now Labour have insisted that courses put more emphasis on practical teaching tips.

ECONOMIST: Plowden��s progress

The internet lets parents discover teaching materials and communicate with each other, swapping tips online.

ECONOMIST: The growth of home-schooling

The topics include Islamic teaching, numeracy, health, general knowledge, local government, beauty tips, food recipes, jokes and riddles.

UNESCO: Mobile-Based Post Literacy Programme