A whole world of inter-generational and inter-adult rivalry is summoned up by the question ("It is a good question" is the start of his response) that John Clare selects as number one for his Telegraph column of last Monday.

My granddaughters, aged eight and 10, have been educated at home for the past two years. I'm worried that they're not learning much, but there's no way of finding out. They don't take the national curriculum tests. All that Kent County Council does is send an educational psychologist round once a year. Are there no national standards? Don't we care about home-educated children?

It's a long time since I've seen the connection between "we", "care" and compulsion spelled out quite so clearly.

It also suggests a whole new slant on the expansion of the state: gran-power! Now that the baby boom is starting to fuss about its grandchildren, will it try to vote "education otherwise" out of existence?