EDUCATION Secretary Charles Clarke has produced some odd ideas in the name of our children since he answered Tony Blair's call to take responsibility for our schools.

But his backing for a six-term school year demonstrates that he does have the capacity for common sense, after all.

The changes, in short, are long overdue and can only provide our schools with the boost they so obviously need.

Three years ago, we expressed alarm that 40 per cent of teachers quit before they had three years in the classroom under their belts.

The Government dismissed the figure, saying there were more teachers than since 1984. But that missed the point.

While the education revolution triggered by Margaret Thatcher in the 1980s was vital, a fatigued profession had long since hit the buffers when the drop-out facts were revealed.

That hasn't changed. The very people who've made the revolution work are still treated like serfs at a treadmill.

Cynics point to a six-week summer break as part of 13 holiday weeks - but, in reality, the work goes on at home.

Good teachers have a profound effect, and not just for the duration of a pupil's school life. They raise standards to last a lifetime, not just until the next league tables.

So anything that smoothes the pressure and provides more frequent breaks for teachers and pupils to gather their breath is vital.

The only danger with this nanny-knows-best, change-obsessed, dogma-driven Government is that some new initiative, target or form will be introduced and undo all the good work of a six-term year.