Parents with children at school please look at this

It is a too big swathe to take all of education on which to judge. UK universities also range from world leaders to places one wonders why they are allowed to teach. The range is vast, I have no idea about veterinary schools though, so would never express an opinion.

I am also distrustful. I am, I will say, far more distrusting of the UK as high as it is but not of France being out of the top 20. I believe better times have been seen here but undermined by successive governments. Tracy's children and those of her family are obviously lucky, my children's school is abysmal. The national curriculum seems be meaningless there and in a couple of weeks time there is a meeting between the maire, the inspector and number of very unhappy parents. So good and bad as probably everywhere else.

Before considering it a rounded opinion I am going to have a look at the report itself and see more detail. I am surprised to see several countries not in this tops list and wonder exactly why and not because of any prejudice toward those countries when, in fact, I quite dislike some of them but there educational standards are very good.

I put it up hoping to provoke discussion. I think there are enough of us from a diversity of educational backgrounds and some of us with children who have been educated in more than one country who can make sense of it.

Well, I don't have extensive experience but simply comparing the education levels of my kids in France, my nieces in Canada and my nieces and nephews in the UK, all at the same primary level. My kids here in CP and CE1 knock spots of the others in terms of handwriting, spelling, times tables and grammar and that's not just my opinion that's the opinion of all our family. Plus, they have the obvious advantage of being totally bi-lingual. Not forgetting the much better table manners and eating habits - I'm not blowing my own trumpet either, I have been a working mum since they were tiny, I credit the garderie, the nou-nous and the school.

May be I am in for a big disappointment when they go to college.