But Wilby is essentially right: Gove has made significant changes to education structures in this country. By next September half of our secondary schools — 1,641 out of a total of 3,261 — are predicted to have gained academy status, freeing them from local authority control.

Gove's enemies continually insist that more academies mean that state schools are being privatised. But this simply isn't true. Yes, services such as training or special needs can be contracted out. This is not the same as privatising education. Good headteachers of foundation, voluntary-aided, or voluntary-controlled state schools have been doing this for years. 

All Gove has done is to allow all heads, in all schools, including those controlled by local authorities, the opportunity to choose exactly what is right for that school. In other words, professionalism and trust have been restored to half of our secondary school teachers. Yet somehow, Chris Keates thinks it accurate to describe Gove as "eroding the professional status of teachers" with a hint of something truly evil being done. 

Wilby even foresees a day when academies and free schools may be forced to select their pupils. Why is it so difficult to believe that a Conservative Education Secretary might simply think that freedom for schools will drive up standards, empower teachers, giving them a sense of responsibility, and encourage us all to take an interest in improving our local schools? As it stands, many free school proposer groups are like mine: we want to give deprived children a better chance in life. Michael Gove's policy actually encourages us to give preference in admissions to those on free school meals. 

If one truly believes in the professionalism of our teachers and their ability to improve our state schools, then the Gove reforms can only be a good thing. Union leaders may want to consider that.