News that teaching colleagues across the Channel are striking in opposition to a host of Sarkozy-inspired reforms to the Gallic education system has reached the forums of the TES website.

One particularly militant member - who goes by the alias McJob - even went as far as suggesting that England’s teachers should go out on strike in sympathy. His reasoning? “Half term isn’t long enough.”

The French government is reforming the teaching workforce and increasing competition between schools by encouraging parents to apply to the one they deem best, rather than the nearest.

Any of this sounding familiar? As another poster on the forums put it, “Why, oh why, would Sarkozy seem to model his education policy on what’s going on here?” It’s a valid point. Funny old world.