If illusionist David Blaine has made the world a happier place, it is through the copycat antics of Barnaby, an intrepid teddybear who is the star ofJa north London primary school. When David spent 44 days starving in a box, so did Barnaby.JHis recent stint in a giant New York fishbowl was also emulated by the brave bear from Brent, but with the added bonuses of no tearful post-event press conferences and lots of learning opportunities.
And - most important - he makes the pupils happy.
For school can be unbearable for small children. Research (page 5) shows that despite adding more sand to the foundation curriculum, infants still see the class as a place of discipline and work. Since formal schooling starts there much earlier than elsewhere, this should not surprise us. A bear is a necessity in every primary school.
