He believes there is cause for “considerable optimism” in the future of Scottish education. Looking back on the situation when he was the deputy education minister under Sam Galbraith, he recalled:

* Relations between the unions and education authorities had collapsed with the former Scottish Office taking “the strange view” that it had no part to play.

* Continuing professional development was “very clearly” a weak part of the system.

* Probationers were poorly treated.

* There was talk of the need to stimulate a national debate.

* No strategy existed for school buildings although the “colossal backlog” of repairs was recognised.

* The role of the Parliament in education was unclear.

* There were no explicit national priorities.

* Parents had to fight to get their children into mainstream classes.

* Three and four-year-olds had no guarantee of a right to education.

“How different things look now,” Mr Peacock observed.