This week Gordon Brown set about romancing teachers with promises of pound;35 million extra funding for maths and one-on-one tuition for struggling pupils in his bid to become party leader.J Let’s hope some of this cash finds it way into Welsh classrooms. The prime minister-in-waiting even had a pop at his long-time rival, Tony Blair, dismissing the education system he’s delivered as far from “world class”.

Luckily, Mr Blair was out of earshot, helicoptering between classrooms on an education farewell tour that involved reminding everyone about the 1,100 new schools he has built.

And where was Alan Johnson? The Education Secretary was far too busy plotting to take the deputy leadership to worry about mere policy. He told reporters Mr Brown and himself were a “dream ticket”.JHe did, however, find time to announce a “must-read” list of 160 books recommended for boys, with Philip Pullman, Anthony Horowitz and Terry Pratchett making the list but Dickens and JK Rowling missing out. Meanwhile anythingJeducation is at a standstill in Wales until a new government is formed.

Knowsley council, Merseyside, unveiled plans to close all of its 11 schools and reopen them as “learning centres”. The state-of-the-art units, open from 7am until 10pm, promise to be a handful for teachers. But apparently these pupils won’t need teaching. They will be given their day’s assignment at an assembly before dispersing to trendy internet cafe-style “zones” to work on projects.

Myleene Klass posed with some heavenly orbs in a bid to boost the profile of science teaching. The star-gazing former Hear’Say singer begged more graduates to enter the profession, adding: “Astronomy has long been a subject close to my heart.”