The challenges facing Britain required not just a cool head, but a heart burning with the desire for change - not business as usual but a bold vision.

The single most important thing in a child's performance is the quality of the teacher. Making sure a child spends the maximum amount of time with inspirational teachers is the most important thing.

It is literally the case that learning languages makes you smarter. The neural networks in the brain strengthen as a result of language learning.

Learning a foreign language, and the culture that goes with it, is one of the most useful things we can do to broaden the empathy and imaginative sympathy and cultural outlook of children.

For a few spotty years, I was that tragic geek

Proper history teaching is being crushed under the weight of play-based pedagogy which infantilises children, teachers and our culture.

I'm a decentralizer. I believe in trusting professionals.

It's often the case that successful people invite criticism.

I have come, reluctantly, to the conclusion that Boris [Johnson] cannot provide the leadership or build the team for the task ahead.

I have a different starting premise from those 100 academics who are so heavily invested in the regime of low expectations and narrow horizons which they have created.

I will take all the steps necessary to give the NHS at least another £100million per week by 2020.

In every conceivable manner, the family is link to our past, bridge to our future.

Don’t hold back and save stuff for the next book. Put everything you have into the one you’re writing, - Michael Connelly

Shoot for the biggest and boldest impact possible.If you need a full corporate makeover—do it. Moderation is just not going to cut it.

Carving out an identity for yourself is important so I'm trying to do that as well.

Never make a personnel judgment the first time it comes up.

Technique isn't important. Technique is in the blood. Events and mood are more important than good light and the happening is what is important

Until you have given up yourself to Him, you will not have a real self.

Why is it that the less one has to say the more one says it in the most pompous and pedantic way possible?... Is it to fool the world or just to fool themselves?

There are truths on this side of the Pyrenees which are falsehoods on the other

I believe that my creative mind is my greatest weapon.