The latest wizard wheeze from the Government is today's announcement: "Seven year olds to take languages".
"I want languages to be at the heart of learning", Mr Johnson said.
"The earlier you start learning a language the better. Making language study compulsory from 7 to 14 will give pupils seven years to build up their knowledge, confidence and experience."
Now while I'm sure lots of people think this is a good thing, it's surely worth contrasting this lurch towards compulsion with the government's stated wish to personalise the school system to the needs of each child. I don't suppose Mr Johnson has even considered the possibility that some children might not be cut out for learning a foreign language. Their time might be better spent learning, say, literacy or numeracy? Or speaking? Not according to Mr Johnson.
He was on the radio this morning, telling us that language learning would be for at least one hour a week (!), and rhapsodising at length about all the exciting languages that would be seen in schools in the future. Apparently schoolchildren will become proficient in Mandarin Chinese on the back of their hour of teacher time. Colour me unconvinced.
The problem with this announcement is that I'm sure it will have plenty of parents squealing with excitement (if they have not been jaded by the last ten years of exciting new initiatives). But if it ever comes to pass it will fail the children - even the bright ones. When will they learn that, no matter how hard you try, one size never fits all.