I keep hearing how we may be affecting the future - we live in what was to be my "the future".

The photograph is Heber Road Infant School in East Dulwich in 1958. I am reading the book standing. I was 5 and an half when I started there given I was born in October and had to wait until the Easter Intake....

During my first 'term' I painted the library chairs in primary colours, in gloss paint, I played Cowboys and Indians in the hall and playground, I learnt a bit of German from Mrs Booth and was forced to eat all of my sausage by the 'dinner ladies' and promptly threw them up. We had access to books and stuff and there was no timetable - except to get to school on time - and go home on time.

I had the benefit of having been to a war nursery (left over from the war effort) and had got used to playing and discovering for my self. In that nursery we played all day - had lots of opportunities to do books, and painting and climbing and making things and I still remember my 'peg' was a rainbow - not my name or photo... I was a keen child to find out more and more...

I played in the street, the park, the bomb sites and, for two hot weeks a year, at the seaside in Clacton with the whole family and pink/white/chocolate ice cream...

I played - I learnt a huge amount but the most important thing I learned.... NO ONE could tell me to play..... and no one could tell me not to!!

So if you think Play is a time, a place, a determined action, IT'S NOT ....