Back To School in France and Britain

Dirk Beauregarde comments on how big an occasion back to school day is in France.  Everyone goes back on the same day, the media reports on the day, and the minister of education will speak.  Towards the end he writes:

"in the UK, this was the first day back at the new "Free Schools" - which seen from this side of the Channel appear to be no more than a chance for any nutter to open his or her on school , - I might be a critic of French education, but I'm glad it is a fully comprehensive, state controlled system."

 Sounds as if the charter school movement has reached Britain.