The problem with your plan, from my initial observation, is that it seems to be predicated on vast amounts of work being done over Christmas. My experience of 17-year-old boys is that very little work gets done in the Christmas holidays.’

So said my wiser than she appeared at the time History Teacher when I was proudly displaying my A-level project plan.

Of course, she was right. I looked old enough to get served in certain pubs prepared to take a liberal view of the drinking age and I spent the festive period socialising rather than focusing on my project, the subject of which has long faded in my mind.