He is never called Adam, by the way: he is just the Boulton Factor. This is the James Factor, saying watch out for Kennedy: if the big parties are dumb enough to go on playing follow-my-leader, the man in the middle could develop a column that will jolt Peter Snow out of his lemon shirt.Clive James is at www.welcomestranger . Vandalism and arson attacks are draining school budgets as money needed for books and staff is used to pay for repairs and insurance premiums, headteachers and local authorities have warned. Vandalism and arson attacks are draining school budgets as money needed for books and staff is used to pay for repairs and insurance premiums, headteachers and local authorities have warned. Arson attacks on schools cost a record £65m in the UK last year, according to Zurich Municipal the largest insurer of schools. Around the same amount is believed to be paid out to repair criminal damage, the company claims.Since the Dunblane massacre, in which 16 primary school children and their teacher were shot dead, the Government has invested £22m in new gates and cameras to improve security at schools.But many are still fighting a losing battle against the damage and loss of teaching time caused by vandalism.Even the smallest broken window can put classrooms, playgrounds and fields out of use until the damage is repaired and the area declared safe.John Dunford, general secretary of the Secondary Heads Association, said: "Vandalism is a major worry for schools.

Schools face soaring exam costs, increased recruitment costs and greater expense on supply teachers. Vandalism is just another pressure on their limited budgets."Larry Stokes of Zurich Municipal, said an average of three primaries and secondaries are attacked every day.The biggest culprits were teenagers ­ nearly half of those convicted for arson were aged 15 to 19 while most police cautions went to ten to 14-year-olds.. At least 140 parents have been banned from their children's schools as a result of violent and aggressive behaviour in the past year, headteachers revealed yesterday. At least 140 parents have been banned from their children's schools as a result of violent and aggressive behaviour in the past year, headteachers revealed yesterday. In 88 of the cases, the behaviour included an assault on a head or deputy.The disturbing figures were revealed at the National Association of Head Teachers' annual conference in Harrogate yesterday as heads demanded stronger government action to deal what they claimed was a "rising tide" of assaults and threats of violence against their members.David Hart, the NAHT's general secretary, said the rise "must be put into reverse as soon as possible."It is absolutely intolerable that public servants should be subjected to increasing risk of injury and abuse," he said.The union said many of the physical assaults on heads or deputies had been "perpetrated by parents".Only days ago a couple were jailed for taking their daughter's headteacher hostage and threatening her after the 12-year-old was sent home for wearing a nose ring.Diane Bell, aged 36, and John Bell, aged 37, of Abbots Langley, Hertfordshire, were sentenced to nine months imprisonment after barging into headteacher Sylvia Moore's office at Francis Coombe school at Garston Park, near Watford, and threatening to headbutt her in their daughter's presence.

Mrs Moore jolted her head and suffered whiplash.In another case, a 45-year-old primary school headteacher was hit eight times around the face by a mother angry that her eight-year-old son had been excluded for holding a knife to the throat of a classmate.So far the NAHT has recovered around £350,000 in damages in respect of criminal injuries compensation on behalf of members. With 15 cases still oustanding, it is expecting the figure to top £500,000. As revealed by The Independent last week, the NAHT wants the government to make it clear to schools they can expel the children of parents who threaten or harass school staff.. A French teacher who alleged that her school failed to protect her from "constant racial abuse" by pupils has lost her case for constructive dismissal, her union said. A French teacher who alleged that her school failed to protect her from "constant racial abuse" by pupils has lost her case for constructive dismissal, her union said yesterday. Fr?rique Ganneval, 33, said she became suicidal after she was repeatedly called a "f***ing frog" and a "French whore" and told to go back to her own country by pupils at Sir Charles Lucas School in Colchester, Essex.Miss Ganneval said that her car had been damaged at the school, that a pupil had jumped on her car bonnet while she was driving, and that the racial abuse continued outside school and while she was on sick leave.The newly qualified teacher was eventually diagnosed as suffering from anxiety and depression, she told the hearing. She said her GP advised her to resign, and she did so in June last year on grounds of ill-health after just two terms at the school.She alleged constructive dismissal, arguing that the school had failed to protect her.