It’s clear summer is wobbling on last legs when August rain resembles a November flood, fingers hover nervously over central heating switches, they’re announcing contestants for Strictly and pretty girls jump in the air, waving their exam results.

A-levels again. Never a year goers by without a bevy of bonny lasses gracing local and national media with wide grins and posed hugs, hopes high for careers as surgeons, CEOs or even prime minister – God grant them wisdom to reject the third option.

If you’re among those poring over your grades today, you’ll perhaps be chewing on future choices and challenges with trepidation, wondering why elders and (alleged) betters are having a good old go (again) about a supposedly skewed education system which, they reckon, conspires to devalue your worth. Marking is dodgy, university places are fixed for profit, unconditional offers are a ruse to put dumb bums on seats, the tests are too easy/hard, blame the teachers, blame the parents. Another overhaul is on the cards. In the words of Brenda from Bristol – remember her? “You’re joking! Not another one!”

She was griping about prospects for a general election back in 2017. But the sinking feeling is the same at A-level results time. And if you were thinking angry debate is about everything and everybody but you, you’d be right.

There’s no reason to take my advice about anything at all. But here’s some anyway: Tune out and go to the pub. You’ve earned a drink.

Shadow Education Secretary Angela Rayner has promised a Labour government would scrap applications for higher education being based on predicted grades and introduce post-qualification admissions, meaning students would apply for courses after they received their exam results. Fairer all round, she says.

That would be some big deal, in overhaul terms. Lots of cats among organisational and systems pigeons there.

Aye well, there’d have to be a Labour government for a start. Bit of a hurdle, that. And – while it’s never wise to get personal – Ms Rayner left school at 16 but she didn’t do too badly for herself, eh?

Other game-changers and influencers of national life are putting in their fillings too. Among them are notable individuals who made bundles trundling around Strictly’s dance floor or had the bank of Mummy and Daddy fund them through posh public schools – then thought pouring money into prisons, rather than into less posh schools, would be just the ticket. But let’s not get personal.

Not much of what’s flying around now, like hot air at summer’s end, has much of anything to do with you – whether or not you’re a pretty girl or a bright boy with straight As or disappointing Cs.

Never having been great with maths, I’ve lost count of the number of times revamps and overhauls of education systems have sprung from A-level results. Few, if any, have been given time to bed in – let alone show results.

Promises, promises. They are always made when general elections, ambitious political skulduggery or reshuffles – spot the difference – loom.

Using the learning potential of young people as another rung on the ladder of political ambition is shameful. But it’s frequent enough to be a national imperative. No wonder mind-boggled teachers are dropping like flies. Teaching is no vocation for the fainthearted.

Students, though. Today’s students, who at last know how they fared in those tests which required two years of study; you, who sat the exams with which you were presented and did your best with them – you are the heroes without capes. You saw it all through in spite of your elders and (alleged) betters.

Your achievements are your own. Your life and your plans – should you have any yet – can include anything that takes your fancy. University isn’t obligatory, career paths can be as twisting and winding as you like. Dancing on Strictly and shouting a lot isn’t compulsory... although apparently it helps.

Congratulations on all you have accomplished. Whatever that is, or will be, it’s sure to be a whole lot better than anything your elders have managed. Take what you have and make the most of it.

For now, though, I rather hope you will be in the pub. Cheers!