George Alagiah on mixed Britain; schools commissioner Liz Sidwell; Lauren Child

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Jane Garvey talks to George Alagiah and Saira Khan about mixed Britain and tales of love, of couples fighting prejudice and creating the new society that is mixed Britain. With 216 secondary schools and 962 primary schools below the minimum standard, the new Schools Commissioner for England Liz Sidwell joins Jane to discuss the challenges of fulfilling her role. In April 1872, a letter from 'An Earnest Englishwoman' appeared in The Times newspaper asking 'Are women animals?' The point being that women could expect worse treatment and fewer rights in law than animals at that time. In her book What It Means To Be Human, the historian Joanna Bourke explores the significance of this argument, and tells Jane why it still has resonance today. And having written and illustrated the hugely successful Charlie and Lola and and Clarice Bean books for young children, Lauren Child's next series centres around Ruby Redfort, an American teenaged super spy who finds herself having to balance international espionage with school and basketball commitments. Lauren joins Jane to explain what writers need to consider when aiming to capture the lucrative older child market.