But to the nation? What does it matter who owns the Grosvener House or

But to the nation? What does it matter who owns the Grosvener House or Little Chef? Forte is in essence no more than a property company with the added complication of providing decent service to guarantee reasonable occupancy levels. Nobody would complain about the break-up of a property company. But even if it did matter, is this really something that Ms Galley should be factoring into her decision? None of the pension fund trustees who employ her would thank her if she did; they might even fire her.It is plainly the case, however, that fund managers are, like everyone else, going to have to become much more accountable for their decisions. From an investment perspective, the strategy has plainly worked. The only judgement MAM needs now to make is whether Forte shares are going to be worth more, or less, if Granada is turned away.It actually matters not a jot to the economic health of the nation if Forte is broken up, or how much is taken out of this company on the way in the form of City fees.

It matters to Granada and its shareholders, for if it all goes wrong, they are going to lose out heavily. Here was an undervalued asset; if incumbent management wasn't able to do anything about it, MAM figured, eventually someone would come along who would. This is not the same thing as putting a company "in play", and Ms Galley fiercely disputes suggestions that she in some way encouraged Granada's Gerry Robinson to bid. The class used the information to build a database in which everyone could find their own animal.12:30pm: lunch.

The IT co-ordinator, Eileen Marner, runs through the computer inventory: the 230 pupils have five BBC Micros and six Acorn Archimedes machines, plus eight Acorn laptops and 32 pocketbooks, which were won in a competitive bid to the National Council for Educational Technology. "Where is 'B'?" she asks, before managing to pick out the letter unaided."Well done," I say."Yes, I'm double-jointed," she answers triumphantly.On the wall behind Sophie, the class has constructed a giant collage of rainforest life entitled "Data Handling". Old or non-standard machines do not pose a great problem, she says: "The children are learning transferable skills, confidence and independence with the computer."A room with a PC is reserved for pupils with special needs. Each child had to choose a forest creature, paint its picture, and discover what distinguishes it from other creatures ("Does it use its tail like an arm?"). Mrs Stephens will weave in other subjects: the floor turtle might be the boat in The Owl and the Pussycat on a journey around the world.11:15am: I am with Year 2. Sophie, aged six, is typing her poem about a coconut into the computer. She has written the epic in her workbook, in joined-up writing, and is carefully transferring it, letter by letter, into an old BBC Micro She surveys the "qwerty" keyboard.

They help each other to do this, which is just as well because I cannot get to grips with this bit. I am more comfortable when they move on to cards that show whole letters, before trying to build a grid of words.Although there is no multi-media facility on the computer, this is not conducted in silence. In the background, Mrs Stephens ("Computers are good in their place"), the teacher, is reading a story to the rest of the class, who are enthralled.Frances and Matthew move quickly through their game - so quickly that I suspect they have memorised where the cards belong But this software lasts only for a few weeks. Next term the children will use the computer to control a "floor turtle" - a robot they can direct around the classroom - to help them to develop logic and spatial awareness. Frances and Matthew show me how a computer game helps them to read. The screen displays cards, each bearing two of the basic shapes that make up the letters of the alphabet The children have to arrange the cards on a grid. The idea is that he can then arrange the furniture in the bears' cottage, learning about spatial concepts (in, on, under) as he goes along.

I am beginning to think Andre is having trouble mastering the mouse, when he suddenly says: "I want to get mummy bear eating the porridge, and I have to get her plate and spoon out of the cupboard on to the table in the kitchen." There is a barrage of mouse clicks, and it is done.10:30am: I meet the five-year-olds in Year 1. A flurry of hands goes up ("I have to keep a list to make sure they all get their turn") and Andre is chosen to show me the software that introduces the children to the world of computers.He demonstrates how to use the mouse to dress Goldilocks and the three bears. It is the excitement of watching this new state taking shape. So I know I will continue my travels on the Internet, even if all my friends give up on it, because I want to see what happens next..