Traditionally polishing pads have been produced from lamb's wool foam types, but polyurethane (PU) foams are now the material of choice for an increasing variety of applications, as they offer many additional benefits apart from a superior finish.

These include:

* High flexibility on surfaces
* Improved mechanical strength and tear resistance
* Scratch-free polishing
* Dust-free treatment of sensitive surfaces
* A wider scope for adaptation to different handling needs, contours and surfaces
* A vast range of pore sizes achievable enabling more varied absorption properties
* Washable and re-usable for a more cost-effective solution
* A wider range of thicknesses and diameters
* Broader possibilities for shaping, drilling, moulding and laminating

It’s over and it couldn’t have come a day too soon.

All we have to do now is wait. And wait. And wait.

Yesterday, after months of preparation, my daughter actually sat the entrance exam for the grammar school she wants to attend.

She has worked hard for it, too. Since August, she has been seeing a tutor so she could get to grips with the verbal and non verbal reasoning questions that these school tests ask.

Starting from a low-ish base, the trajectory of her understanding has been steadily rising until – at last – she really felt she could tackle most of the questions.

My friend, whose son sat the exam and managed to attain a coveted place at the boys’ school a few years back, warned me how I would feel on the day of the test.

“You will feel dreadful,” she said.

I laughed. “Of course not,” I replied. “It’s just a test.”