With the education sector aflame with unfettered emotion over the prime minister’s consultation on allowing schools to select, this CEO got to thinking about where the balance of power lies in these new and uncharted waters.

As any investor knows, the trick is to have a balanced portfolio, and the same applies when it comes to influence. So, for what it’s worth, here are my top share tips on those who hold influence in the corridors of edu-power.

Buy:

The very safe bets here for the immediate future are also the most obvious, starting with Theresa May and Justine Greening. May has signalled in the clearest of terms is that No 10 intends to keep a firm grip on domestic policy - and that means education and social mobility.

Which brings us to Nick Timothy. Stock in Timothy has climbed dramatically of late. The ex-head of the controversial New Schools Network is now firmly ensconced in Downing Street as Mrs May’s right-hand man (a post he occupied previously in the Home Office). His fingerprints are all over the Green Paper, including grammar schools, universities opening free schools, and the removal of the 50 per cent rule on faith schools.

Speaking of which, should the proposal for faith schools survive the parliamentary gauntlet intact, we can expect to see hundreds of new Catholic schools. Given their tendency to be high-performing, we can expect the Catholic Education Service to increase in influence and weight.

Lastly, get Carter. The national schools commissioner’s star, already well in its ascendency, will only rise - and rise again. Widely respected in both the profession and political circles, Sir David is here to stay.

Sell:

Nicky Morgan’s scorched earth approach makes a new ministerial role about as likely as a united Labour Party. So if you haven’t already done so, ditch Morgan by the barrow-load. Sir Michael Wilshaw, likewise, although we can probably expect a few more splenetic and rage-soaked emissions from the head of Ofsted. At the risk of sounding like a madam, sell Hoare, too, while you’re at it.

Which leads me to Teach First. The self-proclaimed white knights of the profession turn out not to fancy spending much time in the classroom, and pesky questions over the efficiency of the model persist. Their position will not have been helped by Sam Freedman’s impassioned and vitriolic assault on grammars.

And lastly the unions. Frankly, if you are silly enough to think any influence resides here, you are beyond helping.

Hold:

While the temptation to offload Ofsted entirely is strong, for the short term at least it is worth “holding” shares in Amanda Spielman. Although the regional schools commissioners are on the march, and although Ofsted increasingly looks like an organisation in search of a remit, she is not to be written off - just yet.

Similarly, Nick Gibb, the Lazarus of ministers. He stupefied everyone with his phonics obsession and a take-no-prisoners approach to testing, but no one really knows where he sits on the key issue of selection. Watch this space.

Also hold Lord Nash. Real day-to-day power resides here and reports of his political death were much exaggerated. Make no mistake, he is here to stay: cross him at your peril!

No portfolio would be complete without the ubiquitous Ark and Harris academy chains - at least for now.

Ones to watch:

While the press focused on Saracens Rugby Club’s plans to open a free school, what slipped by was the news that more than 20 schools would be opened by the Johnny-come-lately Reach2. This trust has quietly amassed more than 70 schools, making it the largest primary-only chain in the country. (We know what happened to the likes of AET and E-Act when they did this.)

One final note for all careful investors: caveat emptor. The value of your shares can go down as well as up.

The Secret CEO is the chief executive of a multi-academy trust in England