Last week, I returned from a trip to China and soon after set off to London for a visit to the Palace of Westminster. These two highly enjoyable and constructive trips have highlighted to me one engaging feature of good leadership – namely a lack of cynicism. How weary must people be of disengagement, suspicion… Read More China, Ceramic Poppies and a lack of Cynicism.

Last week, I suggested some core reasons as to why pupils require a curriculum that is different to the industrial model of the previous century. Below are some core principles for a such a primary school curriculum. This could be much more suited to an age much changed from thirty years ago, and where the… Read More Curriculum for Changing Times

On 10th October, the subject of mental health was once again front-page news due to frenzied governmental activity marking World Mental Health Day. Teresa May, in a speech at Downing Street, pledged to spend more money on this area. Unsurprisingly, schools were mentioned. She said in her speech, And we need that true parity between… Read More Feeling Excluded.

There is no doubt that curriculum is the big issue in Edu-land at the moment. There are several blogs doing the rounds that focus on this issue in great detail and merit a read. After all, it’s really that important to get it right. Below, I offer a slightly different take on this by focusing… Read More Ready for the Next Stage…

There has been a lot written recently about accountability, chiefly an excellent document compiled by the NAHT entitled “Improving School Accountability”. Its recommendations will surely be accepted by those duty-bound to improve a system which is in transition. The same system that has certainly helped some pupils though not enough, that’s helped a smattering of… Read More Meet the Parents

I’ve just stepped down from a brief period as the Chair of a Multi-Academy Trust; as a serving headteacher, I’m simply unable to devote the necessary amount of time to a seriously big responsibility. Fortunately, we now have a really good Chair (unlike me) and a growing group of trustees with good and relevant experience.… Read More Trust.

The Oval, 10th September 2018. Talked of as the most emotional, extraordinary day of cricket in England’s history. Cook’s century in his last match for his country. Anderson drawing in on his record tally of wickets for a fast bowler. Root’s hundred. India 2 for 3. A warm, sunny September day. Well, it lasted 6… Read More The Richie Barnes Memorial Cricket Match

Wow. I’ve just finished reading Darren McGarvey’s tour de force, ‘Poverty Safari’ and am still slightly dazed and invigorated. It is an astonishing book – one I wish I could have had the skill, talent and passion to have written. If you haven’t heard about this book, it is an exploration of the anger felt… Read More A Sure Start for Children’s Centres

Africa is huge. We all know that. That is has huge challenges ahead of it is also common knowledge. Xan Smiley, writing in the Spectator last week, highlights brilliantly the failure of British policy over many years which have inadvertently led to the propping up of dictatorships, the incoherent distribution of aid, or the lack… Read More Africa: Small is Beautiful?

Blimey, what has happened? What has happened to the school system in the last few years? And where and how do I fit in? Throughout the entire period of my time as a deputy headteacher or headteacher, I’ve been caught up in the inexorable rise of market technocracy in schools – remarkably, (as I don’t… Read More Primary Schools in 2018: Where next?

The six-month break had done Derek a whole lotta good. He had a new perspective on life, was less defeatist, more combative. In short, Derek was ready for another shot at a career in education. The question was what, and where? Over his Coco-Pops one morning, he scrolled through the TES pages on his cracked… Read More The Headmaster’s New Funding Announcement.

My Mum turned 80 a few days ago and, in celebration, our family descended on a small Catalan village in France. It was great. More about it in a moment. First, a brief word on the Catalan reference. This is relevant to what I want to say about ‘belonging’. I’ve written in a previous blog… Read More The Joy of Belonging