We Never Stopped Working
Matthew Evans’ excellent blog, When is a school not a school? examines the critical question of what a school is, both physically and in philosophical and conceptual essence – both …
The Best Versions of Themselves
I treasure classroom routines. Some are school-wide, some are specific to my faculty, and some are mine – but all of them are designed to ensure that each child is …
Noise and the Art of Mirror-Modelling
In Lockdown 1, I subscribed to Beachbody UK. Beachbody is a subscription service which streams exercise classes to your TV. If you have ever completed a Shaun T workout, then …
NQTs – When a Pandemic Strikes
Securing an NQT post is an amazing but daunting feeling. The realisation that you’ll be moving from constant observations, hand-holding, daily advice, an ITT timetable, glorious uni-release days, into the …
Poetry, Aesthetics and Powerful Knowledge
Over the last decade, we have seen a glossing of the educational philosophies and landscape. We have polarised ourselves into camps – we are traditional or progressive; we are Team …
My Duchess; my thing
‘…our human speech is naught. Our human testimony false, our fame and human estimation words and wind. …Art remains the one way possible of speaking truth…’ Robert Browning The Ring …
A Lamp is Lit
A lamp is lit. Until this moment, when the flame of the lamp flares blue, then settles to steady yellow inside its ornate globe, the young man had been impressed …
The Horror Beneath: Comments on War Photographer
Within this poem is a mind, a body, and a world beyond repair. There is a patina of respectability; there is a semblance of order in these four tightly-held stanzas, …
Lions Sit on Irons: The Curse of the Pedagogical Non-Negotiables
“Parrots sit on carrots,” said the cat. “Lions sit on irons and parrots sit on carrots.” “Doesn’t sound very comfortable,” said the frog. “It’s not about being comfortable,” said the …