Over the past few days, I have received messages from school leaders and teachers across the country. Many have shared stories of unexpected marking decisions, disputed reviews and outcomes that simply do not seem to align with the evidence in... Continue Reading →
Yesterday, I received our draft inspection report. As the word draft is attached to it, I should immediately point out that there are limits to what I can discuss until the final report is published. Quite understandably, school leaders are... Continue Reading →
If you’ve been around long enough in educational leadership, you start to see cycles. One statement that never seems to go away is the - We take all the children with SEND whilst that school up the road does nothing....... Continue Reading →
On Inclusion: From my book - Lessons From the Heads Office - Sage 2023 "Creating a sense of belonging within and beyond the boundaries of our school is a fundamental cog in the system of good educational leadership. Inclusion should... Continue Reading →
5 minutes read time.
For more than a decade, I’ve led a 0-11 (All Year Round - 0-18 in holidays) mainstream primary school for over 600 children. We run a highly successful 55‑place specialist provision embedded within the heart of our school. Over 130... Continue Reading →
Let’s start with the football… Manchester City score. Semenyo in with a clever goal... (I'm a life-long Bristol City supporter not a Man City support - I loved this player when he was with us) The away fans roar. The... Continue Reading →
Sorry, this blog is a little messy – but I think it is one of the most important ones I’ve written this year. The issues have been burning away for some time. I came into teaching to educate; to build knowledge, understanding and prepare children... Continue Reading →
This week’s Government announcement of at least £3 billion to expand specialist places within mainstream schools could be a significant moment for creating more inclusive schools. The plan is to create tens of thousands of tailored spaces in local schools,... Continue Reading →
