On Thursday, I was fortunate enough to be at the Liverpool Philharmonic to see Sheku Kanneh-Mason play Elgar’s Cello Concerto. Prodigiously talented, Sheku rose to fame as Young Musician of the Year and played at Harry and Meghan’s wedding. It got me thinking again about the friction between ‘standards’ and talents. A common feature of… Read More Standardisation or Talents. Or both?

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.