The trouble with schools is that not everyone wants their child to go to them. In 2019 when I was writing my book (let me get the plug out of the way) “A Head Full OF Ethos”, I quoted a Government statistic[1] that reported in 2018 roughly 52,770 children in England were being educated at … Continue reading Is home schooling filling a gap in our curriculum offer?
Give Schools A Chance
The trouble with schools is that their staff could run the world if they put their minds to it. From the outset, I accept that I might be over stretching it with this one, but I hope you’d all agree that there’s quite a bit that needs sorting out in our world and who better … Continue reading Give Schools A Chance
Where’s the curiosity and debate?
The trouble with schools at the moment is that they are surrounded by a society which seems to frown upon curiosity, critical thinking and the art of debate. Are schools following suit? The only fond memory I have of the Brexit fiasco was that it was the last time we saw any form of genuine, … Continue reading Where’s the curiosity and debate?
Why the chip shop helped me
The trouble with schools is that we can too easily underestimate the value of the experiences we have before entering the profession. This is certainly true in my case. It's only now after retiring that I begin to realise that the years I spent working in my parents fish and chip shop equipped me with … Continue reading Why the chip shop helped me
What’s in “A Head Full Of Ethos”?
The trouble with schools is that they are bombarded from all directions, by various theories of education, and educational experts, telling them that ‘this is the way to do it’. This can often result in the values and principles that a school aims to uphold and use to inform its vision, being compromised. This can … Continue reading What’s in “A Head Full Of Ethos”?
A wish for 2022
The trouble with schools is that they have been knocked in all directions during 2021. Let’s ensure 2022 brings back stability and effective learning. Hi, apologies for the long gap since last writing, but I’ve had a lot on with my book. If you’re a regular reader of these blogs, you will have some idea … Continue reading A wish for 2022
Another Challenge Facing Schools
The trouble with schools is that they keep being asked to do things to young people which might not always be in their best interests. For example, we closed schools when all the data was telling us that they were safe from the virus and not the ‘vectors’ for transmission that the media was making … Continue reading Another Challenge Facing Schools
What to do next
The trouble with schools is, that I don’t lead one anymore. Okay, I realise that the opening sentence above may sound bit of an arrogant statement, but I had to begin this blog in my usual way and what were my alternatives? The trouble with schools is that they had to put up with Armando … Continue reading What to do next
Recovering from Closure Priority 6: Re-set/re-group; there will be gaps to close
The trouble with schools is that we never quite get it right when it comes to student groupings and that’s because it’s complicated and not clear cut. This is the sixth in my series of 6 priorities I believe are essential, if we are to recover fully from school closures. Hopefully, attention given to these … Continue reading Recovering from Closure Priority 6: Re-set/re-group; there will be gaps to close
Recovering From Closure – Priority 5: Developing Good Habits of Learning
The trouble with schools is they don’t spend enough time developing good habits of learning. This is the fifth in my series of 6 priorities I believe are essential, if we are to recover fully from the school closures. Hopefully, attention given to these six areas will not only help schools recover, but place them … Continue reading Recovering From Closure – Priority 5: Developing Good Habits of Learning
The Trouble With Schools 