‘The Right Stuff Fluff’ – The qualities heads need and Wilshaw’s plan to pay governors
COMMENT – Someone I know – we’ll call her Rachel – was recently interviewed for a primary headship. On paper she was an excellent candidate – already an experienced and successful head, she has…
Thin and Twiggy – The shadow education secretary’s values, aims and beliefs?
COMMENT – I’ve been thinking about Stephen Twigg quite a bit recently. He’s principally famous for that cheeky grin when he realised, back in May 1997, that he’d created what was to be…
National Curriculum – Why the new curriculum is not grounded in reality
COMMENT – I decided to wait a while before writing about the new National Curriculum, because there are times when your own reactions need to be measured against those of other, possibly less…
U Beginnings – Talkin’ happy talk, a new curriculum & a massive u-turn
COMMENT – There I was, all set to write a piece based on three articles that appeared in the same issue of the Daily Telegraph, when up popped my favourite little bête noire, Michael…
Turning a DfE Ear – Gove presses on with deeply unpopular ‘deep thought’ reforms
COMMENT – The news recently that Michael ‘if I haven’t changed it, it’s soft, leftish and unfit for purpose’ Gove proposes to reform A levels – apparently on the grounds that people keep…
Free Schools to Frisé Cool – Gove acquires new lap dog to have by the short and curlies
COMMENT – I was beyond delighted this morning when I heard the news that Michael ‘No Scots accent for me, Jimmy’ Gove and his wife had adopted a rescue dog. I almost entered…
The Estelles 2012 – Celebrating the year’s golden moments of ineptitude!
COMMENT – I’ve come only latterly to Facebook, which I used to view as a showing-off tool for young people; however, I’ve discovered that through it I can foist my bon mots, pearls…
Heads we lose – The real reasons why schools find it hard to recruit leaders
COMMENT – I found myself gazing at a photograph of Michael Wilshaw today. It accompanied an article in the Telegraph of 17th November, describing a speech at the London Festival of education by…
Excuse Abuse – Racism, child abuse and the culture blame game
COMMENT – I had occasion to complain to the BBC last week. Now that I’m in my early 50s, I’ve reached the age where I actually complain, rather than just banging on at…
Here We Gove Again – Michael’s response to critics: you’re all lefty Marxist old trots, so there!
COMMENT – He’s been at it again, hasn’t he? The current secretary of state for education, who clearly feels that a week when he isn’t making the headlines is a week lost in…