A manatee: Imagine eating lettuce under water | Helen Sullivan Manatees don’t have incisors or canines, only ‘cheek teeth’. No hair, only whiskers. Algae growing on their backs. Everything is gentle

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Why are gen Zs deserting garden centres? Maybe they’re more into planting than shopping | Claire Ratinon They can be joyful and important social spaces, but a new generation of customers runs a mile from the shelves of plastic and chemicals, says food grower and writer Claire Ratinon

www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Our new soap has arrived! From plant to bar with the help of a local soap maker.@_goly.natural Using the Attar Of Roses scented pelargonium leaves it smells like Turkish Delight. Thank you to year 6 for harvesting the leaves! #Gardening #School

The Becoming Educated Podcast is back.

Listen to my conversation with @suchmo83.bsky.social now.

We discuss the key themes from Primary Reading Simplified

podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/b...

We’ve just had ours (October) and the weight lifted the very next day left us all a bit derailed. I hadn’t realised, until it was over and ‘good’, just how much strain it put on us all every minute of the day. It’s quite ridiculous.

A typically thoughtful & practical @tesmagazine.bsky.social column from @juliangrenier.bsky.social on boosting early vocabulary.

A pink sky in the Solent.

Yellow on a very grey day.

Nature is such a pick-me-up.

Word of the Day is ‘quockerwodger’ (19th century): a puppet individual whose strings are pulled entirely by someone else.

I know everything feels grim right now but let's be realistic. These people are idiots. They're going to tank their economy. They're going to fuck-up every deal they sign. They're going to leave America looking shattered and deranged. And all those who supported them will look as idiotic as they are

Walk, quick food shop, catching up with work rest of day.

#Bluesky is basically social media for people who prefer to have an intelligent conversation rather than be bombarded with outrageous nonsense that is essentially just annoying. 🤷‍♀️

If you see something lovely, repost it! The algorithm is basically us here. It takes a while to get used to not having your attention manipulated so much. #bluesky

More than 9 in 10 heads reject Ofsted’s report card plan The NAHT urges Ofsted to rethink its plans after its snap poll shows an overwhelming rejection from school leaders

92% of school leaders reject Ofsted’s new report card plans, according to a snap poll by @naht.org.uk – and almost all respondents said they do not expect the watchdog to make any meaningful changes as a result of its consultation

I look forward to this discussion with @marymyatt.bsky.social tomorrow

Still waiting to organise that call though …

A new series of my history podcast Jam Tomorrow is in the works.

What intrigues you most about the second half of the 20th century? Where would you like JT to take you next?

open.substack.com/pub/rostaylo...

@headteacherchat.bsky.social Inspirational school on here too!

@gardenshour.bsky.social Good evening! Thank you so much for sharing our move.🥰 #GardensHour

It has arrived 📮📚😍 @suchmo83.bsky.social

In this episode, we discuss key elements of my new book, Primary Reading Simplified, including how I...

(a) Organise reading lessons
(b) Support schools to make changes
(c) Systematically assess and address reading difficulties
(d) Build a reading curriculum
(e) Nurture a reading culture

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#StormLillian has been named for overnight and into Friday. Heavy rain and storm winds especially for the North of England

Be More Alfred! (Let Batman be Batman) A couple of weeks ago I read a fab blogpost by @thatboycanteach, he was encouraging teachers to be more Batman. Whilst I wholeheartedly agreed with the concept, one flaw struck me: For Batman to be Ba...

My first blog that anyone read.

All about Servant Leadership and how we need to create a climate to help our teachers be great. Feels like a lifetime ago.
Thanks @aidansevers.bsky.social for encouraging me to write 8 years ago. You gave me a voice. smithsmm.wordpress.com/2016/10/08/b...

How to Manage Low Level Disruption - with Sam Strickland Episode · The (Un)official Teacher's Manual · Sam Strickland is a Headteacher, CEO and the author of several books on behaviour, including The Behaviour Manual and They Don't Behave for Me. In this e...

***NEW Episode***

Allow me to be absolutely direct:

Your biggest problem next year is going to be low level disruption.

It’s worth having a plan for how you’ll manage it before school starts.

@strickomaster.bsky.social and I discuss some strategies.

#PGCE #ECT
open.spotify.com/episode/0ZDu...

Can you find a flowering member of the Asteraceae or Daisy family? That’s the challenge this week for #wildflowerhour! Share your finds this Sunday 8-9pm using the hashtag #DaisyFamily. Happy flower hunting!

Eating ice lollies ‘should be part of school curriculum’, experts urge
This really annoys me. Do these people actually read the NC before ‘advising’? Do they not see it’s already being taught before imparting their wisdom. Do they not think teachers are able to think of this stuff themselves? FFS.

New @restispolitics LEADING with South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskus who is legislating to try to ban all political donations to clean up politics AND also trying to ban kids from using social media. Interesting guy and a great chat alastaircampbell.org/2024/08/90-w...