Our Essex grammar school is full of rich kids – pushy parents are gaming the system One of the best state schools in the country is under pressure – amid mounting concerns that tutored, privileged children are winning too many places

Have been on a bit of a social media hiatus, but in my latest for the i, I ask who grammar schools are actually serving… inews.co.uk/inews-lifest...

Just received my annual summary from Public Lending Right - Wild City was taken out of libraries 571 times last year!

I use our local library more than ever now I have a little one and could not be more grateful for it. Reminder to other authors to sign up for PLR too! Register at plr.bl.uk/login

We're teachers - private school VAT is vital for broken state education Freezing buildings, teachers working in bars to make extra cash -  the extra money for education will plug gaps but more is needed, say school leaders

Link here: inews.co.uk/inews-lifest...

Thank you so much to all the teachers who spoke to me for this piece. I’m constantly bowled over by how impressive the teachers are in our state schools. They deserve a lot more recognition than they get much of the time.

Gardening for bats - Advice - Bat Conservation Trust Many people enjoy spending long summer evenings sitting in their gardens, watching as daylight turns to dusk and bats begin to fill the night sky. These...

Great advice here for anyone who wants to help #bats 🦇

www.bats.org.uk/advice/garde...

#wildlife #nature 🌿

Wow - this is so eye-opening - thanks so much for sharing!

Writing a book takes so much of you, and then you release it into a world full of influencers and noise, and *whispers* you wonder whether anyone will read it, never mind whether it’ll have an impact. But just one email like this makes it all worthwhile.

Really hope you enjoy it! ❤️

A paperback copy of Wild City by Florence Wilkinson stands on a wooden shelf in front of a row of books. On the right of the book there is a tin candle with golden brown leaf decorations and resting against the candle tin is a beautifully carved, very elegant, cherry wood fox with a leaf like tail.

Happy New Year, all you wonderful people in my phone! I’m starting the year with a good book - thank you @florencewilkinson.bsky.social it arrived yesterday - a lovely candle and a small joy in shape of a cherry wood carved fox that was a Midwinter gift from my parents. #TheSmallThings #SpreadingJoy

Britain, we have a deer problem Numbers are at their highest since records began - they're causing car crashes, and harm to wildlife and our ecosystems

Or perhaps Britain’s deer have a people problem 🤔 - my latest for @inews.co.uk (photography also mine! 📷)
inews.co.uk/inews-lifest...

A very happy solstice to you - really hope you enjoy it!

Thanks so much to everyone for entering and congrats to the winner @kizzia.bsky.social - will DM you to get your address!

Lucky you! Yet another reason for me to visit Edinburgh again!

Yes! I used to love spotting them as a child sunning themselves on the railway sleepers in the woods near where we lived.

Just a few hours left to enter! 🤶🐸🐌🦆🐝

I love everything about this story!

A Red Underwing moth in a container before being released somewhere more suitable. It is showing its intricately patterned, camouflaged upperwings and a little of its red and black hindwings.

It can't get much more urban than this beautiful Red Underwing which I found inside a 2nd floor department of Lewisham Hospital last September! I managed to catch it, to the bemusement of medical staff, and released it that evening in a location with plenty of trees.

Wrens only relatively recently started visiting our garden and I love watching the way they creep through the rose bushes along the fence!

Hi Freddie! 👋 wonderful how you tracked their journey!

Last day to enter for the chance to win a signed copy of Wild City (or it’s available to buy in all good bookshops ;-) Online too, but do support your local bookshop if you can!)

In the spirit of Christmas (and seeing as I’m new here) I thought I’d host a little #giveaway. For the chance to win* a signed copy of my book, Wild City, which came out in paperback this year:

1. Share this post
2. Comment with your favourite wild species that you’ve spotted in an urban setting!

Look at them all - how wonderful!

🦊❤️

I’d love to!

(I should add that there’s a section on hedgehogs too, of course!)

Who doesn’t love a hedgehog? I’m also rather fond of rats but I know they’re not for everyone... I wanted to open my book with them, and my publisher had to gently suggest I start up above with the birds and take people on a journey before attempting to share my love of rats 🤦‍♀️

Now this I’m very jealous of! One of my close friends has recently moved to Stroud so yet another good reason for me to go visit!

Amazing! I’ve never seen one - sounds like I need to head to Letchworth Garden City!

Oh wowza - and they certainly don’t go about it quietly, do they? I remember my housemates and I worrying someone was being assaulted the first time we heard it 🤦‍♀️

Amazing! I’ve just been writing about the increase in deer in urban areas!