Author Archives: jameswilding

I am an avid listener of the Radio 4 statistics programme, More or Less, in which its presenter Tim Harford challenges broad sweeping statements made on the media that might not actually be true. Last week (14 Sept) was entitled … Continue reading →

The American journalist and author, Hunter S Thompson said “Anything worth doing, is worth doing right.” He certainly wasn’t the first, and it’s a constant surprise to modern man when they uncover the work of our ancient predecessors and find … Continue reading →

The recently published report on St Olave’s Grammar School by Bromley Borough Council provides a damning indictment of the toxic accountability culture that some headteachers have encouraged in their schools. The Daily Telegraph newspaper leads the story with the headline: … Continue reading →

The nature of a school year, and indeed the success of putting learning under test, inevitably means we will have a lot going on this time of year!  Sports Days, Speech Days, Prize Givings and Activity Weeks all play their … Continue reading →

When we set out to establish a post-faith based values 12 years ago, we didn’t seek to lose contact with the best of Christianity or indeed other faiths and belief systems. We used the whole community as a ‘sorting hat’ … Continue reading →

Since starting headship, I have 37 generations of pupils leave secondary age at 16, fired up for Sixth Form or the world of college and work. My experience will be little different than that shown by longer term research data … Continue reading →

Over the past 7 years on the JamesWilding.blog, I have raised a number of sensitive issues, one of which was the permissions parents have chosen to give to their children with regards to the use of mobile phones. Here’s me … Continue reading →

So far, it has been a good summer term, all being equal. The weather has been sufficiently kind to us on the good days, for us not to mind about the wet ones. Work for all in education has remained … Continue reading →

Dateline: Friday 4 May 2018 Problem: Recruitment and Retention of Teachers in England Headline: Teachers to be offered year’s paid sabbatical to improve retention I won’t be the only head/teacher listening to the news headlines or indeed reading these proposals in … Continue reading →

Last weekend, 40 boys and girls from Year 10 spent 2 days on the Ypres Salient in Belgium. It’s difficult to emphasise just what an important experience this is for any person, in part because the lies from their leaders, … Continue reading →