Author Archives: jameswilding

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About jameswilding

Academic Principal Claires Court Schools Long term member & advocate of the Independent Schools Association

‘Sweet dreams are made of this, Who am I to disagree?’ – a final hurrah for 2024?

Posted on 21/12/2024 by jameswilding

NotebookLLM Deep Dive Audio review of this article can be found here – https://schl.cc:443/gm It’s 10.30pm, Saturday evening, 21 December, and we’re watching BBC2, a night dedicated to Annie Lennox and her singing. Lennox’s life exposes all that’s so wrong, … Continue reading →

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The Court Report 2022 – 2024

Posted on 20/12/2024 by jameswilding

Generations of pupils from all schools and colleges are used to looking back on archive publications that document all the special events and achievements over the past year. Bit by bit, the tradition of publishing the school magazine has eroded, … Continue reading →

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Principals’ End of Term Words 13 December 2024

Posted on 13/12/2024 by jameswilding

Dear Parents This time last year, we wrote to share with you news of developments at Claires Court, and 12 months on it’s pleasing to report that at Senior Boys, the Food Tech studio is now successfully commissioned and the … Continue reading →

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“Make Your Bed” – Admiral William H. McRaven

Posted on 05/12/2024 by jameswilding

In his book, published in 2017, McRaven makes 10 suggestions, the subtitles being ‘Little things that can change your life…and maybe the world’. 7 years earlier, when he gave the commencement address to 8000 graduating students at the University of … Continue reading →

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“Those who say it can’t be done are usually interrupted by others doing it’ – James Baldwin

Posted on 29/11/2024 by jameswilding

The author of this quote, James Baldwin (1924-1987), was an American writer and civil rights activist. He was a prominent voice in the American Civil Rights Movement and is considered one of the greatest writers of the 20th century. His … Continue reading →

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 “When dark clouds gather, be the silver lining and shine.” James Wilding 

Posted on 22/11/2024 by jameswilding

This week’s papers are ablaze with all the bad news of the moment, after all, that’s how they fill the news/screen-print and encourage click-bait, encouraging commercial advertisers to help pay the bills. This upbeat message is deliberate, because my lived … Continue reading →

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#ItStartedAtCC – reflections on and from Alumni

Posted on 13/11/2024 by jameswilding

Over recent weeks, I have caught up at Open Days, Community Events and wider pastures with a host of former pupils,, and we’ve had some really good conversations. What’s surprised me is that whilst I am more than keen to … Continue reading →

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“We’ve been cursed with the ability to imagine the future without being able to see it” – Ian Leslie

Posted on 08/11/2024 by jameswilding

The quote above is one of my favourites from Ian Leslie, a humorous and informed author of a range of books in which he sets out to identify how we/society can change for the better. I await the arrival of … Continue reading →

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Academic Principal’s half-term report ♦ part 2

Posted on 03/11/2024 by jameswilding

As part 1 of the half-term report published at the start of half-term emphasised, the School has been in great heart to date, and the various activities, Holiday Club and trips away at half-term have gone really well. Whilst you … Continue reading →

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“Everything that needs to be said has already been said. But since no one was listening, everything must be said again.”André Gide.

Posted on 01/11/2024 by jameswilding

I was saddened to hear this Wednesday of the closure of one of our local independent schools, Highfield, part of the long-term network of provision for families in Maidenhead and the surrounding area. Highfield’s owners, Chatsworth Schools, have made it … Continue reading →

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