Category Archives: Possibly related posts

The various letters sent to the wider school community during the school year.

Play Is Not a Luxury — It’s a Higher Form of Learning

Posted on 27/01/2026 by jameswilding

For fifty years, I have witnessed the evolution of education from the classroom frontlines. As a headteacher, I introduced the National Curriculum with optimism, only to see later reforms push high-stakes testing and diminish children’s creative writing. In response, my … Continue reading →

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‘Blue Monday’ and Mr Wilding’s “Pub Choir” challenge – 9 am Monday 16 March 2026

Posted on 22/01/2026 by jameswilding

As any of my staff, current pupils and Alumni know, I do love a good school assembly. This Monday (19 January), I had the distinct pleasure of leading a school assembly for our Senior Girls that combined the historical intrigue … Continue reading →

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Purpose, Pride, and a Few Extra Kit Bags

Posted on 15/01/2026 by jameswilding

Audio overview blog With every New Year comes hopes and aspirations, though perhaps, like the sunshine this week, they peek through a watery sky. The playing fields at Claires Court Juniors may look similar to those elsewhere in the neighbourhood, … Continue reading →

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“Making the ‘Magic’ happen in 2026.”

Posted on 08/01/2026 by jameswilding

Link to Podcast discussion Claires Court Academic Faculty returned for the school-wide in-service training this week, held in the Baylis Theatre at Braywick Leisure Centre in Maidenhead. In our lead presentations and age-range-specific workshops, building relationships, resilience, and quality feedback … Continue reading →

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The Academic Vacuum: Why Test Scores Aren’t Enough to Save Our Children

Posted on 22/12/2025 by jameswilding

In my fifty years in education, I have watched the pendulum of school reform swing back and forth with dizzying speed. We have seen the rise of the “knowledge-rich” curriculum and a laser-like focus on the “core” subjects of English, … Continue reading →

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 Beyond the Breaking Point: Concluding 2025 and Challenges Ahead in 2026.

Posted on 18/12/2025 by jameswilding

Another year closes, and the festive flurry attempts to cloak the underlying tension and exhaustion that have permeated the English education system. As the clock ticks down to 2025, many of us in schools, whether we are Principals, teachers, or … Continue reading →

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Lethal Mutations – When the direction of Government Policy is fundamentally flawed

Posted on 12/12/2025 by jameswilding

“Lethal Mutations” – When the direction of Government Policy is fundamentally flawed or damaging from its conception, and which ultimately leads to severe harm or the eventual collapse of the system or society it was intended to govern. I do … Continue reading →

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Surviving Christmas with “All I want for Christmas is you” – Mariah Carey

Posted on 04/12/2025 by jameswilding

For enthusiasts of Trivia and Pub Quizzes, please check the last section of this Blog on the song. We’ve just a couple of weeks left to the end of term, and all 3 schools are all set for the season, … Continue reading →

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BBC Grierson Award 2025, Baftas, Emmys and Oscars – the Parenting effect.

Posted on 27/11/2025 by jameswilding

One of the many benefits I continue to enjoy is seeing the success that former pupils (and staff) make of their lives post Claires Court. While I can recall memories from the school I lead all the way back to … Continue reading →

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“Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

Posted on 21/11/2025 by jameswilding

The publication of the Claires Court Inspection Report September 2025 last week provided many statements about the school’s work with the children and young people receiving their education with us. The inspection regime for our sector is conducted by the … Continue reading →

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