Category Archives: Possibly related posts

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

Lest we forget…

What follows is more of a publication than a Blog. With the help of 3 boys and 4 girls whilst they were in year 10, we have successfully met the challenge given to us by the National Trust at Cliveden … Continue reading

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“Lies, Damn lies and Statistics…”

The website https://www.phrases.org.uk suggests that the full saying “There are three kinds of falsehoods, lies, damned lies and statistics” is from Arthur James Balfour, 1st Earl of Balfour, as quoted in the Manchester Guardian, 29th June 1892. No matter, but … Continue reading

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Open Days – a celebration of school life

Thursday 28 September 2018 saw us open up our school for the first time this year for Open Day, an occasion which provides for us an opportunity to ‘showcase’ what we do during the day. Across the 3 sites today, … Continue reading

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Into the twilight zone -when school statistics cease to make sense. Go figure!

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

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Extreme v Expected – why normalising real effort and creating opportunity are essential for learning.

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

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Sweating, not Testing, the Good Stuff…

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

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Football, the Prime Minister, our sportsman, Leadership and me…

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

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Whither Integrity…

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

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It’s time to take a broader view on selection…why choosing only the most able for medical school is serving General Practice so badly.

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

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7 years down the line – “We told you so!”

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

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