Tag Archives: education

‘Nudge Theory’ and why schools should model rather than demand compliance to achieve success.

Posted on 15/06/2026 by jameswilding

When principals, teachers, parents and children turned up for work at our Junior school on Friday, two deputy heads were on welcome duty at the gate, as you can see. On the left is Mrs Lindsay King, Deputy Head and … Continue reading →

Posted in Possibly related posts | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

“Christian schools win right to landmark Supreme Court appeal” dateline Friday 5 June 2026

Posted on 06/06/2026 by jameswilding

I have copied below the article published on the Christian Concern website, in which they give the remarkable news that the stoicism of the campaigners supported by the Christian Legal Centre has paid off. In short, the Law Lords have … Continue reading →

Posted in Possibly related posts | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

“Even Blunkett Knew: Setting Should Be The Norm”.

Posted on 30/04/2026 by jameswilding

In the quiet rhythm of a good school, you can often sense when things are working as they should. A teacher adjusts the work to the child in front of them — stretching one pupil who is racing ahead, gently … Continue reading →

Posted in Possibly related posts | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

The Engine of Character: “Show up on the BAD days

Posted on 23/04/2026 by jameswilding

As I write this, the air in the halls of Claires Court has shifted. It is late April 2026, and the “stratosphere” of school life feels particularly charged. For our Year 13s, the countdown has reached its final sequence. Next … Continue reading →

Posted in Possibly related posts | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

The Author, the Village, and the Paradox of Independence

Posted on 12/02/2026 by jameswilding

On Monday 23 February, my brother and I announced that the ownership of Claires Court Schools Ltd. had moved from the Wilding family over the the Licensed Trade Charity, a venerable organisation established in 1793 to support children and families … Continue reading →

Posted in Possibly related posts | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

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 →

Posted in Possibly related posts | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

“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 →

Posted in Possibly related posts | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

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 →

Posted in Possibly related posts | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

 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 →

Posted in Possibly related posts | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

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 →

Posted in Possibly related posts | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment