Tag Archives: family

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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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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‘Diamonds in the Sky’ – hopes and values in 2025/26

Posted on 17/10/2025 by jameswilding

This half-term, we publish the Court Report, our annual statement, which covers the various successes of last year, and includes my commentary on the times ahead. You can see the website copy here, a really colourful celebration of Claires Court … Continue reading →

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Founders’ Day and the dynamism of a Family school

Posted on 26/09/2025 by jameswilding

Thursday 18 September saw the 2025 scholars and their families presented with their awards, for academic excellence, for the Arts and Sports and for those who are excellent in the round. Those present included new entry and long-serving families to … Continue reading →

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Making Sense of the World of Marginal Gains…

Posted on 12/09/2025 by jameswilding

Most of the readers of my blog will be very well aware that things get better step by step. My first car bought whilst I was at Leicester University, in the summer of 1972 was a Ford Popular 100E (1960 … Continue reading →

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“Be Curious, Not Judgemental” – Walt Whitman

Posted on 11/07/2025 by jameswilding

At the close of this Academic Year 2024-25, I’ve sought to summarise the lessons I’ve learned over the last 12 months, In Blog 1 advised “Speak truth, build and give trust”, Blog 2 “Show up on time, know the text … Continue reading →

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“Show up on time, know the text and have an idea.“ – Tom Hanks

Posted on 04/07/2025 by jameswilding

In this second of my 3 blogs written to summarise my world of work over the last year, I am building on the core words of advice I set out last week for politicians to consider: “Speak truth, build and … Continue reading →

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“Time passes, Lives change, but Memories last forever.”  Reflections on Thank a Teacher day.

Posted on 05/06/2025 by jameswilding

National Thank a Teacher Day is an annual celebration of teachers and support staff across early years settings, schools and colleges. This year it will take place on Wednesday 18th June 2025. Last year over 82,000 Thank a Teacher Day … Continue reading →

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Academic Principal Review of the Spring Term 2025

Posted on 03/04/2025 by jameswilding

Everyone in school looks forward to the second half of the Spring Term; not only are the dark days of winter behind us, but we still have everyone in full productivity mode, to the extent that this School Principal finds … Continue reading →

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“Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” Attr. Albert Einstein

Posted on 20/03/2025 by jameswilding

Whether the inventor of 20th-century physics actually said the above is of course neither here nor there. What’s true to understand is that ‘if we are what we repeatedly do’, then it’s best we as humans don’t keep doing that … Continue reading →

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