Congratulations to @nigelgenders.bsky.social. Great appointment as schools admissions adjudicator. A man of integrity & wisdom

www.theatrere.co.uk/the-nature-o... A very memorable (forgive the pun) performance this evening at Warwick Arts Cente on the tough topic of dementia. Just there for one more night: recommended #skytheatre

The climate and nature crises are not given the media coverage & political attention they deserve. What a great idea to get more evidence to our elected representatives & policy-makers: a national emergency briefing nebriefing.org

Yes finances can be a significant driver, but it is the SAT's board of trustees who will take the decision - and often locality is very important to them. We have a schools system which is very confused - at least on paper - about place. This needs more thought. The White Paper can't ignore place

Thought-provoking @adammorton.bsky.social And what a fab legacy...

Short interview on the BBC Today programme with Amol Rajan, discussing the upcoming Brazil COP and how the so-called “cost of living crisis” is being (mis)used by leaders and high emitters to avoid taking meaningful action on climate change. Starts at 2.36.30. www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

The schools minister Georgia Gould MP thanks trustees and school governors #TrusteesWeek The language of governance being 'overlooked' came from a landmark research report in 2008 and largely applies all these years later. So it's pleasing to see a small acknowledgement from the powers that be

I’ve spent the last few months doing a deep dive into the scale of the challenge the English schools system faces, looking at: pupil numbers; SEND and financial pressures; staffing; and the performance of schools.

Today David Holdsworth, CEO of the Charity Commission opened #TrusteesWeek beautifully at the Festival of Trusteeship Trusteeship 'an act of radical optimism'; 'building the infrastructure of a compassionate society'; 'charities are civil society' Here here. A v positive vision

Great session today at Stratford Literary Festival: Saabira Chaudhuri on Consumed (about the plastic crisis) & Julia Shaw on Green Crime. Holding the big boys to account. And it wasn't all doom & gloom. Looking forward to reading their books & learning more #StratLitFest

Just when honest and truthful reporting on climate change is most urgently needed, Ofcom under its current chair has effectively suspended its accuracy rules on this life-and-death issue. /1 www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Well said. Irish history doesn't get the profile it deserves even tho lots of us in GB have Irish ancestry and we do care & know a little. NI is absolutely & definitely not boring I love Blue Lights ... too many police dramas & murders on TV but this is in a different league

How very disappointing esp considering the number of organisations working to support schools with sustainability: but given all the other challenges schools face, leadership is needed from DfE

'Leader' of the 'free' world calls #ClimateChange a hoax at UN... Meanwhile, the not-so-free nation of China is leading the way on #Renewables This headline belies the vast ramping up renewable infrastructure in China ( #R4Today report 6.20am) www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Interesting that people are so concerned about Govt having data on ID system when we're all handing so much digital info to the private sector & so many other countries have them There's always been issues with those entitled to benefits claiming: perhaps this could help in the future? #bbcaq

Just been to China: such a terrific high speed train system. On time, seats for all, clean & often through mountains. Plus the metros so cheap & well used Why oh why are we in Britain so unable to modernise our railway system? #bbcaq

Important research. Maybe we need to return to the length of the summer holidays debate? @ioe.bsky.social

#r4today can't quite believe that short piece on childcare. 20 years when I was co-CEO of predecessor of Coram Family & Child care all the same issues. So sad there hasn't been progress on pay & status of early years workers www.coramfamilyandchildcare.org.uk

Twenty years after Hurricane Katrina ravaged his hometown of New Orleans, Jon Batiste has released a new song imploring people to take action against climate change “by raising your voice, and insisting, and voting the right people into office.”

Glaciers in the Alps and Pyrenees have lost about 40% of their mass since 2000. www.nbcnews.com/science/clim...

Yet another retrospective triumph for Cameron and Osborne.

🌡️☔ New report | The UK isn't prepared for the impacts of climate change, and they're already here. Nearly 3k deaths from excess heat in 2022. £2.4bn annual flooding costs. 6m homes at flood risk. Yet 2/3 of #adaptation actions are inadequate for the scale of the challenge. 🔗 buff.ly/v9yl5ln 1/6

I wonder if 'walking the Salt Path' will become a euphemism here the way 'hiking the Appalachian Trail' has in America? "I've been walking the Salt Path" = I've not been entirely honest

observer.co.uk/news/nationa... as mentioned on ##bbclaurak. Good journalism but what a shame. What were @penguinbooksuk.bsky.social doing or failing to do?! Hope the next book is cancelled #SkyBooks

Great to see NGA's latest report on an important topic: collaboration matters

The Woodland Trust has a new campaign calling on the Government to restore Britain's (much depleted) ancient woodlands campaigns.woodlandtrust.org.uk/page/166361/...

Today's newsletter, which I primarily wrote because Harvey, who filled in for Georgina while she was on holiday, made a really cool chart, is on Labour's child poverty pledge and what it tells us more broadly about the government's approach:

When I was in charge at NGA, I enjoyed the magazine arriving. Now it's nothing to do with me, it's still fab to see a great new edition #GoverningMatters

Schools to get extra £4.5 bn a year in spending review for teacher pay and SEND reform taking per pupil funding to highest level - my story for @theobserveruk.bsky.social observer.co.uk/news/nationa...

It's #VolunteersWeek2025 A good reason to thank citizens giving their time to their communities. I chair a local charity with a fabulous band of volunteers 100% crucial to Action21: www.action21.co.uk/volunteers And of course I can't forget 200,000 people who volunteer to govern schools in England

A huge thank you to all volunteers involved in school and trust governance. I am so grateful for their dedication and hard work. This #VolunteersWeek make a difference to children’s lives by becoming a governor or trustee. Contact your local school or trust to find out more 🫶

We were pleased to be involved as a Pathfinder School in this project. #UKEdGovs How often do we talk about our values, and do we ensure test they are more than words on the website?

Great blog by Bradley Fage v much in the spirit of this week's #VolunteersWeek celebrating the win/win of giving your time & skills, & promoting Young Governors Network, always been owned & led by school governors & trustees under the age of 40. Board diversity matters www.nga.org.uk/news-views/d...

Birmingham Art Gallery: tremendous exhibition, but tomorrow is the last day. Lucky to have caught it today

📝 Ministers have been urged to show more 'urgency' on tackling child poverty amid fears schools will be expected to further 'plug the gap', following reports the government's flagship strategy is delayed Full story 🔽

The wonderful wise Elif Shafak. I was lucky enough to have been in the audience #HayFestival Loved her latest novel There are rivers in the sky #BookSky

Congratulations Elif Shafak, recipient of the Hay Festival 2025 Medal for Prose.

Me on child poverty (and super cool to be asked to do this by Gordon Brown, for whom I once wrote HMT papers about child poverty).

Great read from @johnharris1969.bsky.social on how the climate crisis is right at the heart of the current political moment and the unnervingly steady march of populism. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

This led @oxfamgb.bsky.social to start calculating individual emissions by socioeconomic status. Accounting for both personal footprint as well as the impact of personal investments in energy & extractive industries, they first found the richest 10% were responsible for half of global emissions.

www.theguardian.com/environment/... We've experienced this at Action21: as well as lots of great donations, also more unsellable items being dumped on the charity to save people dealing with rubbish #TakeItBack

In today’s paper: my column is on the campaign against exclusions and what I think it gets right (but more importantly, what I think it gets wrong):

Activate climate’s ‘silent majority’ to supercharge action, experts say - Making climate-concerned people aware that their views are by far in the majority could unlock the climate action so urgently needed #The89Percent #climatecrisis Story by me www.theguardian.com/environment/...

New episode from @EmpirePodUK 🍵 🫖 THE PRICE OF A CUP OF TEA 🫖🍵 podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/v...

www.theguardian.com/stage/2025/a... We go to practically everything at RSC but not this, not even for Simon Russell Beale. My son was in Titus A as a teenager: not an appropriate play for teenagers or maybe even the rest of us. Too grotesque. I'm perhaps a little feeble @realgeoffbarton.bsky.social

🚨 Outrage as 20 police officers break into Westminster Quaker Meeting House and arrest six. 🚨 This shocking violation of a place of worship is a direct result of crackdowns on protest and dissent - freedom of speech, assembly and democracy are at risk.🕊️ 👉 www.quaker.org.uk/news-and-eve...

Wonderful preformances by #BlackBallet at Birmingham Rep. Not sure where they're off to next but thoroughly recommend for an amazing evening www.birmingham-rep.co.uk/whats-on/bal...

Miliband's solar power plan for schools and hospitals seems great. Much more of this, please...

Brilliant news! At last, confirmation that the Govt *will* go ahead with the #NaturalHistoryGCSE 🎉 We have to get to know our fellow travellers on this planet again. Young people who know & love nature are far more likely to protect & restore it - as well as enjoying better physical & mental health