New year, new job! I’m starting a new role as deputy headteacher this term! Excited to take the next step up at a great local school 🙌

Met my 2025 reading goal 💪🙌

Not sure what’s going on, but I’ve had a huge burst of EdD productivity. Areas of literature are suddenly clicking in my head. Rewriting feels easier. 2,000 words added to my latest thesis draft. Love when this happens! Feels rare and exciting!

Awesome blog from Sam Crome about effective debriefing: samcrome.com/2025/12/29/h...

Don’t know about you, but my Christmas tree starting giving me the ick as soon as Boxing Day was over… She’s now safely back in the loft!

Now it’s Christmas! Happy holidays!

The sheer amount of effort that goes into making Christmas special in primary is amazing! Primary colleagues are unreal! Enjoy your break!

I broke up for Christmas on Thursday and 80% of my meals since have involved cheese.

Teacher salaries haven’t increased as much as average earnings. (Doctor lines are same). But I always wonder: how much of this is because of huge minimum wage increases bringing the average up?

Reasons I know I’m aging: 1. I notice and comment upon different types of birds 2. ⁠I like setting a table very nicely 3. ⁠I have saved videos in a folder labelled ‘gift wrapping ideas’

Holidays have started so of course I’m ill. Unsurprising after such a busy and emotional week. Proofreading and trash tv in bed!

I am trying out Substack - hoping it's straight forward! open.substack.com/pub/claireha...

I am trying out Substack - hoping it's straight forward! open.substack.com/pub/claireha...

This is a public service announcement.

Last week at my school. Saying goodbye is bitter sweet. On to exciting new adventures in 2026!

Following a wonderful launch event yesterday, we're delighted to announce our books, A Year in Willerby, is now available. Each book is a numbered limited edition - 100 copies only - and will never be produced in the same form again. www.etsy.com/uk/listing/4...

Are predicted grades accurate? This wonderful blog from @fftedudatalab.bsky.social explores the question, and my takehome is that *on average* they might be, but for an individual student it's pretty much guesswork. Well worth a read. ffteducationdatalab.org.uk/2025/12/pred...

I’ve not really posted much lately. Going back to work has been great, but very full on. Will start thinking about interesting education bits again away from the day to day soon hopefully!

I’ve written a piece for We Are In Beta summarising the work of an amazing school that has reduced PA by 18%! Here's the link to learn more: lnkd.in/e9aK2chE   lnkd.in/e6ipm9v8

podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/n... Listen to my awesome husband talk about his new book! @joeharleyhistory.bsky.social

A Year in Willerby. Out soon. www.welcometowillerby.co.uk/a-year-in-wi...

Utterly inspiring. “People only see the decisions you make not the choices you had.” - Jacinda Ardern

Wolf Alice were amazing! We are getting too old for the standing section though!

Former pupil of mine has ended up at my husband’s university. Love when things like this happen!

I got one too!

Have you heard about the strange things happening in @welcometowillerby.bsky.social?

Yep.

MTPT coaching always comes around just when I need it! Busy day on the gate, on call and teaching ending with time to pause and reflect is just what’s needed!

A Camden primary school has been running parent absent awareness courses for two years - and says attendance has improved for 75% of participants schoolsweek.co.uk/the-school-r...

The pressure to take drugs as a teenager was really overhyped, but it has NOTHING on the pressure to eat 100g of protein daily in my 30s.

Best lunch there is. I won’t debate this.

Going swimming in November is to be too many temperatures in too short a time period.

I don’t even care that it’s November.

Want to keep this going as I love hearing about the week’s successes! My Ta Da List: 1. EdD analysis is going well 2. Meeting with my supervisor 3. Went to the gym (trickier now I’m back at work) 4. Some small wins at work 5. Caught up with friends even though life is hectic What’s yours?!

Who is going to this? 🙂

Absolutely brilliant blog from @leedon1982.bsky.social about the importance of means of participation and meeting the needs of all learners. Feels like one of those ‘must read’ pieces in the conversation about SEND provision.

I'm becoming really worried about our SENCOs. I think their job is becoming systemically impossible. They're being ground down by impossible workloads and now huge numbers of complaints, which makes it all but impossible for them to be strategic. I'm worried we're going to lose them,

Who is going to this? 🙂

Please share with anyone who may be interested? Thanks!

How much does your school charge parents for photos? Is £11 for one 5x7 picture standard?

I have: 1. Given feedback to 6 amazing ECTs on their teaching 2. Seen the impact of previous feedback I’ve given to a 7th 3. Been to the gym 3 times & played 5 a side twice 4. Helped my daughter bake cup cakes for Children in Need

I have 1) Presented my research to the LA Leadership Briefing 2) Had a successful supervision meeting which has really given me a way forward 3) Had my hair cut and I'm pleased with how it looks - Ta Da!!

What’s on your ‘ta da’ list for this week?! I have: 1. Been working on a book chapter 2. Done some more data analysis 3. Cleared the kitchen table (no joke, it was horrific!) 4. Presented to SLT on the work we’ve done so far this year for careers

Internet, please help. I am looking for a *very* specific notebook. It needs to be: 1. A4 2. Numbered pages 3. Soft cover so it will sit nicely in an leather cover Can’t find it through google but think I’ve built up enough similarly minded stationary nerds on here that you may be able to help!

Washing is on. Research is researching. Coffee is brewing. I love Fridays!

Can’t make nice bread without sharing it with the internet, right?

Why is it that the jobs you think will take forever and you don’t do, but obsess over… take like 5 minutes?

Feeling a little tired and Novembery (yes that’s a word), please share your ‘ta da’ list with me! Like a to-do list, but the opposite! Sharing what you’ve achieved this week! I have: 1. Sent off an article 2. Prioritised a poorly baba 3. Analysed EdD data 4. Worked with our vocational kids

Poorly baby, but good book and hopefully a productive, long nap time 🤞