My incredibly talented friend Gemma is presenting interesting findings from her dissertation tomorrow at 2.30 and 6.30. Please drop in! DM for the link. To Need ‘care,’ To Want Care. An Analysis of ‘Need’ and ‘Want’ between the Care Sector and the Care Community’

An excellent afternoon at Glasgow Science Centre 🔭

Tremendous to speak with the National Leadership Network at today’s Children in Scotland conference today about participation, centring lived experience, and moving from ‘co-production’ to production. Standing room only!

A wonderful afternoon in and around the Botanic Gardens book fair 📚

A tremendous afternoon at Paisley Food and Drink Festival ☀️

One of the most significant changes to child poverty imaginable comes into force today, with over 450k children lifted out of poverty, in a move that will be welcomed across society and all sectors. www.itv.com/news/2026-04...

New ink 🎨

The most tremendous lunch. The Sherlock Holmes menu at Six by Nico 🕵️‍♂️

I guess you’re old enough to know… certain songs get so scratched into our souls Some Saturday evening listening 😎 youtu.be/Ko3axaI__0M?...

Incredibly strong and evidenced article from MCR Pathways on delivery of the Promise here. Including this from board member Susanne Richards: “We are halfway through The Promise, but nowhere near halfway through its delivery.” mcrpathways.org/news/the-pro...

Put a tenner on 0-0 at Pittodrie today. My thought was the storm like weather and two struggling teams would produce a borefest. Eight goals and two red cards later shows how much I know about football…

"If the state is to invest in the education of all children, then asking the families who purchase a premium tier of schooling to contribute a little more is not radical. It is common sense." Will this be the defining legacy of the VAT policy?

Heartbreakingly sad findings ‘Nearly a third of kids can't use books when starting school - and try to swipe them like phones’ news.sky.com/story/nearly...

Merry Christmas Everyone 🎄

Early Christmas celebration in our wee house today, and an excellent Christmas dinner if I say so myself 🎄

A fantastically fun evening at Parkhill Secondary’s Christmas show: Toy Story the musical 🎄

Policy Analysis: Why VAT on private school fees will raise more than planned, and why it matters barryblack.substack.com/p/policy-ana...

Some policy analysis about VAT on private school fees, why it is set to raise more than originally forecast, and why this matters. Please read, share, and subscribe for more! open.substack.com/pub/barrybla...

Thought this was a very interesting piece from Barry. I wasn't aware that the OBR had revised the revenue from VAT on private school fees up. I have had people tell me "this is the politics of envy" and that I was wrong to think private schools are businesses, so good to see this policy analysis.

Some policy analysis about VAT on private school fees, why it is set to raise more than originally forecast, and why this matters. Please read, share, and subscribe for more! open.substack.com/pub/barrybla...

I was among the first to call for this. January 4th 2021. My call was rubbished and told there were no plans. A few months later it was Government policy. The reform hasn’t taken the shape I or many others wanted, but hopefully a page has been turned www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

As I, and others, predicted there has not been an exodus of pupils from private schools due to VAT on fees, partly because the price point is not a factor in accessing private education. The policy is set to raise *more* than originally forecast. www.scotsman.com/news/opinion...

Very much looking forward to the Kilbrandon Lecture by @carlenefirmin.bsky.social in the resplendent Barony Hall this evening

As I, and others, predicted there has not been an exodus of pupils from private schools due to VAT on fees, partly because the price point is not a factor in accessing private education. The policy is set to raise *more* than originally forecast. www.scotsman.com/news/opinion...

I have always thought that the value of a Covid inquiry would have been setting out a future framework for how the prioritisation of rights work in an emergency. So many rights violated (many of that necessary which is my point) with so little reflection or those decisions.

Two years ago (time flies!) I wrote about why Labour need to scrap the two child benefit cap - for many reasons - including if we as a society want to meaningfully reduce education inequalities. www.scotsman.com/news/opinion...

Two years ago (time flies!) I wrote about why Labour need to scrap the two child benefit cap - for many reasons - including if we as a society want to meaningfully reduce education inequalities. www.scotsman.com/news/opinion...

Saturday night kitchen 🐟

‘I had never supported Universal Free School Meals. Then I looked at the evidence.’ barryblack.substack.com/p/i-had-neve...

‘I had never supported Universal Free School Meals. Then I looked at the evidence.’ barryblack.substack.com/p/i-had-neve...

A really engaging day in Edinburgh for my first meeting as a member of the Promise Oversight Board, reflecting on previous reports, looking ahead to measuring progress in the next year, and hearing from the Chief Social Work Adviser. oversightboard.scot

La Mesa in Paisley tonight with the tremendous @mrdissent.bsky.social 🍀

Grilling ☀️

Garden to fork 🍴

It was a privilege to be able to review this book, and even though I am not a teacher, I learned so much from it. Kirsten is a phenomenal writer. Absolutely get involved with the competition to get a freebie, but buy a copy for yourself, friends, and your department as well!

About to watch my niece, with @SkeneSquare, perform at the National Finals of the Glee Challenge at the marvellous Usher Hall. Couldn’t be more proud. 🎉

About to watch my niece, with @SkeneSquare, perform at the National Finals of the Glee Challenge at the marvellous Usher Hall. Couldn’t be more proud. 🎉

A real honour to join the Promise Scotland Oversight Board. I am excited to get started alongside so many esteemed colleagues. An incredible pace of change is needed if we are to improve outcomes for those in care. oversightboard.scot

Delighted that my PhD thesis ‘Chances or Choices: the influences on subject choices under the curriculum for excellence’ has been granted final approval, and I have a nice new title! 🎉 None of it possible without the unwavering support of Profs Keith Kintrea and Catherine Lido

Delighted that my PhD thesis ‘Chances or Choices: the influences on subject choices under the curriculum for excellence’ has been granted final approval, and I have a nice new title! 🎉 None of it possible without the unwavering support of Profs Keith Kintrea and Catherine Lido

A perverse unintended, yet all too predictable, consequence of an obsession with improving the data while at school without a laser focus on improving outcomes which remain a national shame. www.tes.com/magazine/new...

☀️

☀️

This summer on Substack, I’ll be sharing findings from my PhD on how school subject choices are shaped by social background, aspirations, and curriculum structure. Subscribe and share with anyone interested in education: barryb.uk

Sunday morning coming down ☀️😎

It was great to have @barryblackne.bsky.social as one of the first guests on the Talking Scottish Education podcast with @dnleslie.bsky.social #TalkScotEd It will be good to find out more about Barry's PhD findings and what influences pupil subject choices on his Substack.

This summer on Substack, I’ll be sharing findings from my PhD on how school subject choices are shaped by social background, aspirations, and curriculum structure. Subscribe and share with anyone interested in education: barryb.uk

Real pleasure to be at Renfrewshire Council’s Equity Conference discussing ‘No Poverty of Aspiration’ today. 📚

Delis Make Glasgow

The first two episodes of the Talking Scottish Education podcast with me and @dnleslie.bsky.social have been released. The guest so far have been @mrdegsy.bsky.social, @barryblackne.bsky.social and Andy Brown, National Maths Adviser. The usual platforms including podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/t....