Luckiest job in the world teaching #art throughout #KS2. Helps to structure the planning to ensure every child is making progress with their skills. A short thread through the key stage for this term so far. Year 3/4 inspired by their book focus on the #Everest expedition of Norgay and Hillary…1/3

Huge thanks to Ben Rothery, Susannah Lloyd, Jenny Mclachlan, Ramzee, Liz Hyder, Kes Gray, Richard O’Neill, Saviour Pirotta, Nicholas Jubber, Darren Simpson, Mama G, Steve Webb @mattgoodfellow.bsky.social for just being brilliant people, superb company over a beer and creatives who blow your mind!

Spent the most fantastic weekend #nolimitsfestival created by the wonderful @rabbits21.bsky.social Saw so many families from our school engaging with authors and illustrators including our very own #BethWalker. Thousands attended and had a blast.

@mariannedoherty.bsky.social @checkemoutbooks.bsky.social

Kate Winter - the most exciting talent in NF? Adored The Fossil Hunter and her style perfectly suits the discovery of prehistoric paintings in Lascaux a century ago in The Cave Explorer. Engrossing art (+gatefolds), enticing questions and key knowledge - Kate has produced a serious work of art!

Thank you #cicadabooks #annadavies #daisywynter for Shoes: A Footwear Fashion Frolic. It’s a fantastic journey through the history of footwear taking us around the globe, focusing on designers too and will interest all children due to the later focus on #nike #vans #airjordans #adidas designs.

Love this term! We use The Lost Words by #robertmacfarlane & #jackiemorris to inspire artwork based on the beauty of nature. A term for patience, care and resilience. We look in detail and then super detail and it’s when children take a giant leap. #primaryart This is just the start! #thelostwords

No need for words…The Invisible Parade by #LeighBardugo & #JohnPicacio *thank you @smithsmm.bsky.social #grief #loss #memories #rememberinglovedones

If it's helpful to schools, below is the link to a year's worth of picturebook assembly suggestions that have a focus on empathy and inclusion. They're all books I've used and loved as a teacher. padlet.com/Jon_Biddle/r...

Generally stay away from ‘celebrity’ books but Marvellous Messages: The Amazing Story of Communication by #roseaylingellis #andreamills #lenaaddink is not only an important book but brilliant fun to read time-travelling around the globe to see communication develop and meet key deaf people. Superb!

I’m Like A Tree And A Tree’s Like Me #sylvainejaoui & #annecrahay is a wonderful book for FS/KS1 to show the similarities between nature and human growth and with paper-cut pages for the oooh! It emphasises the importance of all life. I think it’s a beautiful thing. #picturebooks #KS1 #EYFS

Need a bigger bookshelf! My lending library at school is piling up! (This is a fraction of it) so important that my shelves include a diverse range and the very best of new books available. No funding so my wallet takes a hit so it’s a good job I love reading them! #headteacherheadreader

Have to say I loved that! Funny, cracking songs, great story and plenty of action. Having been ‘brought up’ on anime, manga and KPop thanks to 2 girls who are now uni and beyond I thought it was cracking fun! #kpopdemonhunters #netflix

Top selection from @rabbits21.bsky.social today. @smithsmm.bsky.social pointed me in the direction of King & Sendak’s Hansel and Gretel and the phenomenal The Invisible Parade. Dick Turpin (loved TV series as a kid) due to possible family highwayman history and Blitzers as ❤️ @alastairc.com work.

Read Margaret Atwood’s #TheHandmaidsTale over the summer and now working my way through the TV series (on season 5). In my view the only drama that comes close to #BreakingBad and Elizabeth Moss’s performance is the best I’ve ever seen. Truly phenomenal. Thought provoking brilliance.

@smithsmm.bsky.social @f33lthesun.bsky.social @mrlockyer.bsky.social @checkemoutbooks.bsky.social #edusky #reading #freefestival

This is stupidly exciting! If you live anywhere near Lincolnshire and love books/music then come along to this FREE festival organised by the amazing @rabbits21.bsky.social Proud to be part of such a wonderful event - can’t wait to chat with so many authors and probably buy more books! #NoLimits

Looking for a brilliant book to stimulate creativity in #EYFS? Is a Book a Box for Words? By Harriet Ziefert and Merce Gali would work brilliantly with Its Not a Box by Antoinette Portis. Brilliantly imaginative and creative with words with opportunities to discover and explore. #edusky #primary

If you're #Lincolnshire -way and would like to say hi and grab a signed copy of #THIRST, I'll be appearing at FREE events at #NoLimits in Brigg and #LincolnBookFestival. Look 'em up online and book your place! 📚❤️

Gorgeous #summerholiday -might actually get on with work today! Sun in Mallorca, delicious food, one or two drinks (!), visits to/from friends & family, read 20+ books, Coldplay in ‘ull and generally relaxed the ‘eck out of it. And on the last day tomorrow we’ll book next year’s holiday! #rested

Final bookshop of the holiday. Pic 1 from The Crow Road Bookshop in Arundel. Pic 2 from #oxfambrighton. Also did some early Christmas shopping 😬🎁

@jonbiddle.bsky.social I’m sure the shop is on your indie bookshop list but just in case…

Reposting about #BethanyWalker #sophiekent How to Train Your Teacher - a perfect back to school book for #EYFS #KS1. Featured in Sunday Times too. A fantastic read aloud- I changed the name of the teacher to one of our own which worked so well. #back2school #edusky #keystage1 #reception

Popped in the brilliant The Crow Road Books in Arundel today - changed ownership - lovely chap and dog! - and name since my last visit 9 years ago. Cracking selection of books including Beth Walker’s Medusa Gorgon’s Bad Hair Day. May have treated myself to a few. #indiebookshops #ukbookshops

Cracking chiller from #JackMackay (illustrated by #benjoelprice) with frightening monsters, a terrifying house and a courageous heroine, Gwen. Relationships push the emotional buttons. #jenniferkillick fans will love it. (Note:deals with loss of parent from illness) year6 #kidlituk #ukkidlit #edusky

Tried opening the laptop this afternoon to make a start on prep for the new term. Lola is quite the showgirl and clearly thinks I should be cracking on with the holiday. I agreed. #holiday #stillholiday #cats

Leaf by Sandra Dieckmann makes a compelling focus for creative projects in both KS1 and KS2. This beautiful picture book has plenty of heart – but there’s bite here, too, beneath the decorative surface. Download free activity ideas here...

I use #martabartolj Every Little Kindness in PSHE so I was thrilled to find Finding Forgiveness. A wordless story to help children learn the importance of forgiveness & understanding. The story is like a relay race, the forgiveness baton being handed on inspiring actions of others. Utterly lovely.💙

Huge fan of @tompalmerauthor.bsky.social and it’s wonderful to see #wardog published after he shared with our children recently. Perfect to introduce WW2 in assembly with #hope #courage #friendship and #loyalty threaded through. Illustrated beautifully by Carolina Rabei. #picturebooks #WW2

Love that your Dad did that. My reader journey started with AA Milne poetry learned by heart with my mum at bedtime. My own reading was as eclectic then as now. Or Willie and The Broons annuals, Beano comic, Famous Five, Nancy Drew, a Greek Myths book I read over and over, Ladybird Fairy Tales …

#inspired2read Just thinking of some of the books that really ignited my love of reading as a child in the late 70s and early 80s. Dad was a bin-man and he saved so many from the rubbish tip for us. Libraries and his job were vital in providing books when things were tough. 1/3

Truly one of the most magical nights with a group who just love being there. I know they don’t tick everyone’s box but it was two hours of joy. #coldplayhull

Brilliant book day in Lincoln/Brigg with my good mate JG. First selection from the awesome #indiebookshop Shelf Editions (@smithsmm.bsky.social we must visit) in Lincoln, #charityshophaul from Oxfam Brigg and finally @rabbits21.bsky.social @tompalmerauthor.bsky.social new picture book #wardog

I’ve been into the @oxfamgb.bsky.social Lincoln shop hundreds of times and spent a fair bit over the years but (unlike Brigg Oxfam which is still very reasonable price-wise) the prices have increased astronomically! £19.99 for this 👇 in a charity shop! No thank you.

Book 8 of 8 holiday reads finished. Love #janicehallett books and her debut didn’t disappoint. #TheAppeal Perfect summer #crime read.

My Uncle Bob. And the main inspiration for me becoming a teacher/headteacher. His influence when I was a kid was huge! Lovely article for a gem of a man. Not an obituary by the way! 😄 www.northamptonchron.co.uk/education/it...

Book 7 of the beach holiday reads finished: #augmented by #kenechiudogu @faberbooks.bsky.social Slow burner as I got my head around the technologies and life of future London but so worth sticking with as the importance of Akaego’s role becomes more apparent. #KS3 or strong Y6. #ukkidlit #kidlituk

Something gorgeous about reading on holiday. #holidayreads #relaxing

Those who know me know I generally stick to MG but after The Handmaid’s Tale I’ve just finished There are Rivers in the Sky by @elifshafak.bsky.social It is one of the best books I have ever read. Oh my word. What storytelling between centuries and cultures. I’ll be ordering more of Elif’s books.

Cannot recommend #peterburns Shadow Thieves @farshorebooks.bsky.social highly enough. Echoes of Oliver/HP/MEngines a brilliantly imaginative complex criminal world which has deep characterisation, enthralling adventure and people you care about. Book of the year so far? #kidlituk #ukkidlit

Aimed for 8 book reads during the #mallorcaholiday and reached 4 by the half way point. Book 5 is #peterburns Shadow Thieves which looks right up my tree. Books 6, 7 and 8 will follow. @farshorebooks.bsky.social #ukkidlit #holidayreads

First four books of the beach holiday have an eclectic feel! Niven’s The Moon’s a Balloon is my favourite autobiography of all so it’s been a pleasure diving back in after 30 years. Love old #Hollywood #davidniven #thehandmaidstail is one I’ve wanted to read for years.

#ukkidlit #kidlituk #mgkidlit #ageofenchantment #chroniclesofwhetherwhy Is Anna on Blue Sky?

Latest beach read and yet another fantastical world to get totally immersed in. Anna James’ Chronicles of Whetherwhy (illustrated by genius David Wyatt) is rich in world building, magic and diverse characters and sets up intriguingly for further visits. Blimey there’s some good stuff out there!

Chuffed for #BethanyWalker. Best yet! A brilliantly funny writer now teamed with #KatieAbey #Medusa Gorgon’s Bad Hair Day is a Great Greek God myth-twist using a diary narrative and a hilarious Statler & Waldorf comic-book style summaries. A cracking clever read. Sequel please! #kidlituk #ukkidlit

It’s nearly August which means Medusa Gorgon’s Bad Hair Day @katieabey.bsky.social is out in 2 weeks! If you like these books, then you’ll love this book 📖 @scholasticuk.bsky.social #kidlituk @louiestowell.bsky.social

First book of the actual holiday holiday from about 30000 feet up - Bethany Walker’s Medusa Gorgon’s Bad Hair (illustrated by Katie Abey) Can I see Mount Olympus from here? #medusa #bethanywalker @scholasticuk.bsky.social

Picture books have the power to make you cry and Okchundang Candy by Jung-soon Go certainly did. Story of the mutual love between a grandchild & grandparents before touching upon cancer and the onset of Alzheimer’s. It is beautiful and heartbreaking. So powerful. @smithsmm.bsky.social #loss #love