The Long Read in The Guardian is just heartbreaking. A look at a broken 13 year old that went on to be a broken man. www.theguardian.com/news/2025/no...

And nobody has any WiFi

Language shapes culture. In this TalkSavvy™ episode, I talk with Audrey Pantelis about how inclusive language builds belonging and trust. 🎧 Listen: open.spotify.com/episode/0gp4... #EduSky #SkyEd

New Substack (free) Today's offering is about Mary Astell, the OG feminist, way back at the end of the 17th century. Read all about her here: open.substack.com/pub/bennieka...

I’m really not a fan of fireworks.

Initial thoughts: some nice nods to diversity but it really is evolution not revolution. www.gov.uk/government/p... More thoughts later as it percolates.

This wife talking about her husband becoming radicalised by Farage and those like him really is quite extraordinary in its heartbreaking understatement. "He absolutely wanted it to be [a terrorist attack]. The grin on his face. He wanted an I-told-you-so."

Notes on a tragedy. First of all, the people who were injured in the Huntingdon train attack should be at the centre of our thoughts. We also need to note 1) speculation was racist, led by men (some women but mostly men) 2) a period of quiet followed when it turned out the perpetrator is British. ⬇️

Join me for a webinar on Race and Colonialism in Literature, focusing on texts taught in the UK.Perfect for English teachers. Event taking place 25th November (online) at 7pm. Tickets: £15 Link: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/race-and-c... Please repost and share with your networks.

For various reasons, I made a new FB profile. I didn’t add friends and I only followed a book group. My feed magically appeared to be made up of: right wing press, right wing figures, local newspapers (not for my town), news stories about immigrants. Something’s rotten in the state of Facebook.

New Substack - why are audiences at the theatre so white? open.substack.com/pub/bennieka...

Autumn in Paris ❤️

Actual footage of one of the Louvre Heist thieves on arrest.

Ahem. Uber. Just because it’s raining in London doesn’t mean you should be charging these prices for this distance.

Update. Changed my ticket time at considerable cost as I wasn’t gonna make it because my entire city is under construction. Got back to station to find original train was delayed enough for me to have made it on.

Gah the perimenopause got me. Went to train station all dressed up for an event and a night in London. Was all set. Looked down. No suitcase. Currently on a comedy taxi journey trying to get home to get said bag.

I feel like there’s a movie in this.

Happy Diwali. May the light guide you home.

I would have hoped support for Reform amongst Hindus would not be possible but then I remember how conservative and yes, nationalistic, Hindus have become. It’s upsetting. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Today I’m speaking at the Anti Racist Cumbria Summit. There are so many people here - I can’t wait to present later on behalf of Belonging Effect.

I chose the wrong profession to become a bajillionaire. I should have gone into school photography.

New Substack on teaching Rabindranath Tagore in English - have a read, then go and read some Tagore! open.substack.com/pub/bennieka...

“Evil thrives on apathy and cannot survive without it.” 🌊 ― Hannah Arendt, author of The Origins of Totalitarianism

Printing presses kept their letters in cases. Capital letters went in the upper case. Smaller letters went in the lower case. This is why we say ‘UPPER CASE’ and ‘lower case.’ Ok, but what did we call them before the invention of the printing press? MAJUSCULE and minuscule.

Nearly me in Aldi doing the weekly shop, listening to Opalite.

My rip off degree in English and European Literature made an English teacher for 20 years. Short sighted from the Tories, but that’s not a surprise.

Over 18k children. www.theguardian.com/world/ng-int...

Maths teacher, PE teacher, English teacher.

The sneering critics often miss the clever stuff.

Sharing xx

Great people on this list - do give them a follow!

I know there’s a lot going on right now, but can we talk about Frank Grillo? The man is a movie making machine. He’s averaging four of five films a year. Not good films, but still!

Can no one see what’s happening here?

Happy Taylor Swift Day to all who celebrate.

Awful awful news.

In a world of Laura Loomers, be a Jane Goodall.

Poems about October - found on Instagram

Bloody lovely. Now give every primary school a librarian. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

I have now experienced the Magic Roundabout in Swindon. I have to say, I don’t want to do that again. And yes, it is named after the TV show.

🎉 Leadership 55: Lessons in School Leadership is out NOW! 🥳 📚 Order your copy today! 🔗https://buff.ly/Cdfiocn 🗣️ Born out of the Leadership 55 webinar series, this book brings together the best thinking from some of education’s most influential voices More below 👇

This guy’s objection to The Hate U Give and Pigeon English is not about the swearing. The fact that the school has caved to his campaign is disheartening. www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/2548259...

I clearly didn’t sigh enough at the news yesterday and today we get this nonsense. *SIGH*

🚨 Just 2 days to go! 🚨 🎉 Leadership 55: Lessons in School Leadership launches this Friday! 🔗 Pre-order now: buff.ly/Cdfiocn

*sigh*

Scammers gonna scam.

I like a message that is unequivocal. Draw the line against fascism.

New Substack! What would happen if we taught that history is more than wars and conflict? open.substack.com/pub/bennieka...

Nigel Farage is skating dangerously close to ‘remigration’ talk. All part of a drive to emulate Trumpian appeals to the disgruntled, as if deporting the family of a languages assistant will bring us jobs and more money in our pockets.

The internet is telling me this is real. If it is, something has gone horribly wrong with the honmoon.