There is a glaring contradiction at the heart of the white paper that needs discussing: how do you reconcile a push for inclusive schools with an Ofsted framework that rewards attainment at all costs?

The Human Condition (La condition humaine) was created in 1935. Artist: René Magritte, a Belgian surrealist painter.

This is a remarkably well-written and challenging book. I recommend it to anyone who is interested in the future of the planet and isn’t actively angered by thoughts of religion (The Christian content is gentle and well thought-through but appropriately uncompromising).

think that we should rejoin the EU slowly, county by county starting from the south coast, just to see how it feels

cooked him like groceries

Post-16 education is massively underfunded - school sixth forms are bad enough but FE is another world entirely. Meanwhile, cutting overseas students from universities has wrecked their funding model and left is massively underinvested in our future workforce.

Isn't it interesting that the first instinct of these "freedom of speech warriors", who lose their mind if someone takes down one of their cheap polyester flags, is totry and destroy property in order to shut down anything that might challenge their view?

This is a good point, but it is against all qualifications rather than just exams since judging and categorizing is exactly what qualifications do. I can’t see how returning to a world without qualifications doesn’t revert to one where contacts and capital are the currency of opportunity.

There should be a convention that if the party is in government, new leaders should only be chosen by MPs, not party members.

Deeds not words

At least three and maybe four years of the past decade have been spent with a PM grimly hanging to power having lost authority with their party. The opportunity cost is so high. We really need to find better ways to manage these transitions.

Reading Sapiens and there are a few throw away lines that are jarring. The claim here is that Jesus was wrong when he said there would always be poverty because we now have a welfare state and NGOs that mean that most of the time in many countries people don’t actually starve to death.

Taking my voting card for a walk in the evening sunshine - what a day to be alive!

Today we said a formal goodbye to the Year 13s with traditions from Bede and Newton and some new treats from Paul Simon and the Prose Edda james-handscombe.co.uk/legacy/heroe...

Today I take participatory democracy one step further by having my name on a ballot paper for the first (and maybe only) time. So, if you can vote today, please do, and if you have the opportunity please vote for me!

Never met Tony Peters, don’t know who he is, but a million years ago on Facebook he posted this and I don’t think anyone’s ever put it better.

On 1st May 2020 I set myself the challenge of cycling from London to Paris that month (virtually since we were all locked down). It's 500km and I made the distance in that time. Since then I've carried on logging cycling and walking distances and virtual me trudged into Singapore a month ago.

My threads are full of invisible replies today. I’ve not had that before on here. Anyone with insight?

Can you name those six deaths?

Come join us in the best pub in the world. Possibly any world. willerby.substack.com/p/the-green-...

I am a huge fan of the niche, the nerdy and the nuanced (this may not be new information) and am also delighted by the human capacity for creativity. Willerby ticks all my boxes - firstly, simply, as stories, beautifully crafted, as you might tell to a group of fractious children in a rainstorm.

Sorry if I've repeated this but; there are people today afraid to visit their place of worship, go to work, sit at a bus stop etc because of this series of antisemitic attacks. Gleefully excusing that for your own political arguments makes you no better than the Tommy Robinson's of this world.

*** NEW POST *** A reply from Alex Standish to a recent piece I wrote. While I argue that the curriculum should be future-facing, Alex reminds us not to forget the importance of learning about, and building on, the past. enserm.substack.com/p/without-kn...

Peak pun-day content. @jameshandscombe.bsky.social @pippinsboss.bsky.social

I like big buttresses and I cannot lie.

Forging links between The West Wing and Taylor Swift we have a very well-chosen birthday present. Now I just need to find a new CD player…

How to serve an iceberg lettuce

I have not only a copy of the long-lost second edition (the tupenny blue of Willerby books) but also some Ephemera!

The topology of wine time is strongly non-Euclidean.

Available to order here: individually numbered, posted from the village with a letter from the Parish Council. www.etsy.com/uk/listing/4...

I have not only a copy of the long-lost second edition (the tupenny blue of Willerby books) but also some Ephemera!

LOOK what arrived today! I shall sit in the garden and read, later on. What a treat! Have you ordered yours? Thank you, @welcometowillerby.bsky.social !

Jack's Pool. The first Willerby Story. Newcomers who don't know better wake an old spirit of blood and water. willerby.substack.com/p/jacks-pool

I wish more educators and fewer lawyers would run for public office, in part b/c the best ones are naturals at explaining the whys of things. We could use more people in public life who cultivate understanding and bring people along together instead of "voters are too dumb to appreciate language"

This can get worse. Havind read @head-teach.bsky.social excellent latest post seems a good time to share this again. On why we might be making terrible mistakes around how we're framing the new drive to inclusion. bennewmark.wordpress.com/2026/03/26/t...

Reports of a third attempted arson attack on Jewish targets in North London this week. It's getting really scary and more people need to start taking it seriously.

Jack is neither evil or benign. He’s just his own Jack, as the vikings found out.

Yes. This is exactly it. Willerby is in the net of the whispers of the great old roads. Somewhere in the web of the M1, M6, M69, A14, not far from the junction cross of the Fosse and Watling Street.

assuming everyone has already read this but if not: please be advised that the first time I read it I was at my desk at work and I had to go for a little walk halfway through because I thought I was about to die from quietly laughing

"The next day was Sunday again. The caterpillar ate through one nice leaf, and after that he felt better."

Wonderful news from Wales!

They listen to my songs in Willerby now, I'm told. I am beyond proud. My songs are running round my head grinning.

Oh my gods this one is stunning!

Excitement in the village, particularly for our band, The Tumulus Wrecks, at the arrival of this from Hookland. @hookland.bsky.social @taliskimberley.bsky.social @tomsbrown.bsky.social

Portuguese sea deity has views on current events.

“Trump, whose rhetoric has become increasingly erratic during the course of the Iran conflict, now in its sixth week,“…

THIS.

A couple of months too late, but I’m delighted with this achievement - never got close before.

Now is the time for the Easter Beagle - if you have not yet watched it this year then you only have a few days left to learn how to make coloured eggs.

Rather amazingly I persuaded my family to play. The reviews are in A) It’s gross B) That was actually fun C) I’m mostly heads D) That was entertainingly silly @davidmalki.com