Happy back-to-school month one and all…September, going on Christmas?!? 🎄Oooookay!

As I “officially” come to the end of mat leave, time for a duo of new profile pics: 1) One of my fave baby events (yes, in part down to the neon slogan in the background!) 🤭 2) The perfect way to spend the final few (child free!) days of my mat leave! 💅 Monday: back to it! 🙌 #BabySky #EduSky

This looks like SUCH a stunning and moving book. *Adds to the Waterstones basket…*

Ha ha ha…this. And spare a thought for me returning to work after my maternity leave, to this fun and games! 🤦‍♀️

…and just like that, I’m back at work and my son has joined the rat race 😆 He had a great day though (phew!) and we are definitely all enjoying extra bedtime cuddles this eve! 🥰

Today my son had his first nap at Nursery + I had the privilege of joining the nap room for the last 15 mins. What a joy to be in a room of (I didn’t count, but maybe 8?) babies, all sleeping soundly, being ably supported by the nursery staff, who are quite frankly, angels + miracle workers!

As my son starts his settling in sessions at Nursery his week, it’s safe to say he’s beginning to look less like a baby and more and more like a little boy…G’ah! 🥹

Another book recommendation from my holibobs - in amongst all the Daniel Hurst thrillers on the kindle - this book was something else…and the last page? Well I must have read that a good few times. Tough, but important reading. Highly recommend. #BookSky 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟

A bit denser than my usual sort of read (and v. history heavy) but interesting and exceptionally gripping nevertheless. May have to get Disney+ to catch the telly version too! #BookSky

After an amazing few weeks overseas, 🇨🇴 🇧🇴 🇵🇪 🇧🇷 🇺🇾 we are back on British soil. Return journey was a dream (night flight for the win, jet lag still a little wild!) and little man is currently settling in at nursery while I drink chai, eat cake + reflect on the most wonderful 9 months 🥹 😍 💝

1 week into our holiday - having THE most fab time, it’s been simply too busy to post! Flight was WILD (major sensory overload meant son simply did not sleep!) but the adventure at the other end is making it all the more worth while - we are all having the absolute bestest of times! 🙌

An overnight stay at LHR can mean only one thing: first long haul flight in over 5 years, making our drink of choice seem only apt. Cheers peeps + happy hols to all our teacher folk friends 🍻 🤩 😘 (and wish us luck travelling long haul with the bubba too 😜)

Happy Friday … and sharing this, just because it’s too good not to, right? 🪨 🦦

Oh hello blue skies 🤩

The Split: end of Season 2 and start of Season 3, both phenomenal, if a touch triggering at times 😭 Well into Series 3 now. This is SUCH a fantastic TV discovery; I highly recommend 🌟

Gareth Southgate, "True success is how you respond in the hardest moments" "It's about having the belief and resilience to persevere" "Not everyone will win trophies. Not everyone will be at the top of their field" "But everyone can live a life where they constantly try to improve"

So tuckered out yesterday from a big old busy day of baby brunch (!), swimming + a LOT of walking (obvs) in the blooming beautiful sunshine (coat off, thank you very much), forgot to post the official PSA “Spring is in the air” pic (please be here to stay!!!) 🤞 ☀️

A lucky stone, a seashell + of course my flamingo 🦩 of hope, courtesy of @raesnape.bsky.social (the weekend before my first OFSTED inspection as Head, no less!) So, to the good teacher folk of Blue Sky, what are the ‘lucky’ items sitting on your desks or in your classrooms?!? 🍀

Politics + psychometrics. Rock + a hard place. A rompingly good read from @timleunig.bsky.social So glad that in the year’s “break” I’ll have had from headship, literally no progress in school inspection has been made. My school however? Ticking along just wonderfully, thank you very much 🙏

I like this graph. 📈 A lot. (With two left handed parents, what are the chances of the little man being left handed? Even the swimming teacher has noticed a dominance towards his left side when “swimming”.) Interesting stuff!

Looking forward to seeing whether this *actually* captures any of the challenges of the last 5 years…or just seeks to blame…let’s see…

Laughter erupts at #ASCL2025 as Sir Martyn Oliver, Ofsted's Chief Inspector tells school leaders: "I don't want you to be doing anything for Ofsted"...

Really welcome recognition from the Secretary of State that many of the challenges schools are currently facing can't be fixed within schools themselves, but need wider system reform. #ASCL2025

Had some very odd bad dreams / nightmares last night. Only now do I realise I had quite the smorgasbord of cheese last night. Cheese fuelled bad dreams? Who knew it was a real thing? But why?!? 🧀 😋 🧀 😋 🧀

My son has just woken after 8+ hours sleep. He’s always been a fairly good sleeper, but this is another level. And after a short but sweet feed, he’s fast asleep again! What. A. Win. (For now, anyhow 😆) Tonight could be a WHOLE other matter 🤪

*begins to look up flights to Vienna*

Happy WBD to all those who celebrate…not being in a school for the first time in forever felt WEIRD. So of course, I had to dress my son up 🐛 …and then of course, I had to take him to a bookshop…and then of course, I had to buy us BOTH some books. You know how it is… #BookSky #MumSky

“Ooh, there’s warmth in that sun you know…” the phrase no doubt being uttered up and down the land on this wonderfully warm* Wednesday! ☀️ 😎 ☀️ *when I say warm, I probably mean sunny - but you all know what I mean, I’m sure! 😜

Yes, yes and yes - I was truly heartened when one of my fab teachers and subject leaders - totally unprompted - told an OFSTED inspector that *every* conversation in our school is a CPD conversation. 👩‍🏫 🗣️ 👨‍🏫 YES, YES and YES! 🙌

Aw I love this - I am very proud to be a boy mumma, today and every day! Now let’s just hope he commemorates the day with a stonkingly good sleep 😜 Sweet dreams one and all 😘

Thanks to the joy of Everyman’s Baby Club, I finally saw Bridget Jones - and oh my, was it everything I hoped for and more! The perfect sequel, while at the same time a superb throwback to all previous films, not to mention a soundtrack to boot! 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 #FilmSky #MovieSky #MumSky

Is it just me thinking that hearing Clive Myrie reading the news this morning has suddenly made R2 feel exceptionally high brow and grown up?!? 🗞️ 📰

I’ve watched a LOT of box sets over the past 6+ months, but with vibes and undertones of Succession, not to mention GREAT music (London Grammar + silent disco scene =👌) this has been one of the best and I highly recommend 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟

Raising a toast to all the teachers back at work this week…(please don’t hate me for making the absolute most of a school-free Monday! #Lima #DayDate #FineDining #BringTheBaby #FoodSky #MumSky

Walk, don’t run…Superb Waterstones offer on selected pre-orders. I LOVE a pre order as it’s like a present to your future self…because, if you’re anything like me, you’ll have forgotten about by the time it lands on your doorstep. A little book bonus*! 📚 (*cannot claim to have only bought 1 book)

Looking forward to a reunion brunch with this lovely lot…a few more babies, significantly fewer blisters (PHEW!) 😆 #100K #UltraChallenge #London2Brighton #L2B 👣

My breakie toast just popped up like proper cartoon style toaster toast. And no-one was there to see it! (I squealed like a baby I was so excited, I had no idea that toasters *actually* did this…but then I’m of the impatient sort that normally pops it before the timer goes.) 🍞

This book is so so SO good. Chapters are short, sweet and easily digestible in between mumma duties (Paloma knows). 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 Highly recommend. #BookSky #MumSky

Howling at the teacher on BBC R2, who just spelt c-a-t using her phonics. And in proper letters? , asks Scott… Hilarious 🤣 #EduSky

hello world, 15 mins old

My drive this morning across SW London was all the better for being accompanied by Chesney Hawkes on R2 Piano Room. So much more to Chesney than just his uni club classic “One & Only” … I won’t deny shedding a little tear crossing Kew Bridge as he dedicated his new song Loud 🎶 to his mate Vic 💝

A lecture from Vance on democracy is like the child-catcher from Chitty Chitty bang bang leading a safeguarding INSET

My goodness am I obsessed with everything about this cheese…the name, the cute graphics on the front, the price … and of course, the taste! 😋 #FoodSky #SomersetNibbler 🐭 (Oh and happy Half Term to those folks celebrating 😆)

❤️ Pre V-Day, last minute date night (or afternoon) ✅ Because we just LOVE a bit of tapas (wasn’t sure about the dog waiver and whether we would need to do the same for the bubba 😆 …We didn’t! ❤️ )

Hmm, gutted to keep missing Scott Mills’ easiest quiz on the radio this week (but can’t complain, as that is because bubba’s new sleep routine is currently allowing me to sleep past 7am) 🎉 💤 🥳

Spotted in Sains earlier today…Could there be anything more Souf London than Morley’s fried chicken sauce. Brilliant. Just brilliant! 🤩

📣 Bag Update: because, yes I refuse to let go of the “me bag” in favour of a “mummy bag” - but my 5mo LO does now have his own little toy-filled rucksack! (Yes he kindly & unknowingly carries my kindle for me too!!!) 📚 🦒 #BookSky #EduSky #MumSky

Happy Birthday BlueSky! 🎈🎂 🎁 @bsky.app #AcademicSky #BookSky #EduSky #MumSky

Well, well,well…new learning here for me. Ever since (accidentally) treading on a rat as a child (don’t even ask) I have musophobia, that is I must say only getting worse as I get older. Mice used to be ok, not anymore. And the other day a squirrel gave me a fright! Great to learn a new word! 🤓

Always up for a cup of positivi-tea 🫖 💝 🌈