Jill Berry

I LOVED talking about my fiction writing & 4 novels to an audience of former pupils, current & former staff, friends of the school (and one parent!) at Bedford Girls' School on Tuesday evening. It was a joyous occasion! Thanks for inviting me.

🌟Are you a global majority teacher or middle leader ready to take your practice to the next level?

We're offering 30 fully funded places on our Chartered Teacher Status: Increasing Diversity in Teacher Education cohort!

More info here: https://chartered.pulse.ly/pgub4ljx7n

Join us this weekend in Wakefield for the @womened.bsky.social x BrewEd event!

It’s going to be a brilliant and inspiring day!

Jobs - Girls' Schools Association Do you enjoy being the centre of activity? We are seeking the person who will be the centre of our Senior School life, supporting pupils, parents, staff and visitors with warmth and professionalism.

Student Services Assistant, The Marist School. Closes: 15/03. jobs.gsa.uk.com/themarist/st.... #independentschooljobs #berkshirejobs #schooljobs

Political Education For Students

Political Education For Students (PEFS) Conference:

Beyond The Ballot: Ten Years of Brexit | Tuesday 23 June | St. Helen's School, London.

See the details on the following link: pefs.co.uk/brexit-confe...

Maternity pay increase is a step in the right direction Teachers are being failed by the current maternity pay entitlement, writes Helena Marsh, so the government’s announcement of an increase must be welcomed

On the 'motherhood penalty' - an excellent piece from headteacher @helenamarsh.bsky.social in @tesmagazine.bsky.social: www.tes.com/magazine/ana...

What textbook writing taught me about making shared resources Planning lessons for others means you can’t rely on your own subject knowledge or ability to explain things on the fly, says Mark Enser, who shares his advice for making centralised resources

What the process of writing a text book taught @ensermark.bsky.social about creating shared resources (which should help teachers and subject leaders who are developing such resources for others in their team): @tesmagazine.bsky.social www.tes.com/magazine/tea...

Maternity pay increase is a step in the right direction Teachers are being failed by the current maternity pay entitlement, writes Helena Marsh, so the government’s announcement of an increase must be welcomed

On the 'motherhood penalty' - an excellent piece from headteacher @helenamarsh.bsky.social in @tesmagazine.bsky.social: www.tes.com/magazine/ana...

Missing Mothers Annual Conference The MTPT Project's annual Missing Mothers conference: for parent-educators, school and organisational leaders. Over our two morning events, we'll empower you to make practical changes to build more fa...

Fri 13 & Sat 14 March: @mtptproject.bsky.social's annual Missing Mothers conference is designed for parent-teachers, school & organisational leaders. The conference focuses on using practical strategies in schools to build family-friendly working environments. www.eventbrite.co.uk/cc/missing-m...

What if our scaffolds are holding pupils back? Well hello there, and welcome to update #180!

Don't let the 'scaffold' become a 'ceiling'...
@marymyatt.bsky.social for @myattandco.bsky.social: marymyatt.substack.com/p/what-if-ou...

Do banded books make for poorer readers? Schemes that match books to primary pupils’ skill level could be holding children back and making them less engaged in their reading, writes Alex Quigley

"Schools need to consider whether the push for accessible levelled reading choices is exacerbating the problem that every primary teacher is ultimately trying to solve: helping their struggling readers to find reading easier.": www.tes.com/magazine/tea... @alexjquigley.bsky.social in TES magazine.

Do banded books make for poorer readers? Schemes that match books to primary pupils’ skill level could be holding children back and making them less engaged in their reading, writes Alex Quigley

On 'banded' books:
"Could relying too heavily on 'easy' reading be holding pupils back?"
@alexjquigley.bsky.social writes for @tesmagazine.bsky.social : www.tes.com/magazine/tea...

Lord of the Flies - a Decolonial Lens Unpicking racially coded language, characters and settings.

Lord of the Flies: "If we consider the text through a decolonial lens, we might explore the ways in which we handle critical reading, context, voice, power and language."
@benniekara.bsky.social: benniekara.substack.com/p/lord-of-th...

Next Tuesday...

Still time to register for this - online twilight session this Thursday, 26 Feb. For aspiring Heads of Department/subject co-ordinators.

Please pass on to anyone you think might benefit? Many thanks!

Still time to register for this - online twilight session this Thursday, 26 Feb. For aspiring Heads of Department/subject co-ordinators.

Please pass on to anyone you think might benefit? Many thanks!

I know I only usually post on here about education, but just in case you're in Lincolnshire & this is your kind of music, come & hear us sing Music from Stage & Screen on Sat 21 March? Sondheim, Jenkins, Williams, Abba, Les Miserables... @wegottickets.bsky.social link wegottickets.com/event/679398

Next week!

"..I hold on to hope, not naively, but intentionally. I believe in this profession. I believe in the power of education to transform lives, & I believe in the people who show up every day to do just that.” @thosethatcan.bsky.social: uk.sagepub.com/en-gb/eur/re... @sagepub.com 2/2

“I’ve always believed that teachers are some of the most important stabilising forced in a child’s life. In a turbulent world, the presence of a consistent, kind & courageous adult can be transformative…" @thosethatcan.bsky.social 1/2

“I hold on to a stubborn optimism, forged over almost three decades in the classroom & countless conversations with teachers who, against the odds, are still standing, still laughing, still changing lives every single day with their compassion & dedication.” @thosethatcan.bsky.social

An adoptee: reflections on schools and leadership Every one of us has a unique story, a set of circumstances and challenges that make us who we are, and we bring that part of us to school or work every day. I’ve always tried to visualise the hundr…

"Leading adults with empathy does not mean lowering expectations, it means recognising that people’s reactions often come from places we cannot see." @samcrome.bsky.social: samcrome.com/2026/02/20/a...
I love this, Sam.

An adoptee: reflections on schools and leadership Every one of us has a unique story, a set of circumstances and challenges that make us who we are, and we bring that part of us to school or work every day. I’ve always tried to visualise the hundr…

Supporting adoptees (& others) as a school:
"Here are a few things I think would have really helped me, & that I think benefit children who face challenges, but also every other child." A brilliant blog from @samcrome.bsky.social: samcrome.com/2026/02/20/a...

On handing over your role to someone else: “It’s important to strike a balance between enabling them with key information & letting them go about the role with their unique strengths & a fresh pair of eyes.” @thosethatcan.bsky.social in uk.sagepub.com/en-gb/eur/re..., @sagepub.com

I know I only usually post on here about education, but just in case you're in Lincolnshire & this is your kind of music, come & hear us sing Music from Stage & Screen on Sat 21 March? Sondheim, Jenkins, Williams, Abba, Les Miserables... @wegottickets.bsky.social link wegottickets.com/event/679398

"...We get to be resourceful, creative, imaginative. We get to learn more about human behaviour than in almost any other profession. We get to say we’re making a difference." @thosethatcan.bsky.social in uk.sagepub.com/en-gb/eur/re..., out now from @sagepub.com 2/2

LISTEN: Talking Research Podcast Part 3 from the Gov RIG - BELMAS Introducing the third instalment of the Governance and Governing RIG's 'Talking Research' Podcast...

Podcast alert! In this episode I'm talking with Philip Rowe whose doctoral research is focused on the HT/Chair relationship - rather like my research ... but different! #UKEdGovs #UKEd #Governance #PhDSky LISTEN: Talking Research Podcast Part 3 from the Gov RIG @belmasoffice.bsky.social

Teaching, and leading in education:
"Rather than feeling like victims of currents beyond our power, remember that, as autonomous adults with qualifications & skills, we always have choices, & so we can reframe our obligations as choices...." @thosethatcan.bsky.social 1/2

... @thosethatcan.bsky.social in her new book: uk.sagepub.com/en-gb/eur/re..., out now from @sagepub.com 2/2

Teaching: “Of course, it’s not all roses – children press our buttons, push our boundaries & enter schools with a plethora of complex issues – but to be the adult in the room qualified (through graft, hard-won qualifications & experience) to help is truly, I would argue, a privilege.” 1/2