Anne Pettigrew

It’s been the sort of day when I asked a colleague, in all seriousness, “What day of the week is Wednesday?”

Revising with Y13 in #MathsToday. Starter was to solve dy/dx = x sec^2 y and dy/dx = y sec^2 x. Useful reminders about all sorts of things in there.

Totoro wins, but Howl and The Cat Returns are v close.

Which fits with 1980 = 20 years ago, so we’re beginning to get a consistent model.

condition. Then we talk about the consequences for the patient, and the wisdom (or otherwise) of screening. Regular testing for vulnerable groups, yes, absolutely. General screening, no.

I work through a scenario with my A-level maths students looking at the probability of a patient having a given disease that affects 1% of a population with a test sensitivity of 99% and specificity of 95%. In a screening program a +ve test result gives a 16.5% chance of actually having the

It's not illegal to use the right toilets and no one should adhere to Mary-Ann Stephenson's headmistressly call to "follow rules" that serve no good purpose, breach the UK's human rights obligations, will be bad for all women, and debase trans dignity. Make her appoint her sodding toilet police.

This is the saddest day of my professional life. Today is not only the final recording of the latest series of The Infinite Monkey Cage, it is my last ever Monkey Cage. I never thought that I would have to leave the show. I always imagined going on until | dropped dead under the studio lights due to a brain aneurysm caused by my final attempt to understand notions of quantum gravity or the shock of being told about fly maggot infestations in the sacks of macaque monkeys. I resigned in September, after sixteen years of dedication to the show, A show that I named and helped develop over all those years. Unfortunately, my opinions outside the BBC have been considered problematic for sometime, whether it has been voicing support for the trans community, criticism of Donald Trump, numerous other outlandish opinions, including once gently criticising Stephen Fry. These things were considered to conflict with being a freelance BBC science presenter

In a recent meeting where BBC Studio executives again voiced problems with me, I realised my choices. Obedience and being quieter to remain making Monkey Cage, or 'Resign and have the freedom to speak out against what I believe are injustices'. • I chose the latter. It broke my heart. I love this show and I love the audience, and it is because of the audience in particular, that this decision was so difficult to make. I kept thinking about all the extremist voices promoting hate and division. They are being given so many platforms, while voices that represent kindness, open mindedness, empathy seem to be scarcer and scarcer. I felt I couldn't pamper myself with the luxury of silence. One of my many privileges is that I am able to resign and I can speak out even if it is to the detriment of my career.

I have thought a lot about my heroes, Sinead O Connor, James Baldwin, Audre Lorde, and so many more. I think of Sinead's words, "the job of an artist is to be themselves at any cost". James Baldwin said prejudice was really just a word for cowardice. Audre Lorde, viewing her life, wrote that her only regrets were her silences. I think of my father as I resign, he brought me up to believe in fairness , justice and kindness. Though my heart is broken, it is also full of fire. I apologise to our incredible listeners for my departure, your love of the show means a great deal. I am so sorry to let you down. I hope that you can understand my reasoning. I have to accept that I am not what the current BBC expects of their freelance presenters.

Despite this I should add that I have always worked far more than my contracted hours to try and ensure the show was always the best it could be, as well as making myself accessible and responsive to the audience wherever and whenever I met them. Every night, we have recorded, I have been filled with determination to make the best show possible. This was not "just a job" I hope that with my departure I can be a better ally to the LGBTQ community, to the neurodivergent community, to activists fighting against those who aim to brutalise society, to those currently in prison on hunger strike, and to all those who fight for a more inclusive world. From many conversations, I know there are many Monkey Cage listeners who support these communities and activists too. The strawberry is dead. Long live the strawberry. B

Very sad that I felt I had no choice but to resign from The Infinite Monkey Cage - a victory for the transphobes and other bigots - I did it because so much of the media has chosen to believe the kind and empathetic people are a fiction - they are real and so often unrepresented.

What do you want for dinner?

It’s my birthday today, and I’m a little salty that a certain J Rees Mogg arrived two years after me and claimed it for his birthday too. I’m celebrating by encouraging people to make small acts of righteous rebellion - sign a petition, write to your MP, make a donation. It’s what he wouldn’t want.

Instead of "keeping men out of women's spaces" the transphobes have given men a pretense to barge into a restroom and demand to see women's genitals

I had a colleague who always called it the radical conjugate.

Please could I be added.

Idea for Y12 induction: Cheating 101. Covering such basics as “If you are going to cheat on your maths test by getting the questions from friends, do not work through those questions in your maths lesson before the test as your teacher will recognise them.”

Academies haven’t raised pupil achievement – there’s no need for them to have privileges that other schools do not Academy schools are no better at raising attainment than the schools they replaced.

Academies haven’t raised pupil achievement – there’s no need for them to have privileges that other schools do not theconversation.com/academies-ha...

If (as looks vaguely possible - I know, I know, I need to discuss it with my GP) I need to go on a low phosphate diet, that means chocolate no more than once a week. So if I start nibbling a huge block on Monday morning, and keep going with it until Sunday evening, that counts as once? Right?

I always liked Mousy Tongue (from a CBeebies programme I can’t remember the name of).

Covid ruined snow days. We are now expected to teach from home. 😟

And what about “Remove from microwave after 2 minutes. Stir. *Recover* and replace for another 2 and a half minutes.”? I mean it’s nice that they’re concerned about my wellbeing, but I don’t really need recovery time for simply removing something from the microwave.

No.

Making potato wedges, or anything that you want to evenly cover in oil: forget using a plastic bag, put it all in a box, put the lid on and give a good shuggle. Oh, and if you want to dry your potatoes off, before adding the oil, just shake the box around with a couple of sheets of kitchen roll.

A pair of pointe shoes with ribbons partially sewn in place.

@gillian-ann.bsky.social Look what I got for Christmas! Celebrating passing my Grade 3 Class Award.

I seem to have upset the Nigel Farage fan club - so let me be clear.

This man sows hate, lies and division.

He is a grifter and a conman.

He does not represent the vast majority of Britons.

Repost if you agree

P.s. multiculturalism is great.

Just answer every question with “No”. And did those feet in ancient times…? No. And Is Jerusalem builded here? No.

Useful telephone numbers for anyone who is struggling or vulnerable this time of year. Feel free to share.

☎️Childline
0800 11 11
☎️@samaritans
116 123
☎️@theCALMzone
0800 58 58 58
☎️@womensaid @RefugeCharity
0808 2000 247
☎️@MindCharity
0300 123 33 93
☎️@age_uk
0300 169 65 65

I was chastised by my daughter’s reception teacher: “I was surprised that a little Christian girl doesn’t believe in Father Christmas.” Shrug, we didn’t want to lie to her.

The blue Denby.

To all MPs

Repeat after me "6th form colleges do not set their own pay award"

*6th form colleges do not set their own pay award*

Remember the SFCA? The SFCA do. And they need reassurance about funding.

It's honestly that simple.

#PayUp24 #SaveOurColleges

Christmas tree

Create a Christmas tree using Desmos. (This was one of the best: tinyurl.com/yc3x9j5z)

n-1, n, n+1 are three consecutive nos, so one of them must be a multiple of 3