Stuart Rowntree

I can't find jingoistic, hypocritical, grifting little fascist on here...

Nothing frightens populists more than teachers calmly explaining history and humanity to children. They call it indoctrination because it ruins the grift.

Yes, Nigel, the real danger isn’t poverty, racism or ignorance - it’s teachers daring to teach empathy. How ever will Britain survive?

Pillock.

I’ve made an Ofsted toolkit breakdown with evidence ideas for each section (although there’s no need to prepare evidence for them coming). If you’d like it, drop me a DM. Hopefully no one will!

Educational Review journal title appears at the top. On the left, in white text on a bright blue background is the article title and author name(s): ‘Conditions for continuity: how school working conditions shape teacher retention and job satisfaction’ by Luke C. Miller, Rachel S. White, Daniel W. Player & Amy L. Reynolds. On the right is an image of teacher looking at and reaching towards a drawing of a school.

What keeps teachers in schools? 🏫
New research shows supportive working conditions—esp. strong leadership—boost satisfaction & retention, while unsupportive ones fuel attrition.

Read more 👇
doi.org/10.1080/0013...

#TeacherRetention #EdPolicy

@drrachelswhite.bsky.social
@amyluelle.bsky.social

Nicole McCartney: ‘Good leaders don’t hold the stick over people’s heads’ In our How I Lead series, we ask education leaders to reflect on their careers, their experience and their leadership philosophy. This month, we talk to Nicole McCartney, CEO of Creative Education Trust

'I'm more impressed by someone who can turn a colleague's underperformance into success than by someone who rules with fear': trust CEO @nicolemccartney.bsky.social talks about her leadership philosophy in our latest How I Lead…

Haven't been around on here for a while.

My first half term as a *real* AHT has been breakneck, but I've thoroughly enjoyed it.

How is everyone else?

homer simpson is standing in a grassy field ALT: homer simpson is standing in a grassy field

I've never seen it...

As with almost every article written about reading in the past few years, this one has inspired a few suggestions that the focus on phonics has caused problems.

I'd like to explain why I disagree.

>>

The new money-saving plan: underfund schools further and gut EHCPs until they only cover PMLD.

Translation: strip protection from thousands of autistic, SEMH, SLCN and SpLD children - and dump the cost on schools already on their knees.

Happy days.

American fans’ behaviour toward Europeans at the Ryder Cup shows how far decorum and integrity have collapsed since Trump stripped the nation of the dignity it once had...

Yup.
The rate limiting step in almost every context I've seen is attention. And you need a teacher to direct this. Almost every tech model starts from the wrong point because it assumes children will want to study the material and won't need their attention managed.

So yes, expose all children to the very best: take them to the theatre, watch films, go to the ballet, watch a concert, display the emotion of these wonderful pieces of art. But don’t give them the text and expect them to write an essay on it, because you’ll put them off for life.

30hrs free childcare will ease costs & boost work for some parents, but risks remain: patchy places, underfunded providers, excluded poorest families, quality under strain.

A better equipped and funded early years infrastructure needed.

Helps, yes. Solves, no.

Labour preach about supporting working families, yet won’t lay a serious hand on wealth or capital - the rich stay shielded while parents count pennies for their children in poverty.

Don't just speak big, deliver big.

Offering Trump a UK state visit now is not diplomacy but a statement. In optics and morality, it signals comfort with demagoguery at a moment when democratic norms are strained. Britain should stand for restraint, dignity and the rule of law - not court chaos for ceremony.

Reclaim our dignity.

I've always wanted to visit. Looks like such a stunning place.

Recruit people who will help you sleep at night. Talent that will allow you go on holiday, relax, and not worry about what’s going on at work. A team where you don’t need to plan for someone deputising because they’re all top of their game.

Recruitment as wellbeing.

It's always darkest before the dawn...

Hi Stuart! Check out this week’s Autism Europe Congress at #AEC2025 and #AECONGRESS25

The education presentations are 👌

Yes to #neuro-affirming teaching.
No to interventions that aim to ‘normalise’ neurodivergent learners, eg by ‘closing the gap’ & chasing standardisation.

Exclusion from enrichment – SEND pupils often miss the very enrichment/extension activities that build background knowledge and resilience, further widening gaps.

We need an overhaul.

Workforce strain – high staff turnover, recruitment difficulties, and reduced specialist services (EPs, SALT) mean needs are identified but not always met effectively.

Variation in provision quality – “ordinarily available” adaptive teaching is still inconsistent between classrooms. Where mainstream QFT is strong, SEND outcomes rise; where weak, pupils rely on external interventions that don’t close gaps by KS2.

EHCP plateau – pupils with more complex needs (cognition, communication, Autism, SEMH) face systemic barriers: curriculum isn’t sufficiently adapted, assessments aren’t accessible, therapies inconsistent. That’s why only 9% meet expected standard in KS2.

🧵The data around SEND isn't any more inspiring.

Graduated response works better at SEN Support – when pupils get early adjustments (scaffolds, pre-teaching, flexible grouping), they can access enough of the curriculum to progress.

But...

Aspirations & identity – intergenerational low expectations and limited cultural capital mean academic achievement isn’t always reinforced at home.

Regional economic context – post-industrial/coastal towns lack the “London effect” (dense networks, cultural capital, higher EAL). Without the EAL “catch-up boost,” FSM disadvantage shows more starkly.

Attendance & stability – higher absence, exclusions, mobility, and family stress limit cumulative learning time.

Access to high-level learning – disadvantaged pupils may hit the “expected” floor, but rarely break into greater depth, reflecting fewer opportunities for enrichment, stretch, or tutoring.

🧵A lot of data circulating that demonstrate concerning (but unsurprising) trends.

Exploring disadvantage first...

Language & vocabulary gap – word-poor homes mean children arrive with less oral language + background knowledge (Matthew Effect). Early attainment lags + compounds across key stages.

Disadvantage trend = entrenched vocabulary + aspiration gaps, worsened by attendance and regional economic drag.

SEND trend = modest gains where QFT and adaptive teaching are strong, but the EHCP plateau signals limits of mainstream provision under strain.