Gavin Knight

London academy staff instilled ‘climate of fear’ among pupils Report finds children at Mossbourne Victoria Park traumatised by disciplinary measures ‘designed to humiliate’

This story from yesterday didn't perhaps get the attention it should have. It's utterly shocking. It follows dogged reporting by the Observer (in its pre-sale era), which was repeatedly rejected by the academy federation concerned.

www.theguardian.com/education/20...

‘Rigid’ behaviour policies under fire in safeguarding review ‘Zero-tolerance’ discipline risks harming vulnerable students at London academy, finds independent report

The damning review of Mossbourne Victoria Park Academy has wider implications for 'zero-tolerance' behaviour policies.

Shouting at students was "routine", a "climate of fear" was created for staff & students, and SEND adjustments were "inadequate".

www.tes.com/magazine/new...

either Ofsted 1. made a catastrophic error and must explain why or 2. the head of Ofsted seems to sympathise with zero tolerance because he ran OGAT trusts with high suspension rates and similar “strict” culture

How did Ofsted get this so wrong when the safeguarding review and the Observer reporting on the culture of fear showed it was endemic. @bphillipsonmp.bsky.social

Fearless. determined reporting by @annafazack.bsky.social in the Observer led to this inquiry happening. Tom Bennett’s attack dogs trolled her obsessively. She deserves enormous credit for giving voice to the voiceless. The review echoes many of her findings after she interviewed parents.

The independent safeguarding review has confirmed exactly what Anna Fazackerley exposed in her #Observer front-page story: a rigid behaviour regime at #Mossbourne created a climate of fear and harmed vulnerable pupils. She listened to parents when others wouldn’. Today, she’s vindicated

Anyone interested in the education debate in the UK, a review by Sir Alan Wood of the safeguarding at the much lauded Mossbourne Academy Victoria Park should be a must read. Damning chscp.org.uk/wp-content/u...

The case review of Mossbourne is balanced, but I think it really shows that the journalists who pursued the story (especially @annafazack.bsky.social for The Observer) were wholly right to do so and the concern for childrens' wellbeing was justified.

This week alone, Russia launched over 1,600 attack drones, around 1,200 guided bombs, and nearly 70 missiles at Ukraine, Zelensky reported. The main targets: infrastructure supporting everyday life. Today’s strike involved 240+ drones and 5 ballistic missiles.

RSF massacres left Sudanese city ‘a slaughterhouse’, satellite images show Up to 150,000 residents of El Fasher are missing since North Darfur capital fell to paramilitary Rapid Support Forces

Don’t stop talking about the atrocities in #Sudan. Hold #UAE to account for funding RSF. www.theguardian.com/global-devel...

Sudan’s agony is fuelled by RSF backers, conflict gold routed through Dubai, and Wagner’s looting networks. As Qatar’s PM/FM, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani could push for traceable gold, tougher GCC AML rules, real UN accountability and a credible peace process. Sudan deserves better.

Russia. Attacking. British. Soil. Again.

'Keir Starmer's Brexit Blind Spot Leaves Britain With a Major Missed Opportunity' It was striking that the most impressive speech on Britain's future in Europe this week came not from our current Prime Minister, but from one of his Conservative predecessors, argues Alexandra Hall H...

🔴‘Keir Starmer’s Brexit Blind Spot Leaves Britain With a Major Missed Opportunity’

It was striking that the most impressive recent speech on Britain’s future in Europe came not from our current Prime Minister, but from one of his Conservative predecessors, argues @alexhh.bsky.social

Edinburgh Airport latest: Flights resume but disruption continues About an hour of confusion was followed by collective relief as flights began resuming, our reporter at Edinburgh Airport says.

Bloody Russians. When are we going to take these attacks on our national infrastructure for what they are: attacks on UK soil. Wake up !
www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cg...

If Europe rebuilds Ukraine in its image so it becomes even better than before the war … what is to stop Russia at any moment firing missiles in and destroying it all over again? Nuclear weapons? NATO membership? UK & EU troops on the ground ? Maybe all three should be the opening peace offer.

I hope someone draws this wonderful story about Tom Stoppard's Arcadia and the power of the arts to help us see things differently, to the attention of our Education Secretary. Do read it, it will lift your spirits.

Poland, Baltics, Finland understand Russia because they live in USSR blood lands where millions died. France, Germany, Spain move slower.
UK is separate post-Brexit thanks to Putin-admirer Farage.

This disunity delays everything — while Putin rules like a Tsar, mobilising for war since ’23.

Many European leaders still privately believe:
• “Putin won’t attack NATO.”
• “Ukraine can hold out.”

This makes them act slowly. Russia has no such constraints

Every time the EU tries to buy weapons:

Germany wants German systems;
France wants French systems;
Italy wants Italian systems.

This fractures procurement and slows everything to a crawl.

Russia:
One doctrine, one leadership, one set of weapons.

Europe needs to go it alone but …Every time the EU tries to buy weapons:

Germany wants German systems;
France wants French systems;
Italy wants Italian systems.

This fractures procurement and slows everything to a crawl.

Russia:
One doctrine, one leadership, one set of weapons.

Stay strong. Like Ілля Муромець, Святослав Хоробрий, княгиня Ольга, Володимир Великий, Богдан Хмельницький. Леся Українка

EU is ready to recognise Alaska as Russian

Petition: Call a public inquiry into Russian influence on UK politics & democracy We are concerned about reported efforts from Russia to influence democracy in the US, UK, Europe and elsewhere. We believe we must establish the depth and breadth of possible Russian influence campaig...

Sign this petition calling for a proper investigation into Russian influence on our politics: Senior reform leader was a Russian asset. Who paid for Brexit which has so damaged UK economy and EU unity, benefitting Russia? Let’s find out how far it goes petition.parliament.uk/petitions/74...

🚨BOOM!! The Petition calling for a public inquiry into Russian influence on UK politics & democracy has now rocketed past 50,000 signatures! Let’s get it to 100,000. If a petition is what it’s going to take let’s get this done!

petition.parliament.uk/petitions/74...

🔥 Highly recommended that you all sign and share.

Link to the petition—> petition.parliament.uk/petitions/74...

35,000 more votes to go! #standwithUkraine

Victoria Derbyshire rinsed Baldwin - a washed-up Shadow Business hack from the 14-years-of-chaos Tory circus - after she moaned about Labour’s Budget. Derbyshire hit back: everything they whine about now is what they did while trashing the country. Fourteen years of ruin and they act brand new.

For crossing the Tamar?

Aren’t they funded by the same country that funds human atrocities in Sudan, trades gold to fund Russian war machines and holds depraved parties with trafficked women in Dubai ? #UAE