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James McEnaney

@jamesmcenaney.bsky.social

Journalist and writer Former English teacher & lecturer | Author of 'Class Rules: the Truth about Scottish Schools' & 'A Scottish Journey' | Fond of FOI, motorbikes, La Gomera, and all things education www.jamesmcenaney.co.uk

3,908 Followers  |  2,234 Following  |  1,135 Posts  |  Joined: 15.02.2024
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Posts by James McEnaney (@jamesmcenaney.bsky.social)

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Scotland’s children, teachers, and schools can’t afford another lost decade More than a decade ago, the SNP declared it would “eliminate” the attainment gap - but doing so was never possible

Great article from @jamesmcenaney.bsky.social
One consequence of the relentless focus on closing the gap in literacy and numeracy has been a narrowing of the curriculum. So the aim to improve attainment has led to a reduction in the quality of education

www.heraldscotland.com/opinion/2589...

26.02.2026 23:01 — 👍 6    🔁 3    💬 0    📌 0
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'Scotland’s children, teachers, and schools can’t afford another lost decade, but avoiding it depends upon the SNP holding up their hands and acknowledging that they got things very wrong'

That's the view of Education Specialist @jamesmcenaney.bsky.social

www.heraldscotland.com/opin...

27.02.2026 18:00 — 👍 1    🔁 2    💬 0    📌 0
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Campaigners on Mull have lost their Judicial Review against Argyll and Bute Council concerning plans for a new school on the island.

Education Specialist @jamesmcenaney.bsky.social says the battle over a new school on Mull is far from over

www.heraldscotland.com/news/2586565...

18.02.2026 12:52 — 👍 0    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0
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Evergreen

16.02.2026 17:49 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

That would have been the preference.

11.02.2026 08:46 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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If anyone is ever looking to hire some sort of Marrakech-based reporter / writer / essayist / cataloguer then please do keep me in mind.

10.02.2026 23:29 — 👍 5    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0
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As per image 1, I am very Out Of Office right now.

But, as ever, if you want education news then you need @heraldscotland.bsky.social

www.heraldscotland.com/news/educati...

08.02.2026 09:03 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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'Things are becoming so ridiculous that the SQA is effectively trying to rebrand its rebrand and, in keeping with its performance in recent years, doing so in an entirely inept fashion'

www.heraldscotland.com/news...

@jamesmcenaney.bsky.social

06.02.2026 18:31 — 👍 3    🔁 2    💬 0    📌 0
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'Glaswegian people are really like our people. When I have been to Edinburgh or London I felt like I missed home, but I was thinking about Glasgow.'

www.heraldscotland.com/news...

@jamesmcenaney.bsky.social

06.02.2026 16:01 — 👍 5    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0
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'The cooking skills being developed seems like a secondary benefit, because the real goal is breaking down a few barriers, building a bit more confidence, and helping people to feel like they can take whatever steps they want to'

www.heraldscotland.com/news...

@jamesmcenaney.bsky.social

05.02.2026 13:17 — 👍 1    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0

My latest piece:

"As these lessons of history play out before our eyes, we can finally teach young people meaningfully about #colonialism, #imperialism, colonial ideology and systemic #racism; not as abstract historical concepts, but as living forces that insist on continuing to shape our world."

30.01.2026 13:43 — 👍 8    🔁 3    💬 1    📌 1
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Expert says it must be acknowledged 'that there is a trans-eliminationist movement'

www.heraldscotland.com/news...

@jamesmcenaney.bsky.social

28.01.2026 17:39 — 👍 1    🔁 2    💬 0    📌 0
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Education Specialist @jamesmcenaney.bsky.social previews the latest edition of Education HQ, which you can read online and in print on Thursday

28.01.2026 14:45 — 👍 2    🔁 2    💬 0    📌 0
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Expert says trans children's rights are not being respected Following the publication of new research, Dr Ruth Pearce says that the government and public bodies must 'genuinely consult' with trans young…

An expert academic says that trans' children's rights are not being respected in Scotland, and that the government must confront the "eliminationist" campaign against them.

Exclusive for @heraldscotland.bsky.social

www.heraldscotland.com/news/2579218...

25.01.2026 11:50 — 👍 42    🔁 15    💬 0    📌 0
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Glasgow's Iranian refugees talk of pain, anger and hope Following the violent and lethal crackdown on protests across Iran, some of those who have fled to Scotland speak out about their experiences.

Iranian refugees in Glasgow say their country has "no future" until the Ayatollahs are removed and the Islamic Republic brought to an end.

Exclusive story for @heraldscotland.bsky.social

www.heraldscotland.com/politics/257...

25.01.2026 11:52 — 👍 7    🔁 3    💬 1    📌 0

Trump and his outriders are intentionally trying to destroy even the idea of truth

Trational media strictures - reporting he said, she said; not reporting more ‘extreme’ claims by those not in power - plays right into this

It’s a playbook, and it’s already in U.K. (cf Farage’s Dulwich racism)

25.01.2026 12:18 — 👍 193    🔁 82    💬 7    📌 2
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Glasgow's Iranian refugees talk of pain, anger and hope Following the violent and lethal crackdown on protests across Iran, some of those who have fled to Scotland speak out about their experiences.

Iranian refugees in Glasgow say their country has "no future" until the Ayatollahs are removed and the Islamic Republic brought to an end.

Exclusive story for @heraldscotland.bsky.social

www.heraldscotland.com/politics/257...

25.01.2026 11:52 — 👍 7    🔁 3    💬 1    📌 0
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Expert says trans children's rights are not being respected Following the publication of new research, Dr Ruth Pearce says that the government and public bodies must 'genuinely consult' with trans young…

An expert academic says that trans' children's rights are not being respected in Scotland, and that the government must confront the "eliminationist" campaign against them.

Exclusive for @heraldscotland.bsky.social

www.heraldscotland.com/news/2579218...

25.01.2026 11:50 — 👍 42    🔁 15    💬 0    📌 0
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Inspirational educator sought for award recognising equality and diversity Have you met a Scottish teacher who has 'gone above and beyond' to promote equality and diversity?

Delighted to see the Saroj Lal Award continue,now hosted by @heraldscotland.bsky.social having originally hosted by @gtcscotland.bsky.social .Thanks also to @jamesmcenaney.bsky.social & @garrettbaylorstell.bsky.social for showcasing.Get your nominations in people!

uk.news.yahoo.com/inspirationa...

22.01.2026 12:47 — 👍 5    🔁 5    💬 0    📌 0

To be fair to Starmer, that's the most on-brand Starmer response imaginable, so at least he is consistent.

07.01.2026 13:36 — 👍 6    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

It's completely unacceptable in every sense, except the very literal one, in which we are going to accept it.

07.01.2026 13:21 — 👍 432    🔁 97    💬 10    📌 2
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Despite all the noise about “mass exodus”, 51% of African emigrants move within Africa. Only 3% of the African population lives outside their home country, compared to 8.5% of Europeans living outside theirs.
publications.iom.int/system/files...

20.12.2025 09:33 — 👍 94    🔁 41    💬 3    📌 3
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EXCLUSIVE

She says the decision is necessary in order to continue serving her constituents 'openly and honestly' and in line with her conscience

www.heraldscotland.com/news...

@jamesmcenaney.bsky.social

16.12.2025 13:03 — 👍 1    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0

Whether it's an obscure adjunct professor posting that Charlie Kirk did some bad things or it's the president of the United States celebrating Rob Reiner's death, there's plenty of incivility on both sides.

15.12.2025 16:56 — 👍 1895    🔁 318    💬 27    📌 9
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WTF are we doing here, BBC?

15.12.2025 12:35 — 👍 1782    🔁 378    💬 94    📌 121
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Teachers could strike over 'risk to life' safety concerns A range of major safety concerns have been raised at Lenzie Academy following a recent Fire Risk Assessment.

BREAKING

Teachers at a school near Glasgow are being balloted for strike action over major health and safety concerns described as posing a "substantial risk to life".

@heraldscotland.bsky.social

www.heraldscotland.com/news/2569914...

15.12.2025 16:11 — 👍 6    🔁 3    💬 0    📌 0

@neilmackay.bsky.social
@danigaravelli.bsky.social
@jamesmcenaney.bsky.social
All excellent and wide ranging articles today in the Sunday Herald. Highly recommended.

14.12.2025 12:35 — 👍 5    🔁 2    💬 3    📌 0

Great thread on not just the immorality and hatefulness of institutions/artists bending the knee to fascism, but the mindboggling short-sightedness of it. We should stand up to fascism, but we should also remember who, when subservience was suddenly demanded, immediately said "yeah alright".

13.12.2025 14:58 — 👍 139    🔁 55    💬 2    📌 0

The only standard data that could be used for that is the ACEL stuff but if that were the case it would be hugely and obviously problematic, so there must be something else surely.

12.12.2025 22:43 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0