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Sammy Wright

@sammywright.bsky.social

Teacher, writer, school leader, lives and works in North East: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/454163/exam-nation-by-wright-sammy/9781847927521 #edusky #Teaching #UKEd http://substack.com/@sammywright

1,935 Followers  |  1,367 Following  |  517 Posts  |  Joined: 15.08.2024  |  1.9872

Latest posts by sammywright.bsky.social on Bluesky

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That was a cracking Halloween costume by my youngest

04.11.2025 20:02 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Knowledge-rich

The latest post in our series "What's in a Word" is out now.
@sammywright.bsky.social examines the phrase 'knowledge-rich' which has a proper meaning, but around which a lot of other more vague and unsubstantiated ideas have accrued... www.edge.co.uk/research/wha...

29.10.2025 13:06 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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PM - Third resignation in grooming gang inquiry - BBC Sounds A third abuse victim resigns from the survivors panel.

From 12 mins 30 secs www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

21.10.2025 21:42 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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@twinklresources.bsky.social are launching a new podcast series for leaders and teachers, and episode 1 is here! It was great to pick @sammywright.bsky.social's brain on the shape and texture of English schools. www.twinkl.co.uk/l/1hjk03
@twinklbeyond.bsky.social #twinklbeyondenglish

16.10.2025 14:49 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Exams Expose, they DON'T Solve | Leading with... Sammy Wright | Episode 1
YouTube video by Twinkl Educational Publishing Exams Expose, they DON'T Solve | Leading with... Sammy Wright | Episode 1

m.youtube.com/watch?v=wCcj...

16.10.2025 07:34 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

School trip to flamingoland

13.10.2025 12:48 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Because society works better when people find fulfilment in life even when their jobs are meaningless and mundane.

27.09.2025 11:38 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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Education and money I’ve read a few things lately about the connection between educational levels and income, and they made me think of the argument I made about in Exam Nation.

open.substack.com/pub/sammywri...

26.09.2025 19:53 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Apparently they’re β€˜flying’!

14.08.2025 13:04 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Why SEN is complicated… open.substack.com/pub/sammywri...

22.09.2025 16:53 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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A New Thing I’m not at school. It’s exciting. I’m at my desk, with a clean notebook, a list of jobs, and a three year timeline in front of me.

Something new…
open.substack.com/pub/sammywri...

19.09.2025 10:33 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Best book ever

25.08.2025 21:39 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Apparently they’re β€˜flying’!

14.08.2025 13:04 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Woo-hoo! Paperback in shops, and on offer at Waterstones!

14.08.2025 12:50 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 1
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Three weeks to go… The paperback of Exam Nation is out on 7th August, so I thought I’d do a little series of short extracts, starting with the very beginning.

Out today in paperback!

open.substack.com/pub/sammywri...

07.08.2025 06:34 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 1
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Exam Nation School should equip children for adulthood. In reality, it means one thing: exams. Exam Nation sets out a better way – and, crucially, shows us how we might get there. Educationalist and Head of Scho...

Out today - please buy/share/review, and above all read. I’m so proud of this book and the impact it’s had - and still a bit surprised at the places it’s taken me too over the last year.

www.penguin.co.uk/books/454163...

07.08.2025 01:17 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Exam Nation School should equip children for adulthood. In reality, it means one thing: exams. Exam Nation sets out a better way – and, crucially, shows us how we might get there. Educationalist and Head of Scho...

Going on holiday tomorrow. By the time I’m back, this will be out in paperback! Reviewed in every single broadsheet, the mail, new statesman when it was published last year - β€œbrilliant”, β€œentertaining”, β€œinsightful”, β€œessential” - please pre-order!

www.penguin.co.uk/books/454163...

20.07.2025 07:50 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Why attendance and anxiety are complicated This is a conversation I had three years ago with 16 year old Clark from Warrington. I don't post it to draw a particular conclusion. I just find it desperately sad.

Clark’s hands are together in his lap. β€œMe brother was born when I was 10. But he lived with me mam years before that.” He looks up. His eyes are wide, and he has that faint smile still. β€œActually, I thought them having a child it might change, but it didn’t.”

open.substack.com/pub/sammywri...

19.07.2025 13:46 β€” πŸ‘ 6    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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First look at the paperback - and I’m just blown away by seeing al the amazing quotes on the cover

19.07.2025 11:58 β€” πŸ‘ 7    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

It could follow the pattern of Just William - lots of iterations vainly clutching for relevance in a changing world. Ending with β€˜Gatsby and the Rock Band’ - in which our hero seeks to recapture the elusive freedom of the summer of love, only to realise, yet again, that you can’t repeat the past.

17.07.2025 16:37 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Benny As we go into the summer holidays, here's an interview with a parent from Exam Nation. Home is pretty hard, sometimes.

Paperback soon out… open.substack.com/pub/sammywri...

17.07.2025 07:09 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Thank you to @sammywright.bsky.social for this brilliant review of @johntomsett.bsky.social’s new book! 🌟

Learn all about the attributes and behaviours that make an outstanding teacher in This Much I Know About Truly Great Secondary Teachers. Out now! πŸ“˜: buff.ly/Vkizg1O

07.07.2025 10:52 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Sammy Wright on Substack


substack.com/@sammywright...

01.07.2025 20:29 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

#FridayFive
1. Atmosphere - Joy Division
2. Sledgehammer - Peter Gabriel
3. Call me Al - Paul Simon
4. Praise me - Fatboy Slim
5. All the Single Ladies - BeyoncΓ©

28.06.2025 13:09 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Or move to Newcastle.

28.06.2025 12:55 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

I agree with your opinion of the speech, and the policies, and American history. But I’m glad he said publicly the speech was wrong. It is a good thing to acknowledge a mistake. There’s plenty other stuff he’s doing I could criticise. But that apology, in and of itself, was good.

28.06.2025 10:13 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Apologise

28.06.2025 07:35 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 0

Would you rather he didn’t? I don’t quite get that.

28.06.2025 06:56 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

I’m just glad he has said it. It pisses me off more when people don’t acknowledge their mistakes.

27.06.2025 14:56 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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Keir Starmer says he β€˜deeply regrets’ island of strangers speech Immigration speech was criticised for echoing Enoch Powell’s β€˜rivers of blood’ rhetoric

Good. I’m glad to see this.
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

27.06.2025 13:59 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

@sammywright is following 20 prominent accounts