Caroline Derbyshire

The way that the current education system rewards those who are not inclusive is not a small problem. It is the biggest problem children face and the worst dimension of education for the past 20 years. If we embrace the values that sit behind The White Paper then seismic cultural change will happen.

Was not a fan of McSweeney, but he did mastermind a triumphant election campaign. However, gratitude should not have been enough to keep him in the job when he has not been sufficiently values-driven as a Number 10 adviser. Let’s now get bold, inspiring stuff done.

The first image may not be the best photo, but it was the best experience because we saw that koala in the wild. Being authentic matters far more than striking the right pose.

Reform would destroy everything that makes the UK a country to be proud of: our great free schools, free healthcare from cradle to grave, state pensions, support for families in poverty and security services that protect not threaten us. We take so much for granted.

None of us really knows what has and has not been said and agreed by Starmer and Burnham and most of what I read is speculation, but I do know that if I was Starmer I would have tried to make a pact and have him as my ‘in the tent’ succession plan. Perhaps Burnham would not wait for that. Who knows.

I never had a Gap Year adventure, going straight from school to Cambridge and then into teaching. So I promised myself we would do it when I stepped away from being a school leader. So here I am in Singapore on a Wednesday in term time. Cheers!

Whizzing up to the North East to see relatives at this time of year invariably involves a trip to NandonThai in Durham. Almost a tradition.

Today a knock on the door. It was our new neighbours with a gift. We’ve become alarmed at knocks following the abuse we received for taking down flags in our village. Our neighbours are immigrants. Their response is significant and why we took action. Everyone is our neighbour. Merry Christmas!

That is impressive and represents a more positive approach by this government to teachers, people talking up their profession in articles and to audiences, recruitment drives by providers and TSHs. Congratulations all!

I have just heard Lucy Powell describe Farage as the love child of Enoch Powell and Margaret Thatcher. Spot on.

Chris Mason should be sacked. He epitomises everything that needs sorting out at the BBC. I am
So bored of his predictable nonsense.

The only people I know who live in mansions worth £2 million live in London. None of them made the money to buy these houses through paid employment. There’s an awful lot of rich people moaning at a time when we should be hoping that the poorest in our communities can now live without Food Banks.

For context the 'Middle England' referred to here is the 0.5% of households living in homes worth more than £2 million

Linked-In is where the traffic has gone.

Nowadays we play ‘People Watching’ as we travel under the Tyne Tunnel to Cullercoats. Back in the day it was always Dire Straits and ‘Tunnel of Love’. Matching the soundtrack to the journey is one of my eccentric habits. Does anyone else do this?

The BBC One Show does a great job with the National Teaching Awards. It always brings a tear to my eye to hear people on television presenting a positive image of the profession because we are so used to seeing quite the opposite in TV dramas.

Taxing mansions? Yep I agree
Encouraging investment? Yep I agree
Raising living and minimum wages? Yep I agree
Lifting 2 child benefit? Yep, I agree.
Well done on lots of fronts. Now sort out the out-Faraging Farage when discussing immigration.

If multiple people can remember someone being horribly racist, even by the appalling low bar of the racist 1970s, that is entirely noteworthy.

As an adult Farage fanboyed Enoch Powell - the most infamous racist of the 1960s - and long cited him as his political hero.

And that's noteworthy too.

Nigel Farage's racism denials are dishonest, says ex-classmate Peter Ettedgui tells the BBC Nigel Farage targeted antisemitic abuse at him when they were teenagers.

‘A Jewish former classmate of Nigel Farage has told the BBC the Reform UK leader is being "fundamentally dishonest" by suggesting former pupils who say they witnessed his racism are not telling the truth.
Peter Ettedgui said Farage had repeatedly told him "Hitler was right" and "gas them"…’

There has been so much disinformation about the budget floating about for weeks now from the likes of The Telegraph. What on earth will they fabricate or falsely speculate over once tomorrow has come? Perhaps they might like to do some good old-fashioned news reporting instead.

So while I was worrying about the sick children who had returned from a ski trip to Italy in February 2020 and wondering whether they had this scary Covid thing and what to do about it, Johnson was living out a Great Escape fantasy on his motorbike toy and having some days off. Never forget!

Good move

Polanski went to private school, Farage went to private school, Badenoch went to private school. You can either conclude that their education gave them special agency and/or you can argue that they should not be trusted with any decisions over our state education system.

Today at The Comprehensive Futures AGM we heard about the devastating impact on self-belief that failing the 11+ has on young children, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds. Why does selection at 11 still happen in English state schools? It makes a mockery of the idea of inclusion.

‘Deeply shocking’: Nigel Farage faces fresh claims of racism and antisemitism at school Bafta-winning director among contemporaries urging contrition and apology from Reform UK leader, who denies the allegations

Exclusive: ‘Deeply shocking’: Nigel Farage faces fresh claims of racism and antisemitism at school

Bafta-winning director among contemporaries urging contrition and apology from Reform UK leader, who denies the allegations

w/ Dan Boffey and @drblacklock.bsky.social

I tend to agree. The Government has my support on many things, but its approach to immigration is not helpful and is disillusioning its voting base amongst those in the public services.

I have x

Immediate action is what reassures. But it is fraught. One night, after dark, we had a knock on the door followed by a torrent of abuse and threats. Our images were posted on Facebook and more insults came. This is not Mississippi Burning or Soweto in the 1970s. This is England in 2025.

When the flags go up people are frightened and upset. They are fearful about taking them down. They came up and whispered their thanks and sent private messages. Ignoring the flags does nothing to address this fear.