James Harris

‘Inclusion is not about lowering the bar but ensuring every child has the support needed to reach it and beyond’

Blessed to have someone who really understands inclusion and writes about it.

#edusky #uked

Faith-based school admissions policies As a committed Christian I have always disliked faith-based admissions policies. They are a form of social selection where schools get to acquire students who have parents motivated enough to jump through the hoops of church attendance for long periods of time. From a faith perspective they make no sense; by definition those families who have attended church have heard the gospel so they don't need to attend a church school. As a Christian it would make more sense for admission to a church schoo

As a committed Christian I really really don't think that these should be allowed! #EduSky

www.findingcommonground.org.uk/post/faith-b...

Happy New Year! Is the era of compulsory school education over? Now there's a question! As 2025 opens we are hearing several voices ringing loudly in education:Government: "All children should be in school all the time. This way they can be kept safe".Many children: "We cannot be in school - our mental health and other needs coupled with the nature of schools mean that we cannot be there"Many families: "Schools do not meet the needs of our children - our children are not thriving in school".Many schools: "We want to educate children, but the needs of an

A big question to start the year!

Happy New Year #EduSky

www.findingcommonground.org.uk/post/happy-n...

A man wearing a stylish hat, smiling gently, standing in front of a male with colourful hair juggling.

A man and woman stand side by side, smiling warmly at each other in a friendly outdoor setting.

Two women joyfully laugh and smile together while holding papers, capturing a moment of happiness and camaraderie.

A man with a beard, sunglasses and a clerical collar smiles confidently, showcasing his stylish look against a bright background.

We’re a festival for both the trad and the rad. Where you can hang out with Franciscans or hanker for falafel — and find God in both, if that’s who you’re looking for.

What kind of society would willingly traumatise its children in the name of education? | John Harris As claims about practices in two flagship London academies are investigated, it’s time to stop and think about what schools are really for, says Guardian columnist John Harris

Indeed...

www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Children’s development ‘put back by years’ due to failure of special educational needs system Local government ombudsman report into SEND in England offers damning assessment

It’s good that the conversation about #SEND is in the mainstream media nowadays, but honestly its been just awful for YEARS. This is not a new problem! #send #uk #LeftBehind

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

Just a reminder.

Families of children with SEND – it’s time to be heard Too many families have to fight when their children have Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND). They have to battle a system that seems not to have been built with their children in mind.…

Families of children with SEND - it’s time to be heard

sendmatters.co.uk/2024/11/12/f...

A really interesting model and some fascinating developments - like a dedicated exam centre for home-educated and neurodiverse students in Wales. Well worth the support of those of us who know that the current educational model is not suitable for significant numbers of young people at the moment.

Really good to talk with Katherine Gibson about the fantastic work of Crossroads Educational Consultants (crossroadseducationalconsultants.co.uk) this morning! Such an exciting approach to providing education for those young people who can't be in school in Wales by providing support for families.

Delighted that Finding Common Ground is featured as an innovative service in this report today! whatworks-send.org.uk/resources/in....

Teacher identity, control and trauma-informed practice I am a teacher. I consider that trauma-informed practice in education is a positive, essential thing .I also know that schools are bound by a narrative of "control". It is commonly believed that "po...

I have been reflecting on why inclusive, trauma-informed practice is often so hard to embed in schools www.findingcommonground.org.uk/post/teacher... #EdSky #UKEd

This is excellent....

Thanks @creativehigg.bsky.social - my email is james@findingcommonground.org.uk - let's find a time to talk ...

The Finding Common Ground project is a free, professional, impartial advice service for parents and carers whose children are not thriving in school. Please share with anyone who might find the project helpful.... www.findingcommonground.org.uk. #EduSky

#EduSky

Early intervention to give parents and carers knowledge and next steps so that they can work constructively with schools. It works! www.findingcommonground.org.uk

Keswick in the tail end of Storm Ashley - amazing place to walk during half-term! #lakedistrict #halfterm

Just looking through the feedback from recent Finding Common Ground conversations with parents and carers and this jumped out at me:

"Grateful beyond measure...."

Just glad that the Finding Common Ground project is making a difference. www.findingcommonground.org.uk

This is interesting but not surprising. If the training does not have a clear impact on my practice the following day then it is likely, as a teacher, that I would prefer to be doing something that does! I support high quality CPD but that is not always synonymous with INSET days! #UKEd #EduSky

New Sutton Trust research #edusky

For the first time, today's research has school by school information on how secondary pupil intakes reflect their local community.

The accompanying analysis looks at which local authorities in England have the most and least socially segregated schools ⬇️🧵

#edusky

Ofsted single-word school ratings to be scrapped immediately Labour announces end of high-stakes judgments, to be replaced by report cards that grade schools in four categories

Definitely a step in the right direction, but it should not have taken the death of a headteacher for this to happen. www.theguardian.com/education/ar...

Another #Greenbeltfestival has come to an end. A weekend to take time out, meet old friends, attend interesting talks, share communion with thousands of other people, sing, do some crafty things and enjoy a few beers in the Jesus Arms.

Thank you, friends!
Please share your favourite picture.

The communion service - best for many years in my view. What about you?

‘Jaw-dropping’ number of children in England with anxiety shocks even professionals Concern that NHS is not equipped to treat record numbers of cases as experts warn of ‘biggest societal issue of our time’

www.theguardian.com/society/arti...

“I had a panic attack when I dropped some food on the floor, worrying someone would have an allergic reaction. This kept me awake for days.”

The number of referrals for anxiety has doubled since the year before Covid, with 98,953 referrals made.

#SEND #EduSky

Economic Circus from @Greenbelt Festival with Kate Rawworth

@kateraworth.bsky.social
A snippet of Economic Circus from @Greenbelt Festival. We explored logistic vs exponential growth, green growth vs degrowth, and how to end the economy's structural dependencies on endless growth. There's a lot you can do w noodles and a great crowd #GB24 #doughnuteconomics