People often ask us how we are reimagining education, and how rethinking success, inclusion and traditional outcomes can change everything. Have a listen as I try to explain it here!
@chatsworthschls
@BlenheimSchools
Beyond proud of you, dad. Nearly 50 years is so impressive! My favourite aspect though is hearing how you’ve mentored and nurtured the next generation, as well as your coverage of the biggest stories across half a century. Love you.
@AlStewartOBE
Having seen a completely shattered
@AlStewartOBE
come home tonight, I can only imagine the exhaustion experienced by the journalists, crew and galleries of all media outlets this week. A huge responsibly to capture, present, explain, rationalise and represent the sorrow. Respect.
If
@GarethSouthgate
was a HT, he’d be the type to make every conversation a coaching one; he’d put cakes in the staff room ‘just because’; he’d cover you so you could be somewhere you really needed to be and his feedback would always be constructive. You’d even enjoy his assembly
So sad to see the amount of education staff and their families testing positive within the 10 day Christmas window. Having given so much all term, they now make another sacrifice. Sending love to you all, and shout if there is anything anyone can do for you.
So proud of my dad. This is why he spoke about his diagnosis - not to garner praise or sympathy - but to share his experience and to encourage others to ask for help. We as a family are immensely proud of him, and are deeply grateful of the kindness he's been shown
@AlStewartOBE
Our thoughts are with Alastair Stewart and his family, following the news he has been diagnosed with vascular dementia. We praise Alastair for speaking so openly and honestly about his experience, while urging others to seek help if they have concerns.
‘Today truly is one that will stay in all of our minds for a long time to come.’
Alastair Stewart reports following the passing of Her Majesty the Queen, who died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon at the age of 96.
💻 GB News YouTube:
To clarify, teachers are not wanting to stay home or shirk work. All educators want to be at school with the children they love, care for and have worked so hard for in the current challenges we face. But they want to open when it is safe to do so; when they can keep schools safe
Shocked to see footage of passers-by filming the Essex lorry whilst police officers bow their heads in respect. Perhaps we need to build in to our digital curriculum in schools what is appropriate to capture on devices and when you should stop, reflect and leave it in your pocket
Just heard the most amazing story. A thread.
My dear friend Hugo died nearly 20 years ago. His mother went to see his grave recently. She found a plastic bottle on it. She went to bin it, and luckily peered at it before she did. Inside, there was a hand-written note. 1/
Just had to get something from mum’s sewing kit and found these… she’s kept one from each of us. 🥰 The magnitude of my love for this is matched with my magnitude of respect for her commitment to sewing name tags on and minimising lost property. Legend.
*trigger warning*
Just talked to a friend who’s found out at 4 months that their pregnancy is not viable. On Thursday, he will sit in a car park whilst his partner faces the situation alone in hospital. COVID is hideous and has so many ramifications. The perspective is tragic.
Happy anniversary to these legends. 43 years, 4 children, 2 incredible careers, a menagerie of bonkers animals and a home we all want to come back to. Love you so much and thank you for the foundations you’ve given me ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
@AlStewartOBE
True story:
Head responds to feedback.
Head moves his school strategy forwards inline with the context around him.
Head chooses 4 incredible role models to inspire his children.
Head gets vilified in MSM and is slated publicly by TV presenter.
Have we learned NOTHING?
We do already. Not sharing to be contentious but to be clear to the wider public that this is something that already happens, and is a huge aspect of our time, responsibility and professional duties. Rightly so.
Fascinating piece from
@indiaknight
in the
@thesundaytimes
- at odds with some of the data in other papers today but based on anecdotal evidence and conversations. I do think there’s a lot to be said for considering the rhetoric and narrative around this. Kids pick it up for sure
The pictures of the press hounding Martha Hancock make me feel sick. Focus on the wrong doers if you must, but the family have been thrust in the spotlight through no fault or design of their own. Please just leave them alone.Impossible to see any justification of public interest
We live next door to a primary school and every drop off and pick up, Crumb greets the children. Who is going to tell him it’s half term, and therefore going to be a long wait?
Happy fathers’ day to this absolute legend of a man. Ever supportive, always encouraging, there for all 4 of us. We think you’re amazing and we love you- the horses do too.
@AlStewartOBE
People delighting in the disaster that is our political situation seem to miss the point. We're in economic crisis, managing the impact of COVID, in a continent with war, NHS struggling, I could go on. Political upheaval is not something to celebrate, whatever your politics
Very sad post but I know many of you have known+loved Harriet for her 32 years, 23 years of which were with me. Harriet went to sleep this week, entirely in her own time. She lived the happiest + most loved life, cared for by my incredible family until the end ❤️
You can take the teacher out of the school but habits run deep. In the queue at the
@PostOffice
and an incredibly rude man starts verbally abusing the staff. Reprimanded him before I remembered where I was. Not always sensible but hopefully he will think twice before repeating.
#happyfathersday
to this absolute hero. Always supportive, always behind us and always on our side. So lucky to have you and love you. Very proud of you too xxxxx
So proud of the bravery shown by my mum and dad in this article. Blistering honesty (poor consultant 🤣) about the reality of getting a diagnosis of dementia, and the reality of caring for someone with dementia. So proud of their honesty, and humour ❤️
I will be heading down this weekend to see the beautiful gesture for myself. Here's to thoughtful children and the wonder that they can create. On behalf of Hugo, thank you. (End of thread!)
Feeling utterly overwhelmed by the love and support that carried my sore bones over the finish line. Thank you so much. The thought of my darling Hugo made me cry at several points, and I’m sure he’d have found the rain storm at mile 22 very funny. Thank you all so much ❤️🙏🏽❤️
Imagine being so hounded by press, the media, conspiracy theories and the general public’s expectation they they should know every bit about your life that you’re forced to share a diagnosis you so badly wanted to keep private. The world has gone mad.
I left it until now to read the papers and scan twitter. All I will say is: schools were never closed; schools did what they were told to do and made it work as well as they could for their children and staff; schools are working so hard to reopen more widely in a safe way.
Found this image for an entirely different reason, but made me think. The
#everychildmatters
agenda was huge when I was training. Why did it disappear? Seems an entirely sensible approach!
Such a special day with dad today, seeing the sheer love and respect from his team as he steps down from nearly 50 years in broadcasting. What an incredible career and what lovely people to spend it with. Family first and foremost, always. (JimJam was a ❤️breaker in the newsroom)
COVID still romping through schools, with school staff and children unwell. Lots of disruption and last minute changes. Please remember this when working with schools and leaders. The focus may have shifted but the impact is being felt enormously in schools. Be kind and take care
Absolutely love this sentiment! So true too. Very lucky to have worked with, learned alongside and been dear friends with many of these women, and men for that matter. Generosity is everything, especially when giving or sharing an opportunity with others. Let’s keep doing that.
I have just been sent this by a parent, in readiness for next week. I love it. All the staff I know, in all the schools I know, will be primed and ready to assess and fill any gaps in September so please try not to worry. This too shall pass and your child’s mental health is key
Everything I could have hoped for and more! If we’ve learned anything in the last year and a half, it’s to be grateful for what we have. Family; home. ❤️🏡
#7monthsinthemaking
#welcomehome
Turns out my husband met the Queen when he was a little Cub Scout and she visited Jersey.
I told dad.
Turns out, he covered the event as a reporter!
@AlStewartOBE
What a small world.
Lovely that so many stories like this are emerging and can bring happiness at such a sad time.❤️
Not your average May evening! Spent the last hour wrapping up! Christmas has hit our home and we are gearing up for a family weekend!!!!! Finally daring to dream it might actually happen after 7 months ❤️❤️
Having spent a few days at Mum and Dad's with the TV on in the background, I am now very confident that day time TV is designed to stress people out from dawn til dusk. Rolling news, specials on scamming, daily health warnings, drama featuring elderly people alone. Switch it off.
Odd rise in ‘experts’ on
@tiktok_uk
telling parents what they should and should not be reading with children, including NO picture books or reading for pleasure until phonics have been mastered. Really hope parents seek guidance from experts and not from TikTok.
With all due respect, we do already. Have done since I was at school. This could explain why children are so knowledgeable when they demand better from those in power around the world.
All children will be taught about the importance of conserving and protecting our planet 🌎
With teachers supported to deliver world-leading climate change education 🌱🏫
My announcement at
@COP26
today 👇🏽
Shall we all stop speculating about shortages - falling into the trap of stockpiling and buying stuff we don’t need - and instead invest our time and money in experiences with people, making memories. Time and attention costs nothing and was so sorely missed during the pandemic
Very excited to be sharing the news that I will be moving on to
@chatsworthschls
after 7 very happy years at SHS. I’ve been blown away by the warm welcome and very much look forward to leading on teaching and learning across such a wonderful and inspiring group of schools.
Wow,
@guardian
- this in no way replicates the many reports on here, locally, and anecdotally across the sector about how well the return to school has gone, in many cases. Have you a balanced article coming out? Or a positive one? I would be happy to write it. How unhelpful.
Love this, pinched from our staff message group. Sums up education in 2020. Whatever it takes. Proud to be a teacher and a leader. Here’s to always caring and thank you to all amazing school staff out there ❤️🙌🏽
Twitter flooding with proud parents and family members of those on duty in the parade; on duty in the streets; those singing in the services; those volunteering. It’s the positivity we need this evening. Thank you. We are all proud too! ❤️
All this unfounded speculation about schools reopening is at best foolhardy and at worst, a mechanism to cause more fear, anxiety and false hope for children, parents and staff. None of us are experts and no one has had a tip off. Let’s focus on making the current situation work
Once a teacher, always a teacher. Spent the last 15 mins helping a young guy navigate the train system at Aldershot station. Makes you realise how lonely and alienating it must be to arrive in a country and have no idea how to get around. So important to make others welcome ❤️
The ultimate gift for any educator in 2020. Proud to be part of our profession. It’s been a tough year with a brutal end but we will rise to 2021 and keep shining because that’s what we do! Chin up, cheers and here’s to a better year next year x
It’s puppy day!!!!! Can’t believe I get to meet this chap today and that he is joining our family. He’s ready to make his journey.See you later, little man.
#rescueismyfavouritebreed
Love this from my dad. All four of us took wonderfully wobbly paths. We experienced success, failure, ups and downs but support from home never wavered. That’s the key ingredient to 4 happy, fulfilled and successful adults now.
#AlevelResults
@AlStewartOBE
To all A level candidates getting results tomorrow:
Our eldest was rejected for his first choice of course, went back to school, reapplied a year later, & got a 1st & a MSc.
Our second changed University choice at the last minute & also went on to get a 1st, a PGCE & is a Head..
Proud and pleased don’t come anywhere near enough..
❤️ Jimmy, our first grandson, our brilliant son Freddie & his lovely Laura: warmest congratulations!
Miss my family so much. I won’t go and stand in their garden so I can watch them BBQ from 2m away, because I’ll be opening my school for more children. Let’s hope we all keep making sensible choices so that we can all see our families soon. And hug them!
#initforthelonghaul
Getting children in to school from September must not be a political issue. It can, and must, only be about the children - their wellbeing, their health and their learning. Staff must be a focus too. Not political battling.
Not a political statement but a factual statement: we didn't go back to the staffroom. It was closed to groups. We were all in bubbles. We didn't see staff who were teaching all day from home. We ran key worker bubbles, whose parents didn't have that luxury either.
"I don't think at any time he thought he was breaking the law... he thought just like many teachers and nurses who after a very long shift would go back to the staff room and have a quiet drink"
Tory MP Michael Fabricant urges Boris Johnson to apologise
Loved school then and love it now! Same nervous hand clasp too and never keep my legs still. My hope for all the children we teach is that they find a job that brings them as much happiness and fulfilment that education has brought me. Here’s to the next chapter
@AlStewartOBE
If you were a puppy... a really naughty one... where would you hide the channel changer? Clue: it is such a good hiding place that it hasn't been found despite 2 days of looking.
Stolen with pride from LinkedIn - love this sentiment so much. This surely must be one of the key facets of leadership. Here’s to the many superheroes I’ve met along the way!
This time last year
@AlStewartOBE
and I were bringing this poorly rescue donkey home from the vets - in a car 🤣😱 - ready for him to start his new life with us. Safe to say he’s flourishing.
6 years married! I know for a fact I wouldn’t be able to do what I do without the support, understanding and respect of this man. Lucky every day. Remembering a very special day with our family, friends, four legged family and even the choir from my school! Magic in every way
Ended the day with an emergency chocolate drop off to a member of staff needing a boost. A socially distanced drop off of course. Sometimes it’s the simple things. Proud to be part of such a caring community and glad to share that care when it’s needed. 🍫💚
The speculation, second guessing and worrying is reminiscent of Feb/March. It’s all too easy to get dragged in and become negative. However, we must hold on to how much we have learned, what more we can do, the mistakes we have made to help us advance and the successes we’ve had.
True sporting class: deep rooted competition; masters in their field; complete respect for one another. Above all? A beautiful friendship and open emotions. What role models for our young people
@rogerfederer
@RafaelNadal
Happy anniversary to these two legends. Not the easiest few years but so proud of them both and the way in which they can lean on 46 years together. Blessed to have such phenomenal parents and guides xx
It’s been done before; we will do it again. We’ve learned a great deal. We’ve built amazing networks.
We’ve shared and supported one another. Hold on. If your grip is loosening, my phone, emails and DMs are open. ❤️
Not stopped thinking about these amazing choristers, particularly the children. To sing with such focus and composure, under such pressure, is remarkable. They can be so proud - they sounded truly stunning. ❤️
I know where I get 50% of my resilience from. Dad worked with a broken hip; went to
@BolesworthInt
with a broken hip; drove himself to the hospital with said broken hip and has now been told to slow down by the physio. What a legend. 💪🏽 Onwards and upwards.
@AlStewartOBE
This ⬇️ 100 times this. It in doubt, be the person who lifts others. Hold others up to the light and take pleasure in their successes. Give them a leg up rather than a kick. Embodying this would make the world a better place. Here’s to seeing as many stars as we can ⭐️ 🌟 💫 💖
Less than a week away from opening schools more widely and I’m still hearing about DC’s childcare compared to Matt Hancock’s childcare. This should not be the focus. It is beyond a distraction.
Went on to say Happy Father's Day as a surprise and ended up talking about
@halfon4harlowMP
@CommonsEd
and disadvantage, as well as the need for cross-sector working to the benefit of ALL: sharing best practice, research and ideas as we look ahead.
@ISC_schools
"Hang on a minute, I have a surprise guest"
Alastair's daughter Clementine appeared as a surprise guest on his show to wish him a very happy Father's Day!
So sad to hear the news of Jill Murphy. Her writing brings so much joy to many, many children and she did so much to help spark imaginations through her writing. May she rest in peace.