Pinned
This evening I was talking about my new book (Cabinet of Curiosity - very much available in bookstores). This was the section on poetry (which I always enjoy and seemed to go down well with the audience)
James Handscombe
51.9K posts
James Handscombe
@JamesHandscombe
Executive Principal of Harris Westminster Sixth Form (HWSF) and Harris Clapham Sixth Form (HCL6F)
@jameshandscombe.bsky.social
- Yesterday the Times reported Professor David Abulafia’s defence of privilege. I’ve written to them to point out the flaws in his argument.
- In today’s Times, @caitlinmoran is on fire and beautifully on point, brilliantly reasoned and just this side of incandescent against the cruel, immoral, socially destructive Texas abortion law.
- I like this letter from Prof Peter Edwards in today’s Times. It’s very easy to let ambition suck you into an idea that there is only one career path worth taking - or worse, that if you don’t race along it you’re falling behind or failing. There is more to life.
- The streets of Westminster are full of flags, scattered with broken glass and, in places, running with what I’m choosing to believe is spilt lager. For calm sanity I’ve come away from the bellicose end of Trafalgar Square, to remind myself of an idea of English I can look up to.
- We're trying something new at Harris Westminster - james-handscombe.co.uk/no-more-sir-no… - introduced, obviously, in an assembly. Equally obviously sly references, liminal spaces, and an attempt at the record for most shocking language abound.
- I'm delighted to be able to announce that from Easter I will be taking on the role of Executive Principal and will have responsibility for Harris Sixth Form Clapham as well as Harris Westminster Sixth Form. #excitingtimes @HAClaphamSixth @HWSFNews
- The DfE say “The department expects that most schools will need to implement plans to realise and sustain better value from existing spend“ This is ridiculous - most school funding pays teachers salaries so “better value” simply means fewer teachers, less teaching time.
- Stupid school rules and why they're not stupid: a 🧵 1) Imagine an exam hall. 130 final year students, their studies come down to two hours of writing. They have ink in their pens, lead in their sharpened pencils and the best conditions the school can arrange - peace and quiet.
- Replying to @oldenoughtosayThis is BRILLIANT Oxford Lore* - it comes from the civil war when the King's forces were in Oxford and set up their northern outpost - their North Parade - a cannon's shot from where the Parliamentarians outside had their southern lines - their South Parade. The names survive.
- If your argument against exams is based on the idea that a third of students fail then I have great news for you - they don’t. About 98% of students get a grade in GCSE. The problem is not the exam, it’s people who call grades 1-3 “fail”. Maybe we should abolish *them*?
- Is there anyone whose day isn’t immeasurably improved by being greeted at the door by a dinosaur?
- This, from @Sathnam was brilliant when he read it on the radio yesterday morning (Radio 4, Broadcasting House, about 9.40) and it’s brilliant in the Times today. Read it, listen to it, show your friends, don’t let anyone convince you that Trump’s comments weren’t racist.
