Dreadful though the ‘Windrush’ crisis is, it’s hardly surprising. We’ve been here before, it’s just that us lot in the public services have become immune to the culture. Ask any teacher, nurse, prison officer or policeman and they’ll have a tale of data being lost, data being manipulated, arbitrary targets set, changed or cancelled. It’s… Read More Hostile Targets

Excitement this week as we are about to launch our ‘upgrade’ to the Richie Barnes Memorial Fund. Richie, our much-loved brother, son and uncle, died in 2009 after a life living with all sorts of disability. Our family are determined to remember all the amazing people who contributed to making his life such a special… Read More TeachAbility UK

This weekend, my son’s football coach stepped down from his role, after nine years of sweaty training, interlocking of goalposts, and sending of WhatsApp messages. We’ve had a roller-coaster of a ride with Phil. The heroic comeback from 3-0 down in a cup quarter final prompting Phil to run Mourinho-like along the touchline screaming for… Read More Cricket: Football Stopped Play

Earlier this week, on April 4th, the world reflected on the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Martin Luther King. It also happened to be the day when new rules were introduced to advance more equal pay for women in the UK. So a big day for equality. I don’t know if it was intended,… Read More Egalité

It’s Easter Sunday and I’m back from a family retreat at my old school, Stonyhurst College. In amongst the helpful musings on Christ’s death and resurrection, the thing I will take away from the weekend more than anything else is actually just one word – ‘recusant’. I love words, the stranger and sillier the better.… Read More Awkward Recusants