So
@amanda_spielman
@Ofstednews
I am not political, rarely speak out. But to inspect schools this week shows your absolute disconnect with the reality of what schools are facing, it shows that your drivers are just wrong. Where’s the humanity or sense of fairness in this?
Rarely am I incandescent, rarely do I use bad language on here, but: ‘What the absolute f***? As an organisation
@Ofstednews
is there any humanity in you? Stick your one day training where the sun does not shine. Leadership of your organisation is not fit for purpose.
#RuthPerry
Was just walking out of Liverpool station holding hands with the bf when an enormously tall ‘bruiser’ of a guy made a beeline for us, I braced myself for trouble and all he said was ‘ not many brave enough to do that, good on you’. Just shows. Can still be surprised.
Now don’t judge me! Was mums favourite Christmas tipple and she bought me the original glasses so I’m having one a day this Christmas week in her memory. Cheers mum!
So, this handsome fella met me from the train with flowers tonight after my couple of weeks away to mark 2 years together. Not that long I know, but 2 very good years. 🤗
Did that difficult thing today of sorting some of mum’s things in her house now the funeral is over. But, I came across this picture.. is it just me or were she and Dad glamorous or what?!
#family
Been struggling a bit with Mum’s passing, but today I followed her recipe she’d written for me to make my favourite dessert of hers and I’m sure I could here her say, ‘A bit more sherry, Steve. We don’t want to be stingy’.Really made me smile.
#family
Mum passed away yesterday. 💔 A huge, heartfelt thanks to all doctors and nurses at
@pilgrimhospital
. Your dedication, compassion and kindness were incredible. You made a terrible time and situation bearable. You allowed my mum dignity. Thankyou. #
@NHS
Spoke to
@reach2trust
Heads today on accountability. Leaders worried re: OfSTED, DfE, HSE etc. I gave a clear message - be accountable to the children we serve, let others do what they do. If we can say ‘yes’ to ‘Are they safe? Are they well? Are they learning?’ then job’s done.
Stunningly beautiful scenery here in Kefalonia. Didn’t realise how much I needed a holiday until I got here. No filter on this. Now that’s blue!
#breathe
So. They broke the law. Had parties. I sat at my mother’s funeral with my 2 sisters and no other family. No grandkids. No other relatives. I followed the law. Incandescent doesn’t come close.
After ten years as founder and CEO of
@reach2trust
it’s time for pastures new and I’ll be stepping down next year. It’s been an incredible journey and a privilege to have lead the Trust. Seeking new and interesting opportunities 😉.
I’m terrible with plants so have been very proud of myself keeping this bird of paradise alive for 8 months, religiously watering it and talking to it. To find today that it’s a fake flower pushed into a pot with a real green plant. Gutted.
#noAlanTitmarsh
I literally gasped out loud at the beauty of La Sagrada Familia. Of course, the Gaudi brilliance externally is renowned, hadn’t appreciated internally fully until the sun came out.
#Barcelona
Seeing some leaders on their knees makes me hope they all have someone to talk to, shout at, cry, problem solve with. Hopefully all have. If you haven’t please feel free to DM me so we can try and help. We’re a big MAT and will help. Confidentiality and discretion assured.
My first ever zoom bake off! 10 contestants celebrating a friends 60th birthday. The challenge was to represent the 60s. I combined flower power with the Beatles. Victoria sponge, butter cream icing, fondant icing and rice paper props! And flipping ‘eck I won!
Ok, so we know predictive text or just clumsy fingers can often bring humour or even trouble. My intended text to my PA ‘Can you set up a Teams call?’ Turned into ‘Can you set up a transsexual?’ Her deadpan ‘Not sure that’s in the JD 😉’ says it all!
#readbeforesending
I’m starting a league table of those offered a test centre furthest away from their home! Don’t be trying to win with your 40 mile nonsense. Today the record in
@reach2trust
was Scotland from Deptford. That’s 380 miles! Any challenges to pole position?
30 months ago Mum and I stood at Cape Point having a wonderful holiday. I’m back there this week and I’m going to stand in this exact spot and do this pose in her memory.
#missyoumum
I love this pic! I set up an echo dot for mum in the week so she can listen to audio books. But I’ve also programmed it to tell her jokes and.. and 8pm each day say ‘ Mother! Get off the booze!’ Tonight was first time she heard it.
F*** that was a hard few months. Some self care time. Starting with trying to recreate the Flake advert. (Showing my age!) Get some down time, family time, you time folks!
Im addicted to buying shower gels in TKMaxx. I love standing in the shower with all the different fragrances. I tried some mixology this morning with 3 different ones. Eucalyptus, ginseng and black pepper and finally verbena. I now smell like a tea bag. That wasn’t the aim.
Seriously, I’m finishing a blog on how the Nolan Principles should mean something in public life. And then this. I’m supposed to follow the lead of this man. Never. Never. Never. A call to all those in civic leadership, please do better than this.
Rishi Sunak has accepted a £1,000 bet from Piers Morgan that deportation flights to Rwanda will be up and running before the General Election.
The full interview is due to be shown on the Piers Morgan Uncensored YouTube channel at 2pm and TalkTV at 8pm on Monday (5 February).
Time to hand over the reigns this Easter. That was quite a ride. Good luck
@cathiepaine
. Still with
@reach2trust
until September in advisory role but off to Istanbul now to mark a new stage of life. Onwards!
One of the things that makes me smile about Twitter is the amount and scale of things that are ‘announced’, ranging from really noteworthy to the not so. In that spirit- I am delighted to announce that I have had my breakfast.
Please follow the link below to access all the
@reach2trust
contingency planning and business continuity information during the Coronavirus pandemic. Feel free to use what is useful and adapt accordingly. Get in touch if we can help with anything.
Sat on a stationary train for a very long time, delayed by a fatality. We felt the train hit the person. I’m listening to a conversation about how ‘selfish’ this person was. They are DEAD you are LATE ffs. Where’s the humanity. I’m going to have to say something ....
I’ve been a Headteacher for a gazillion years, CEO 10 years, survived nerve wracking times. NOTHING prepared me for the pressure of calling bingo at the village hall. Fraught with pitfalls, established norms and those dabbers put to such good use! I am traumatised
#countrylife
After seeing the wonderful knitting of
@FrDidymus
on here, I cheekily asked if he’d knit me a hat in exchange for a contribution to our local church. He kindly agreed. A man of his word, this beauty arrived in the post this morning. I’m off out in the cold! 🙏☺️👏
Chatting to 2 friends in the village pub last Friday, they seemed concerned I was alone for a week in the house. The one on the left is steak pie, on the right apple and blackberry. Delivered to my door today. Dinner sorted. #😍village life
Got this today on LinkedIn. Really made my day. Not sure I’d get away with those antics in today’s climate, but I LOVED teaching this class. And it’s a great reminder of the impact we have as educators.
#25yearsago
So. I’m in Bath. And Bath’s only gay bar with friends. The DJ is playing tooons I don’t recognise so I asked I’m if he could play something and older gay man can dance too. ‘ I could get you Shirley Bassey’ was the reply. I was thinking more Kylie or Erasure. 🙈
To each and every member of
@reach2trust
staff I am so deeply grateful, humbled and awed by everything you have done and continue to do across our
#family
of schools. Thank you.
On this day particularly I remember and salute the woman and mother who made me whatever I am. The woman who, of course had a bacon buttie and coffee, an hour before going to the Palace to meet another incredible woman, the Queen.
#InternationalWomansDay
I feel so proud to work alongside such inspiring colleagues across all our 59 academies and our central team, all working with such dedication to serve our school communities in these difficult times. Please know that I am deeply grateful.
@reach2trust
#family
I went to Boots today to get a PCR test. ( travel purposes). The lovely pharmacy assistant said ‘ Crikey, you have no gag reflex’. She ought to choose her audience more carefully.
Delighted that I’ll become an associate with Forum Strategy in the next stage of my professional life. Looking forward to sharing the learning, supporting CEO and executive leadership development and MAT growth and development.
A big day for Forum Strategy news
We're pleased to share that Sir Steve Lancashire
@stevereach2
will Chair the
@ForumStrategyUK
National
#TrustLeaders
CEO network from May 2022.
Sir Steve will join initially on secondment from REAch2, becoming a Forum Associate from September.
So delighted that my exceptional colleague and friend
@cathiepaine
will pick up the mantle of being Chief Executive of REAch2 in April. The Trust will thrive under her leadership. Bravo!
We are so delighted to have appointed an exceptional leader
@cathiepaine
as our new Chief Executive. We look forward to working alongside her in the development of a continued, compelling vision for the Trust. Read more at
#ChiefExecutiveOfficer
Such an honour to have this published. I’ve tried to share the learning, the ups and downs and the scary and fun bits. It’s a very personal account of the most rewarding of jobs.
#BeingTheCEO
I once saw a horror film where the main character woke up at 3.05 am every morning, haunted by a malevolent spirit. She died in the end. 3 mornings running now I have woken up at a couple of minutes past 4am. If I don’t tweet tomorrow call the police or an exorcist.
This is how to spend your evening, with the brilliant Estelle Morris ( take note you wannabe ministers, this is your role model) and
@Samfr
who is keeping me sane by interpreting what’s going on in this election period. What a difference to not hear b*****t 🙏
I’m visiting each one of our 60 schools to say ‘goodbye’. So emotional. Imagine my joy at having a rose named after me, from the wonderful
@aerodromep
. What an honour. I will tend it with love and care. Cheeky stealing that photo from the village panto programme!
#family
If I ever needed proof that I’d never make an Avenger, I just had it. Walked into the goat shed to feed them and there was a HUGE grass snake. In true butch Thor style I screamed the place down and legged it.
With all the intellectual, political, social and philosophical posts on Twitter at the moment I’ve tried to make sense of my place in the current world. I’ve come to the profound conclusion- I like Gin!
Excited to be part of the Educational Leadership Collective. A new space to connect leaders across sectors. Come and join us and let’s build something unique that reimagines how we serve our communities together.
#UnitingVoices
Delighted that my new book is officially published today. Thank-you to
@ForumStrategyUK
and
@CadoganPress
for making it happen. Available on line at Amazon, Waterstones, Foyles. 🙏 for a retweet. Reflections on Being the CEO
#Amazon
Crikey, just realised lots of people on LinkedIn congratulating me on a work anniversary. 8 years ago this week we set up
@reach2trust
. What a journey! Do you miss those early days Dean
@ReachSouth1
?
#family
Why do I get ridiculously happy when the train guard asks to see my senior rail card? Maybe they think I’m not old enough? Maybe it’s the money I’ve saved? Or maybe I need more excitement in my life?
Can today be think before you speak day? All I’m reading is toxic back biting or vainglorious crowing. Whatever side of the political fence you’re on nothing stops every individual being considered and kind. Surely this is a time to be the best version of ourselves.
#unity
When Missy joined me 18 years ago she was battered and bruised from abuse, it took literally years for her to trust humans again. But she did. She went to rest this morning after a happy life in the country. I’ll miss her. ( But not the dead things or live snake in the house!)
A few people used to follow my mum and I on our exploits. Found her travel diary today. Love these entries from our Oz/NZ trip. Her casual ‘lads went off to get tattood and I sat in the sun’ sums up the relationship we had perfectly. Indulgent acceptance.
#memories
I’ve a friend who is a graphic designer. As a lockdown project I asked him to ‘Warhol’ the goats. Here’s the first, simply entitled ‘Kevin’. What say you
@varndeangoats
A friend very kindly bought me a gift of a flower arranging workshop. I loved it and here’s my three first attempts. The house looks and smells lovely.
Would have been mums birthday yesterday. What better way to mark the occasion than to get together with friends, get your posh clothes on, have a fab dinner party and toast her memory. We do look like the cast of an Agatha Christie mystery though.
Sunday drinks and nibbles in the garden with neighbours. My first attempt at no meat. Got to have a classic ‘70s cheese and pineapple hedgehog. Good times 🙏
To all our
@reach2trust
schools this week, and our 2000+ kids ready to sit SATs, we can ask no more, you could have done no more. Both children and staff look after yourselves this week. We are proud of you.
#family