Aaron King

@9000lives.org

2074 Followers 1728 Following

Inclusion | SEND | Schools Be kind, even if someone's different to you. 98% positive. Yorkshire. #Edusky #SENDSky #Inclusion www.9000lives.org/edu-blog/

Wes Streeting, the former health secretary, has entered 10 Downing Street. Streeting had been seen as a potential leadership candidate but backed Burnham.
"4 ways to be school smart... 1. One do a friction audit walk two identify where daily school life creates inefficiency or unnecessary cognitive load for teachers or pupils." Taken from Teach Primary May magazine page 35 https://cdn.artichokehq.com/teachprimary/Teach-Primary-Issue-20.4/#page=46
Quote from an Ofsted report reads: "Learners and apprentices learn new knowledge, skills and behaviours as a result of the courses they study. They learn how to care for the flamboyance of flamingos that live at the Middleton Campus."
image shows two. first has 6 rungs which are widely spread apart. A child is unable to reach the first rung. A second ladder, of equal length, has 40 rungs which are narrowly spread. A second child has reached the top of this ladder. Caption reads never underestimate the importance of small steps.
Children's Commissioner for England, Rachel de Souza, takes a break from a hike on Hadrian's Wall to listen to six scouts who she is hiking with.
Rewriting the SEND Code of Practice is very complex. It’s like replacing the wheels, whilst the train is between stations. And the train is 292 carriages long. And you also have to run a consultation on your proposed wheel changes before you fit a single wheel.
📌 Schools must publish an inclusion strategy by this December. Here's your quick briefing.
Digital Exclusion infographic gives three facts: Fact 1. 23% of pupils who have free school meals have no home broadband. Fact 2. One in 12 UK Households struggled to afford broadband. Fact 3. 2,000,00 8 to 25 year olds lack access to a large screen for learning. The source for these facts is the Good Things foundation research from September 2024.
Screenshot of Forest App shows trees in a forest that have been planted as a result of the phone's user setting concentration times (and sticking to them).
Title reads Phubbing. Phubbing is snubbing people for your phone. Below is a sketch of three people sitting at a coffee table with two looking down at their phone and the third person looking forlorn and left out. Besides the table there walks apparent and a child, the parent is looking at their phone and the child is looking forlorn and left.
No ban is perfect. Government will need to keep refining it. But it’s probably time for a social media ban for under 16s. What’s your view? Tell me in the comments below.
A ban will not stop every child being harmed. Some will circumvent the rules. Nothing’s perfect. Some under 16s circumvent smoking bans, but we don’t call them pointless. Do we?
Analysis Social media firms have had to be dragged to Coroners’ Courts for them to be accountable. Self-regulation seems unlikely to tackle the problems we face. Things won’t change without government leadership.
Image shows Bridgett Phillipson, Secretary of State for Education, and Liz Kendall, Secretary of State for Science, and Technology. Caption reads: "The government is consulting on a ban. Anyone can respond (search social media ban consultation). Then, ministers will decide.
Quote from South West Grid for Learning “Bans risk creating the illusion of safety without addressing the root causes of harm: unsafe design, addictive algorithms, and lack of accountability.”
Graph shows results for survey 'do you support a ban on social media for under 16s? It was done by the Good Growth Foundation and results are: Strongly support: 23%. Somewhat support: 32%. Neither / Unsure: 31%. Somewhat oppose: 6%. Strongly oppose: 8%. Caption reads: "The British public is in favour. This is research from January."
Quote from National Education Union: “Social media is extremely addictive.” “Access to unregulated tech is causing a huge crisis in children’s wellbeing.”
Sam Booth holds the Trophy for Specialist Journalist of the Year Text reads: Our most amazing chief reporter @samanthajbooth.bsky.social HAS WON the specialist journalist of the year at the Press Awards A truly phenomenal achievement. She beat off journalists reporting on war with her *amazing* journalism exposing the SEND crisis. So well deserved.
Callout reads #FFBWednesday: Connecting UK Educators and Education. A matrix shows excellent people involved in education, including worthy BlueSky contributors: 1. @simonebeach.bsky.social, a primary school headteacher 2. @bennewmark.bsky.social, a secondary school teacher 3. @hoylerosemary.bsky.social, a chair of governors 4. @5naureen.bsky.social, a school governor 5. @primaryteachermary.bsky.social, a primary school teacher 6. @nourishworkplce.bsky.social, a supporter for school wellbeing 7. @simonknight100.bsky.social, a special school headteacher 8. @danlyndon.bsky.social, a secondary history specialist / teacher 9. @schoolsweek.bsky.social, a widely respected education newspaper. Footer reads @9000Lives.org
SEND Consultation is called SEND Reform: putting children and young people first. SEND Consultation closing date is 18 May 2026 at 11.59pm. SEND Consultation email address is SENDreform.CONSULTATION@education.gov.uk
Graphic reads: “Schools should write SEND information for parents first. If so, could your inclusion strategy be akin to a prospectus for SEND? An example of a SEN information report is shown for Hall Cross Academy in Doncaster which has well signposted sections as well as photos and graphics to break up blocks of text.
Callout reads #FFBWednesday: Connecting UK Educators and Education. A matrix shows excellent people involved in education, including worthy BlueSky contributors: 1. @simonebeach.bsky.social, a primary school headteacher 2. @bennewmark.bsky.social, a secondary school teacher 3. @hoylerosemary.bsky.social, a chair of governors 4. @5naureen.bsky.social, a school governor 5. @primaryteachermary.bsky.social, a primary school teacher 6. @nourishworkplce.bsky.social, a supporter for school wellbeing 7. @simonknight100.bsky.social, a special school headteacher 8. @danlyndon.bsky.social, a secondary history specialist / teacher 9. @schoolsweek.bsky.social, a widely respected education newspaper. Footer reads @9000Lives.org
An octogenarian Margaret Calvert smiles at the camera.
Railway station sign. Clear font on plain contrasting background, with simple visuals, directs travellers to taxis and the way out.
Triangular warning sign informs drivers of children.
Blue motorway sign for junction 28 of the M1. Simple white lines point straight ahead and to the left. Clear text identifies locations straight ahead and locations to the left.
Margaret Calvert smiles at the camera.
An adult who has Down’s syndrome works at his desk in the lab.
Employee of Leeds United Club, who has Down Syndrome, poses with Dan James, Leeds United player, in the club shop.
The BSL GCSE Story 2018: Nick Gibb, Education Minister, approves development of a GCSE in British Sign Language (BSL). This followed a campaign by Daniel Jillings, a deaf 12 year old. 2023: DfE agree the GCSE content. 2025: Ofqual approve the GCSE regs. Major exam boards refuse to deliver the GCSE. 2026: Signature, a Deaf charity, takes on the task of providing the GCSE. Because it hasn’t offered GCSEs before, it must develop the infrastructure to do so. 2030: The first teaching of the BSL GCSE will begin.
Ten tips: Communicating with deaf or hearing impaired learners 1 Speak normally: Speaking slowly or too loudly makes lip reading much more difficult. 2 Stay still: Moving around when talking makes it much harder to lip read. 3 Maintain eye contact: Face the deaf person and try not to look away or cover your mouth when talking. 4 Use gestures: Use simple gestures to communicate where possible. Use whatever is around you to point or demonstrate (pointing is not rude in deaf culture). 5 Get attention: Try waving, tapping lightly on their shoulder or knocking on a table (waving for attention is not rude in deaf culture).
Ben posts a link to his blog that highlights a quote from an astronaut "There is no problem so bad that you can't make it worse." The blog is about SEND reforms: bennewmark.wordpress.com/2026/03/26/things-can-get-worse/
A Ben Newmark post reads: Rage against the Machine never specified which machine they were so angry with but it was a printer. Not my joke but I can't remember where I saw it.
Pinned post for School's Reading List showing a blog about top new titles for spring term 2026.
Callout reads #FFBWednesday: Connecting UK Educators and Education. A matrix shows excellent people involved in education, including worthy BlueSky contributors: 1. @simonebeach.bsky.social, a primary school headteacher 2. @bennewmark.bsky.social, a secondary school teacher 3. @hoylerosemary.bsky.social, a chair of governors 4. @5naureen.bsky.social, a school governor 5. @primaryteachermary.bsky.social, a primary school teacher 6. @nourishworkplce.bsky.social, a supporter for school wellbeing 7. @simonknight100.bsky.social, a special school headteacher 8. @danlyndon.bsky.social, a secondary history specialist / teacher 9. @schoolsweek.bsky.social, a widely respected education newspaper. Footer reads @9000Lives.org
A well-being survey focuses on the quality of IT equipment. Staff are asked how much they agree with ten statements: 1 The printers are all reliable. 2 The staff shared drive is well organised. 3 The whiteboard in my classroom(s) works well. 4 The whiteboard in my classroom(s) has a working remote control. 5 For emails, I know how to manage rules, silence alerts & schedule. 6 IT issues are usually resolved in a reasonable time. 7 It is straightforward to order new / replacement IT equipment. 8 My laptop/PC is fast enough. 9 When not plugged in, my laptop battery lasts long enough (90 min+). 10 My laptop/PC has the programmes I need on it.
Graphic gives inclusion advice for schools, councils and the private sector when they are trying to write accessibly. Title reads: How to write better for adults who struggle with reading. Subtitle reads: Five tips from Gov.uk experts. List reads: 1. Drop unnecessary words. 2. Aim for one idea per sentence. 3. Align left for body text. 4. Policies should be as easy to understand as possible: This is good legal practice. 5. Six bullet points max.
Shows lots of picture books, but too small to see. However, the list of 100 books can be found at: https://schoolreadinglist.co.uk/reading-lists-for-ks1-school-pupils/100-best-picture-books-to-read-before-you-are-5-years-old/
Shows two books. 1. How it all blew up by Arvin Ahmadi. A Contemporary LGBT tale. 2. The trial by Franz Kafka. A dystopian tale written in 1915.
Schools Reading List post pointing to expert information about graphic novels for KS2 children aged 7-11. The list can be found at schoolreadinglist.co.uk/reading-lists-for-ks2-school-pupils/graphic-novels-for-ks2-children-aged-7-11/
Schools Reading List post pointing to expert information about STEM And science fiction books for children aged 5-14. The information can be found at: https://schoolreadinglist.co.uk/genres/science-fiction-stem/
Pinned post for School's Reading List showing a blog about top new titles for spring term 2026.
Callout reads #FFBWednesday: Connecting UK Educators and Education. A matrix shows excellent people involved in education, including worthy BlueSky contributors: 1. @simonebeach.bsky.social, a primary school headteacher 2. @bennewmark.bsky.social, a secondary school teacher 3. @hoylerosemary.bsky.social, a chair of governors 4. @5naureen.bsky.social, a school governor 5. @primaryteachermary.bsky.social, a primary school teacher 6. @nourishworkplce.bsky.social, a supporter for school wellbeing 7. @simonknight100.bsky.social, a special school headteacher 8. @danlyndon.bsky.social, a secondary history specialist / teacher 9. @schoolsweek.bsky.social, a widely respected education newspaper. Footer reads @9000Lives.org
Diary date: NASEN Live 2026 The UK's leading SEND event. Inspiring SEND innovation through times of change 📍 Birmingham 📌 3 July 2026 Early bird tickets £89
No ban is perfect. Government will need to keep refining it. But it’s probably time for a social media ban for under 16s. What’s your view? Tell me in the comments below.
A ban will not stop every child being harmed. Some will circumvent the rules. Nothing’s perfect. Some under 16s circumvent smoking bans, but we don’t call them pointless. Do we?
Analysis Social media firms have had to be dragged to Coroners’ Courts for them to be accountable. Self-regulation seems unlikely to tackle the problems we face. Things won’t change without government leadership.
Image shows Bridgett Phillipson, Secretary of State for Education, and Liz Kendall, Secretary of State for Science, and Technology. Caption reads: "The government is consulting on a ban. Anyone can respond (search social media ban consultation). Then, ministers will decide.
Quote from South West Grid for Learning “Bans risk creating the illusion of safety without addressing the root causes of harm: unsafe design, addictive algorithms, and lack of accountability.”
Graph shows results for survey 'do you support a ban on social media for under 16s? It was done by the Good Growth Foundation and results are: Strongly support: 23%. Somewhat support: 32%. Neither / Unsure: 31%. Somewhat oppose: 6%. Strongly oppose: 8%. Caption reads: "The British public is in favour. This is research from January."
Quote from National Education Union: “Social media is extremely addictive.” “Access to unregulated tech is causing a huge crisis in children’s wellbeing.”
Borrowdale in Cumbria. A waterfall cascades down, surrounded by the last browns of autumn and the new greens of spring. The sun shines down through the bright blue sky onto the woodland ground below.
Post promoting the Barrow festival of Comics as well as the Barrow Festival of Colours.
Simone Beech with a bag full of litter that she has picked off the street as a Barrow BID volunteer.