This week
20-26 APRIL 2013
SATURDAY
Attitudes on teacher race
A survey by thinktank British Future found that 57 per cent of people would be “totally comfortable” if their child’s teacher were a different race from them, while only 2 per cent would be “very uncomfortable”.
SUNDAY
Out for a run
Today was the London Marathon, when 36,000 people decided that 26 miles of sightseeing was best done on foot - and in costume. This year, a 30-second silence was held in memory of the Boston bomb victims.
MONDAY
Blond ambition
What’s that, old chap? Boris Johnson in a classroom? Teach First made the dream come true as it invited him and 60 other leading professionals to deliver lessons this week (www.tesconnect.combigedblog).
TUESDAY
Land of hope of a holiday
The Institute for Public Policy Research found that St George’s Day patriotism has reached such a fever pitch that 73 per cent of people in England want it to be a public holiday. At least, we assume patriotism is the reason.
WEDNESDAY
The world in your hands
Need to stock up on visual aids? You could have popped along to the Christie’s travel, science and natural history auction. Dutch 18th-century pocket globe: c.#163;25,000. The experience of hands-on learning: priceless.
THURSDAY
Private matters
Champions of private schooling got to bang their drum as the Independent Schools Council released its annual census. And newspapers got to dust down pictures of children in boaters strolling through quads.
FRIDAY
Ear all about it
A man was due to appear at Newcastle Crown Court, accused of biting off the ear of Game of Thrones actor Clive Mantle. Let’s hope that fans of the fantasy series don’t use this as inspiration in disciplining their students.
Next week
27 APRIL - 3 MAY 2013
SATURDAY
A wing and a prayer
Cuckoo Day, celebrated in the Yorkshire town of Marsden, is yet another day in the calendar that tries to reassure us that spring really has arrived. This one involves a grand cuckoo procession. Convinced?
SUNDAY
Toil and trouble
Tonight’s Olivier Awards celebrate the best of British theatre. If those dog-eared copies of Macbeth are making Shakespeare seem unglamorous, there should be enough air-kissing here to convince you otherwise.
MONDAY
Fighting tooth and mail
It’s not just teachers who are gearing up for strike action. Thousands of Post Office workers are due to stage a half-day walkout today in protest at branch closures and low pay.
TUESDAY
Lights out!
Heads, housemasters and housemistresses will be gathering in Brighton for the annual conference of the Boarding Schools’ Association. No midnight snacking or reading by torchlight allowed.
WEDNESDAY
Happily ever after
It’s the start of National Share-a-Story Month, run by the Federation of Children’s Book Groups. Organisations will provide resources and opportunities to introduce children to the power of storytelling.
THURSDAY
Time to do your civic duty
It’s local election day. As well as going down to the polling booth yourselves, remind any sixth-formers who are old enough that they also have the chance to influence the way their local council is run.
FRIDAY
Gunning for the NRA
Today marks the start of the National Rifle Association’s annual conference in Houston, Texas. The organisation has been under scrutiny since the school shooting at Sandy Hook in December, in which 28 people died.
