Catherine Davis
@catherinedavis.bsky.social
Executive Headteacher of an age 4-18, all-through school in Essex. Interested in learning more about education and leadership (with a bit of politics, music, literature, theatre and art on the side!). All views my own and not of my school or trust.
I’m not surprised. This is a must read.
Thanks Catherine, so pleased to hear you’re enjoying it. It’s just been named as a cultural pick on Radio 3 Front Row. www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
Front Row - Review: Historical TV epic King and Conqueror, and Boudicca's Daughter by Elodie Harper - BBC Sounds
Plus film Young Mothers, and the 5-year project celebrating dramatist Brian Friel.
www.bbc.co.uk
August 25, 2025 at 2:26 PM
I’m not surprised. This is a must read.
I am adoring @drmjwarren.bsky.social A Cuckoo’s Lea. It is poetic, eloquent and magical in equal measure. There is nothing like being blessed by a ‘benediction of owls’.
August 21, 2025 at 7:59 PM
I am adoring @drmjwarren.bsky.social A Cuckoo’s Lea. It is poetic, eloquent and magical in equal measure. There is nothing like being blessed by a ‘benediction of owls’.
Reposted by Catherine Davis
I’m pretty sure every woman leader has had a cry at work. We are human. When our work matters, and we care about it, we feel it.
#imwithrachel
#imwithrachel
July 3, 2025 at 11:42 AM
I’m pretty sure every woman leader has had a cry at work. We are human. When our work matters, and we care about it, we feel it.
#imwithrachel
#imwithrachel
Reposted by Catherine Davis
"the average female secondary head could end up as much as £40,355 worse off than a man across the course of her headship"
Excellent and important analysis here from @ellencph.bsky.social
www.tes.com/magazine/ana...
Excellent and important analysis here from @ellencph.bsky.social
www.tes.com/magazine/ana...
Why are female secondary heads £6K worse off than men?
The gender pay gap for secondary headteachers is widening. Ten years ago there wasn’t a gap at all. What’s going on? Ellen Peirson-Hagger analyses the data
www.tes.com
June 12, 2025 at 5:47 AM
"the average female secondary head could end up as much as £40,355 worse off than a man across the course of her headship"
Excellent and important analysis here from @ellencph.bsky.social
www.tes.com/magazine/ana...
Excellent and important analysis here from @ellencph.bsky.social
www.tes.com/magazine/ana...
Reposted by Catherine Davis
The increased pay award and increase in funding to schools is welcome. The requirement that schools make further ‘efficiencies’ AKA cuts, to cover shortfall is not. And as for exhortation to increase productivity - pretty tricky when you are already maxed out and exhausted….
May 22, 2025 at 3:47 PM
The increased pay award and increase in funding to schools is welcome. The requirement that schools make further ‘efficiencies’ AKA cuts, to cover shortfall is not. And as for exhortation to increase productivity - pretty tricky when you are already maxed out and exhausted….
Reposted by Catherine Davis
"Name?"
"Mark Carney."
"Full name?"
"Mark Carney."
"Full name?"
April 5, 2025 at 6:33 AM
"Name?"
"Mark Carney."
"Full name?"
"Mark Carney."
"Full name?"
Reposted by Catherine Davis
I have been a school leader for 19 years and even I am losing sleep over budgets this year. A big virtual hug of support to all those grappling with the impossible gap between funding and costs this year. I feel your pain.
March 27, 2025 at 7:28 PM
I have been a school leader for 19 years and even I am losing sleep over budgets this year. A big virtual hug of support to all those grappling with the impossible gap between funding and costs this year. I feel your pain.
Reposted by Catherine Davis
Defender of free speech Vance is going to give Trump such a telling off when he reads this!
March 4, 2025 at 8:14 PM
Defender of free speech Vance is going to give Trump such a telling off when he reads this!
Reposted by Catherine Davis
This is an important issue to raise,@schoolsweek.bsky.social - thank you, it’s utterly draining and demoralising. Much harder to hold the umbrella for staff when under attack in aggressive, personal and abusive ways with little recourse. Some of it utterly vile. 😞
schoolsweek.co.uk/calls-for-sc...
schoolsweek.co.uk/calls-for-sc...
schoolsweek.co.uk
March 4, 2025 at 9:05 PM
This is an important issue to raise,@schoolsweek.bsky.social - thank you, it’s utterly draining and demoralising. Much harder to hold the umbrella for staff when under attack in aggressive, personal and abusive ways with little recourse. Some of it utterly vile. 😞
schoolsweek.co.uk/calls-for-sc...
schoolsweek.co.uk/calls-for-sc...
Reposted by Catherine Davis
“In the first week of March the wind blows hard, swaying the reeds and bushes and bending the big trees beyond the lake to its cold breath.”
The first page of ‘What to Look for in Spring”
Artist: CF Tunnicliffe
Writer: EL Grant Watson
The first page of ‘What to Look for in Spring”
Artist: CF Tunnicliffe
Writer: EL Grant Watson
March 2, 2025 at 8:13 AM
“In the first week of March the wind blows hard, swaying the reeds and bushes and bending the big trees beyond the lake to its cold breath.”
The first page of ‘What to Look for in Spring”
Artist: CF Tunnicliffe
Writer: EL Grant Watson
The first page of ‘What to Look for in Spring”
Artist: CF Tunnicliffe
Writer: EL Grant Watson
👏🇺🇦🇬🇧🤝
BREAKING: Chancellor Rachel Reeves has signed a £2.26 billion loan agreement with Ukraine to strengthen its defence capabilities, to be repaid using profits from frozen Russian assets 👏
March 1, 2025 at 8:31 PM
👏🇺🇦🇬🇧🤝
Reposted by Catherine Davis
NEU surveyed schools and found 92% of secondaries in Essex will be unable to make budget that is balanced next year. That's not going to include those who may be able to but need to make drastic cuts to staffing and the offer to students.
March 1, 2025 at 1:53 PM
NEU surveyed schools and found 92% of secondaries in Essex will be unable to make budget that is balanced next year. That's not going to include those who may be able to but need to make drastic cuts to staffing and the offer to students.
Reposted by Catherine Davis
I would like to see how the ESFA/DfE have modelled a balanced budget in 2025/6 in a large 11-18 rural school on minimum per pupil funding without damaging core provision and high standards.
March 1, 2025 at 1:43 PM
I would like to see how the ESFA/DfE have modelled a balanced budget in 2025/6 in a large 11-18 rural school on minimum per pupil funding without damaging core provision and high standards.
Far too many schools. Particularly those on minimum per pupil funding👇
Anon post: Is anyone else struggling to set a balanced budget for the upcoming financial year, much less achieve a surplus?
March 1, 2025 at 11:16 AM
Far too many schools. Particularly those on minimum per pupil funding👇
Reposted by Catherine Davis
This is Winston Churchill visiting the White House during World War II.
Funny how he isn’t wearing a suit either. Almost like he was a wartime leader defending his country from being slaughtered and wiped out by an authoritarian aggressor.
Funny how he isn’t wearing a suit either. Almost like he was a wartime leader defending his country from being slaughtered and wiped out by an authoritarian aggressor.
March 1, 2025 at 1:59 AM
This is Winston Churchill visiting the White House during World War II.
Funny how he isn’t wearing a suit either. Almost like he was a wartime leader defending his country from being slaughtered and wiped out by an authoritarian aggressor.
Funny how he isn’t wearing a suit either. Almost like he was a wartime leader defending his country from being slaughtered and wiped out by an authoritarian aggressor.
After last night’s terrible spectacle there are no words but only this image: cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_ful...
March 1, 2025 at 7:36 AM
After last night’s terrible spectacle there are no words but only this image: cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_ful...
Reposted by Catherine Davis
All these men sitting around carving up the world is very tiresome. Where's the other 50% of the population? 😒
February 27, 2025 at 8:27 PM
All these men sitting around carving up the world is very tiresome. Where's the other 50% of the population? 😒
This poor headteacher.
Secondary school teacher paid damages after alleged harassment by pupils’ parents
Secondary school teacher paid damages after alleged harassment by pupils’ parents
Kevin Flanagan, headteacher at Pensby High School, said Keith and Stephanie Critchley harassed him in person and online
A secondary school headteacher has been paid damages in the settlement of a legal claim against abusive parents who he alleged…
www.theguardian.com
February 16, 2025 at 8:01 PM
This poor headteacher.
This is a really useful article on dealing with and preventing complaints.
@plmr.co.uk Head of Education @gatortiff.bsky.social & Head of Education HR Emma Hughes share insights into proactive approaches and creative solutions for addressing the challenge of parental complaints in this month's issue of Education Today Magazine: bit.ly/3Qf6omw
February 12, 2025 at 7:51 PM
This is a really useful article on dealing with and preventing complaints.
A statement from one of the Von Trapp family. I adore this musical but we mustn’t forget the darker message. There is a danger history will repeat itself. #trump #musk #democracy
February 9, 2025 at 9:33 AM
A statement from one of the Von Trapp family. I adore this musical but we mustn’t forget the darker message. There is a danger history will repeat itself. #trump #musk #democracy
Brilliant commentary on the failings of the Ofsted proposals with practical solutions on how to make it better.
@morsecat.bsky.social @headsroundtable.bsky.social
Some thoughts on OFSTED report card proposals
mikemurray965blog.wordpress.com/2025/02/04/o...
Some thoughts on OFSTED report card proposals
mikemurray965blog.wordpress.com/2025/02/04/o...
OFSTED’s new report card proposals: will the opportunity generated by losing single grade judgments be squandered?
Hope Bridget Phillipson began her time as Secretary of State for Education by raising high hopes. There has been much to praise in Labour’s policy so far, including settling the pay dispute and val…
mikemurray965blog.wordpress.com
February 5, 2025 at 8:42 PM
Brilliant commentary on the failings of the Ofsted proposals with practical solutions on how to make it better.
Reposted by Catherine Davis
“The DfE and Ofsted should provide reassurance about how they will look at outcomes as a lot of people are really worried. They should be really clear that this is not a return to the days of A* to C.”
www.tes.com/magazine/new...
www.tes.com/magazine/new...
Tell schools how they’re being judged on progress, DfE warned
Exclusive findings reveal huge variety in schools’ approaches to tracking progress, with most leaders saying they will struggle without P8
www.tes.com
January 12, 2025 at 12:12 PM
“The DfE and Ofsted should provide reassurance about how they will look at outcomes as a lot of people are really worried. They should be really clear that this is not a return to the days of A* to C.”
www.tes.com/magazine/new...
www.tes.com/magazine/new...
Reposted by Catherine Davis
We are looking for an Assistant Headteacher - SENCO to join our 4-18, all-through school. With a brand new DfE building on the way, now is an exciting time to join us. #Helenaromanes #Saffron Academy Trust
www.helena-romanes.essex.sch.uk/_site/data/f...
www.helena-romanes.essex.sch.uk/_site/data/f...
www.helena-romanes.essex.sch.uk
December 5, 2024 at 6:20 PM
We are looking for an Assistant Headteacher - SENCO to join our 4-18, all-through school. With a brand new DfE building on the way, now is an exciting time to join us. #Helenaromanes #Saffron Academy Trust
www.helena-romanes.essex.sch.uk/_site/data/f...
www.helena-romanes.essex.sch.uk/_site/data/f...
We are looking for an Assistant Headteacher - SENCO to join our 4-18, all-through school. With a brand new DfE building on the way, now is an exciting time to join us. #Helenaromanes #Saffron Academy Trust
www.helena-romanes.essex.sch.uk/_site/data/f...
www.helena-romanes.essex.sch.uk/_site/data/f...
www.helena-romanes.essex.sch.uk
December 5, 2024 at 6:20 PM
We are looking for an Assistant Headteacher - SENCO to join our 4-18, all-through school. With a brand new DfE building on the way, now is an exciting time to join us. #Helenaromanes #Saffron Academy Trust
www.helena-romanes.essex.sch.uk/_site/data/f...
www.helena-romanes.essex.sch.uk/_site/data/f...