John Cosgrove
@johncosgrove.bsky.social
Husband, father, grandfather, writer and retired teacher.
I blog at https://johncosgrove55.wordpress.com/
Visit my Amazon Author page here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/author/B001KDLZQE
I blog at https://johncosgrove55.wordpress.com/
Visit my Amazon Author page here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/author/B001KDLZQE
"My heart leaps up when I behold a rainbow in the sky..." On the first day of the New Year, an auspicious sight on the Helford: according to The Bible, a sign of God's promise that things will get better.
January 1, 2026 at 6:37 PM
"My heart leaps up when I behold a rainbow in the sky..." On the first day of the New Year, an auspicious sight on the Helford: according to The Bible, a sign of God's promise that things will get better.
Reposted by John Cosgrove
‘The best and most successful schools have a coherence that flows from the implementation of their basic philosophy, it doesn’t come about by accident’ @johncosgrove.bsky.social in @raesnape.bsky.social The Headteacher’s Handbook
December 30, 2025 at 11:48 AM
‘The best and most successful schools have a coherence that flows from the implementation of their basic philosophy, it doesn’t come about by accident’ @johncosgrove.bsky.social in @raesnape.bsky.social The Headteacher’s Handbook
Short 🧵
2 cases from the Teaching Regulation Agency last Friday. First, HT ZZZ of [REDACTED], banned from teaching for malicious emails to staff and placing pupils at risk by illegal exclusions. With no explanation, his name, whereabouts and the date are all concealed. (continues)
2 cases from the Teaching Regulation Agency last Friday. First, HT ZZZ of [REDACTED], banned from teaching for malicious emails to staff and placing pupils at risk by illegal exclusions. With no explanation, his name, whereabouts and the date are all concealed. (continues)
December 23, 2025 at 12:20 PM
Short 🧵
2 cases from the Teaching Regulation Agency last Friday. First, HT ZZZ of [REDACTED], banned from teaching for malicious emails to staff and placing pupils at risk by illegal exclusions. With no explanation, his name, whereabouts and the date are all concealed. (continues)
2 cases from the Teaching Regulation Agency last Friday. First, HT ZZZ of [REDACTED], banned from teaching for malicious emails to staff and placing pupils at risk by illegal exclusions. With no explanation, his name, whereabouts and the date are all concealed. (continues)
The TRA names and shames those it finds guilty. "Teacher ZZZ" of "REDACTED" must feel very humiliated and the 19 people whose details HAVE been published so far this month must be full of admiration for the TRA's fairness. (Here's a blog I wrote earlier.)
johncosgrove55.wordpress.com/2024/08/18/t...
johncosgrove55.wordpress.com/2024/08/18/t...
TRA: NOT FIT FOR PURPOSE
This post was updated in November 2025 The teacher put on a red wig, sunglasses and a surgical mask. She hid her carving knife in a bunch of flowers and when the door was opened in response to her …
johncosgrove55.wordpress.com
December 21, 2025 at 1:58 PM
The TRA names and shames those it finds guilty. "Teacher ZZZ" of "REDACTED" must feel very humiliated and the 19 people whose details HAVE been published so far this month must be full of admiration for the TRA's fairness. (Here's a blog I wrote earlier.)
johncosgrove55.wordpress.com/2024/08/18/t...
johncosgrove55.wordpress.com/2024/08/18/t...
It's pouring with rain. There are 2 buckets catching drips from a leaky roof, just in front of the Reception desk at the GP surgery. "We'll have to be careful we don't kick the bucket while we're waiting," I joked to the woman in the queue in front of me. She didn't have a clue what I meant.
December 15, 2025 at 10:42 AM
It's pouring with rain. There are 2 buckets catching drips from a leaky roof, just in front of the Reception desk at the GP surgery. "We'll have to be careful we don't kick the bucket while we're waiting," I joked to the woman in the queue in front of me. She didn't have a clue what I meant.
I do like this.
Leaders of a Catholic church in Massachusetts kept a Nativity display with an anti-ICE message in place on Monday, defying an order from the Catholic Archdiocese of Boston to remove it. The display shows Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus missing, replaced by a sign reading “ICE WAS HERE.” trib.al/adPW46y
December 13, 2025 at 8:23 PM
I do like this.
To be honest, there isn't much to laugh at in politics today so Michael Glasheen, who is apparently in charge of anti-terrorism at the FBI Comedy Club, deserves our thanks. He is hilarious.
GLASHEEN: Antifa is our primary concern right now. That's the most immediate violent threat we're facing
BENNIE THOMPSON: Where is antifa headquartered?
GLASHEEN: ... ... ... we are building out the infrastructure right now
THOMPSON: What does that mean?
BENNIE THOMPSON: Where is antifa headquartered?
GLASHEEN: ... ... ... we are building out the infrastructure right now
THOMPSON: What does that mean?
December 11, 2025 at 4:38 PM
To be honest, there isn't much to laugh at in politics today so Michael Glasheen, who is apparently in charge of anti-terrorism at the FBI Comedy Club, deserves our thanks. He is hilarious.
In 2023 Ofsted rated Mossbourne Victoria Park Academy Outstanding in all areas. This week it suddenly discovers the "inflexible" behaviour policies, which it has encouraged and praised for years, harm children - as many of us have repeatedly pointed out. This dreadful organisation needs to go. NOW.
Some schools' behaviour policies are too inflexible for students with SEND, a new Ofsted report warns
Ofsted warns against ‘inflexible’ school rules for pupils with SEND
Too many students with SEND are leaving the school system because of ‘missed opportunities’ to identify their needs early on, says watchdog’s report
www.tes.com
December 11, 2025 at 7:39 AM
In 2023 Ofsted rated Mossbourne Victoria Park Academy Outstanding in all areas. This week it suddenly discovers the "inflexible" behaviour policies, which it has encouraged and praised for years, harm children - as many of us have repeatedly pointed out. This dreadful organisation needs to go. NOW.
A simple 8 word headline to remind us all that, yes, The Spectator really is as bad as you might expect for a periodical once edited by Boris Johnson and now under the stewardship of a certain Michael Gove.
December 10, 2025 at 11:25 PM
A simple 8 word headline to remind us all that, yes, The Spectator really is as bad as you might expect for a periodical once edited by Boris Johnson and now under the stewardship of a certain Michael Gove.
What a delightful headline to wake up to on a December morning.
December 10, 2025 at 7:54 AM
What a delightful headline to wake up to on a December morning.
Anne Longfield has been announced as chair of the Inquiry into Grooming Gangs. Far more important than the identity of the Chair is what happens with the inquiry's recommendations. Will they be ignored, as so often in the past?
johncosgrove55.wordpress.com/2025/01/26/i...
johncosgrove55.wordpress.com/2025/01/26/i...
If Only Someone Had Listened…
The first big child abuse scandal I knew of came to light in the mid 1980s. Dozens of children in a school in Cornwall were abused over a decade and their headteacher went to prison. The official r…
johncosgrove55.wordpress.com
December 10, 2025 at 7:45 AM
Anne Longfield has been announced as chair of the Inquiry into Grooming Gangs. Far more important than the identity of the Chair is what happens with the inquiry's recommendations. Will they be ignored, as so often in the past?
johncosgrove55.wordpress.com/2025/01/26/i...
johncosgrove55.wordpress.com/2025/01/26/i...
Reposted by John Cosgrove
It depends on how one is measuring ‘success.’ Because this is what we are currently dealing with. Pat McFadden, SoS for Work and Pensions expressed concern over this state of affairs at the weekend. I would suggest the government put all the factors together and respond cohesively. #EduSky
December 9, 2025 at 6:07 PM
It depends on how one is measuring ‘success.’ Because this is what we are currently dealing with. Pat McFadden, SoS for Work and Pensions expressed concern over this state of affairs at the weekend. I would suggest the government put all the factors together and respond cohesively. #EduSky
Reposted by John Cosgrove
Northern Ireland is a fantasy land, far far far away from the reality in which Kemi Badenoch inhabits
The Conservative party’s policy also includes stripping people of their British citizenship when they are found guilty of a crime ⬇️
All criminals with dual nationality must be deported, say Tories
The Conservative party’s policy also includes stripping people of their British citizenship when they are found guilty of a crime
www.thetimes.com
December 8, 2025 at 10:49 PM
Northern Ireland is a fantasy land, far far far away from the reality in which Kemi Badenoch inhabits
Reposted by John Cosgrove
Friends of @wombat37.bsky.social unite!
By quote reposting this, I’m hoping to make a virtual chain of people around Wombie. Full of love and happy memories of this great friend of ours, so he can feel us making a huge circle of love and care around him.
Are you in?
#CirleofLoveForWombie
By quote reposting this, I’m hoping to make a virtual chain of people around Wombie. Full of love and happy memories of this great friend of ours, so he can feel us making a huge circle of love and care around him.
Are you in?
#CirleofLoveForWombie
a black and white photo of a couple holding hands .
ALT: a black and white photo of a couple holding hands .
media.tenor.com
December 7, 2025 at 7:04 PM
Friends of @wombat37.bsky.social unite!
By quote reposting this, I’m hoping to make a virtual chain of people around Wombie. Full of love and happy memories of this great friend of ours, so he can feel us making a huge circle of love and care around him.
Are you in?
#CirleofLoveForWombie
By quote reposting this, I’m hoping to make a virtual chain of people around Wombie. Full of love and happy memories of this great friend of ours, so he can feel us making a huge circle of love and care around him.
Are you in?
#CirleofLoveForWombie
If you want to know what's going really badly wrong with SEND (and much else in education) in England, just note that the Gove -Gibbs -Wilshaw -Spielman -Oliver falsehood that the "best" schools are those with the "best" academic outcomes has been accepted as fact by our media.
December 7, 2025 at 1:14 PM
If you want to know what's going really badly wrong with SEND (and much else in education) in England, just note that the Gove -Gibbs -Wilshaw -Spielman -Oliver falsehood that the "best" schools are those with the "best" academic outcomes has been accepted as fact by our media.
Congratulations to the fabulous Dorothy Lepkowska and welcome "SENDsationalfutures" a new magazine-website which launches this week with news, views and information about the SEND sector aimed at professionals and families. Check it out at: sendsationalfutures.com
SENDsational Futures | Navigating Special Education Needs for Parents and Schools
Navigating Special Education Needs for Parents and Schools
sendsationalfutures.com
December 2, 2025 at 10:14 PM
Congratulations to the fabulous Dorothy Lepkowska and welcome "SENDsationalfutures" a new magazine-website which launches this week with news, views and information about the SEND sector aimed at professionals and families. Check it out at: sendsationalfutures.com
All this froth and indignation about Rachel Reeves and Keir Starmer "lying" ought to remind us of how the press unfailingly called out Boris Johnson's apparent inability to ever tell the truth. Strangely, I can't bring up those memories or recall the headlines. Can you?
December 2, 2025 at 7:13 AM
All this froth and indignation about Rachel Reeves and Keir Starmer "lying" ought to remind us of how the press unfailingly called out Boris Johnson's apparent inability to ever tell the truth. Strangely, I can't bring up those memories or recall the headlines. Can you?
Reposted by John Cosgrove
‘Children with SEND just have to survive school.’ How have we got here, #EduSky? And what are we (urgently) going to do about it? All of these children featured should be able to have their needs met, and thrive in mainstream state education.
November 28, 2025 at 1:12 PM
‘Children with SEND just have to survive school.’ How have we got here, #EduSky? And what are we (urgently) going to do about it? All of these children featured should be able to have their needs met, and thrive in mainstream state education.
Reposted by John Cosgrove
Today we’ll get latest net immigration figures - They’ll show immigration for work is plummeting.
Why is this not part of the discussion on Rachel Reeves balancing her books & stalled growth?
For every 100,000 drop in net immigration, the OBR adds £7bn to the deficit. #r4today
Why is this not part of the discussion on Rachel Reeves balancing her books & stalled growth?
For every 100,000 drop in net immigration, the OBR adds £7bn to the deficit. #r4today
November 27, 2025 at 8:41 AM
Today we’ll get latest net immigration figures - They’ll show immigration for work is plummeting.
Why is this not part of the discussion on Rachel Reeves balancing her books & stalled growth?
For every 100,000 drop in net immigration, the OBR adds £7bn to the deficit. #r4today
Why is this not part of the discussion on Rachel Reeves balancing her books & stalled growth?
For every 100,000 drop in net immigration, the OBR adds £7bn to the deficit. #r4today
Reposted by John Cosgrove
By far the best analysis I’ve seen.
November 27, 2025 at 2:29 PM
By far the best analysis I’ve seen.
Excellent, insightful article: thank you TES and @mmulholland.bsky.social
www.tes.com/magazine/ana...
www.tes.com/magazine/ana...
Are EHCPs really driving the SEND crisis?
Education, health and care plans have been blamed for an unsustainable rise in special educational needs in schools, but would scrapping or limiting these plans fix the problem?
www.tes.com
November 27, 2025 at 2:27 PM
Excellent, insightful article: thank you TES and @mmulholland.bsky.social
www.tes.com/magazine/ana...
www.tes.com/magazine/ana...
Martyn Oliver says he wants school leaders "to feel comfortable and motivated... not anxious but energised" by this term's changes to Ofsted inspections. If that's really what he wants he should have brought in sensible, serious reforms...
johncosgrove55.wordpress.com/2025/09/12/o...
johncosgrove55.wordpress.com/2025/09/12/o...
OFSTED: STILL TOXIC AFTER ALL THESE YEARS
Ofsted has finally published its new inspection arrangements: two defiant fingers jabbed up at the World and waggled in the faces of those who had dared to hope for change. 5 grades (up from 4) wit…
johncosgrove55.wordpress.com
November 23, 2025 at 7:04 PM
Martyn Oliver says he wants school leaders "to feel comfortable and motivated... not anxious but energised" by this term's changes to Ofsted inspections. If that's really what he wants he should have brought in sensible, serious reforms...
johncosgrove55.wordpress.com/2025/09/12/o...
johncosgrove55.wordpress.com/2025/09/12/o...
Reposted by John Cosgrove
I don’t like to say ‘I told them so,’ but I will, because it might help stop it all happening all over again. #CovidInquiry
The classroom, the assembly hall … and the sky
Margaret McMillan pioneered the concept of open-air education at the turn of the 19th century - perhaps we should heed her advice now?
yorkshirebylines.co.uk
November 20, 2025 at 7:24 PM
I don’t like to say ‘I told them so,’ but I will, because it might help stop it all happening all over again. #CovidInquiry
Reposted by John Cosgrove
A whole nation betrayed for a second time by its feckless ‘oven ready Brexit’ government. And still, no individuals have ever taken sufficient responsibility for any of this. #CovidInquiry #FBPE @bylinetimes.bsky.social @yorkshirebylines.co.uk @bylinesnetwork.co.uk
The Show Must Not Go On: Downing Street Parties and a Tragic Anniversary
By sharing the story of her brother on social media, Dr Pam Jarvis discovered how many others were suffering while Number 10 partied on #18thDecember last year. She has a plan to make sure that this i...
bylinetimes.com
November 20, 2025 at 10:20 PM
A whole nation betrayed for a second time by its feckless ‘oven ready Brexit’ government. And still, no individuals have ever taken sufficient responsibility for any of this. #CovidInquiry #FBPE @bylinetimes.bsky.social @yorkshirebylines.co.uk @bylinesnetwork.co.uk
So, I posted about this before, but now I would like to know which cabinet member approved spending £6m to place children in danger, and who sits on the committee that nodded it through? £6m is not an officer's decision.
www.cornwalllive.com/news/cornwal...
www.cornwalllive.com/news/cornwal...
Council advertised a £6m contract to staff illegal children's homes
'The findings are an upsetting reminder of the pressures facing children’s social care - but it is also deeply disappointing to see the normalisation of illegal, unregistered placements. Unregistered ...
www.cornwalllive.com
November 19, 2025 at 9:16 AM
So, I posted about this before, but now I would like to know which cabinet member approved spending £6m to place children in danger, and who sits on the committee that nodded it through? £6m is not an officer's decision.
www.cornwalllive.com/news/cornwal...
www.cornwalllive.com/news/cornwal...