Ian Ford
@bluesquarething.bsky.social
Doing things in classrooms with computers a few days a week. Old fashioned, but in a good way. Digging, walking, cooking, cricket, coding, geographising, not necessarily in that order
http://www.bluesquarething.co.uk
http://www.bluesquarething.co.uk
I think I’d be arguing that TTR is a lot easier for young children to pick up, so we may as well change the tradition now…
November 30, 2025 at 11:37 AM
I think I’d be arguing that TTR is a lot easier for young children to pick up, so we may as well change the tradition now…
You can keep the Monopoly. I’ll replace that with Ticket to Ride. Or an all-world Mapominoes spreading across the floor.
But I’ll take whatever panettone I can get. It can always be made into bread and butter pudding
But I’ll take whatever panettone I can get. It can always be made into bread and butter pudding
November 30, 2025 at 11:14 AM
You can keep the Monopoly. I’ll replace that with Ticket to Ride. Or an all-world Mapominoes spreading across the floor.
But I’ll take whatever panettone I can get. It can always be made into bread and butter pudding
But I’ll take whatever panettone I can get. It can always be made into bread and butter pudding
Anything‘s better than just about any of the adverts in tube carriages. I’ll take poetry over that any day of the week
November 11, 2025 at 4:01 PM
Anything‘s better than just about any of the adverts in tube carriages. I’ll take poetry over that any day of the week
The UK. But we got back to our local station from Berlin in a day last summer, so the travel’s not a disaster at all, especially with the sleeper trains that are in place. We’ll see I guess - ball is in the Commander’s court on the stadium naming at this point
November 9, 2025 at 1:14 PM
The UK. But we got back to our local station from Berlin in a day last summer, so the travel’s not a disaster at all, especially with the sleeper trains that are in place. We’ll see I guess - ball is in the Commander’s court on the stadium naming at this point
Germany is relatively easy for me- a few hours on a train. It’s a) getting tickets and b) how Trumpy the NFL is being that will put me off
November 9, 2025 at 1:09 PM
Germany is relatively easy for me- a few hours on a train. It’s a) getting tickets and b) how Trumpy the NFL is being that will put me off
That desk is far too tidy!
October 6, 2025 at 10:51 AM
That desk is far too tidy!
Major issues for anyone with visual
Impairment for many of these captcha style implementations though. This one may be better though?
Impairment for many of these captcha style implementations though. This one may be better though?
September 21, 2025 at 12:18 PM
Major issues for anyone with visual
Impairment for many of these captcha style implementations though. This one may be better though?
Impairment for many of these captcha style implementations though. This one may be better though?
On the Ticket To Ride Europe map as well of course
September 11, 2025 at 6:34 AM
On the Ticket To Ride Europe map as well of course
I’ve had Banana Skum from there
September 9, 2025 at 6:35 PM
I’ve had Banana Skum from there
Ah, the Scandi Kitchen in London will sell you both a bag of Plopp and a box of that dubiously named Danish liquorice
September 9, 2025 at 6:33 PM
Ah, the Scandi Kitchen in London will sell you both a bag of Plopp and a box of that dubiously named Danish liquorice
Ah, the wine menu!
I think most of us knew it was a waste of time when we were trying to persuade people to fill it up. Bit like Ebacs and diplomas
I think most of us knew it was a waste of time when we were trying to persuade people to fill it up. Bit like Ebacs and diplomas
August 23, 2025 at 1:51 PM
Ah, the wine menu!
I think most of us knew it was a waste of time when we were trying to persuade people to fill it up. Bit like Ebacs and diplomas
I think most of us knew it was a waste of time when we were trying to persuade people to fill it up. Bit like Ebacs and diplomas
Teachers need to be aware and mention it whenever there’s an obvious opportunity
August 15, 2025 at 9:29 AM
Teachers need to be aware and mention it whenever there’s an obvious opportunity
I discovered one recently when a child kept filling the cheese on the burger icon they were creating green and was convinced it was yellow. It can turn up in all sorts of of places - geography OS map work for example
August 15, 2025 at 9:28 AM
I discovered one recently when a child kept filling the cheese on the burger icon they were creating green and was convinced it was yellow. It can turn up in all sorts of of places - geography OS map work for example
Neither of the ones I’ve taught recently fwiw. Used to be on the old Edexcel syllabus iirc, but from a networking pov - ie explaining how corporations or universities might use them
August 2, 2025 at 2:57 PM
Neither of the ones I’ve taught recently fwiw. Used to be on the old Edexcel syllabus iirc, but from a networking pov - ie explaining how corporations or universities might use them
Four and five went in a blur after the only real delay of the day (caused by Border Force apparently). So here’s six
July 30, 2025 at 10:25 PM
Four and five went in a blur after the only real delay of the day (caused by Border Force apparently). So here’s six
Three. They come a bit quicker after this one
July 30, 2025 at 5:18 PM
Three. They come a bit quicker after this one
Can you point us at news coverage. There must have been some?
July 25, 2025 at 10:06 AM
Can you point us at news coverage. There must have been some?
I’m 99% certain Brampton (Suffolk) is no longer one
July 25, 2025 at 9:49 AM
I’m 99% certain Brampton (Suffolk) is no longer one
Tbf, I moved to work in a (small chain) academy in January that sounds like that as well. It works 99% of the time.
Moved from a large chain where kids had to lock phones in pouches. And where they use apps for everything
Moved from a large chain where kids had to lock phones in pouches. And where they use apps for everything
July 23, 2025 at 4:06 PM
Tbf, I moved to work in a (small chain) academy in January that sounds like that as well. It works 99% of the time.
Moved from a large chain where kids had to lock phones in pouches. And where they use apps for everything
Moved from a large chain where kids had to lock phones in pouches. And where they use apps for everything
I teach it! And then half the people I’ve worked with tell the kids to sign up for a tonne of apps. Oh, and have your fingerprint taken for the canteen please…
July 21, 2025 at 3:59 PM
I teach it! And then half the people I’ve worked with tell the kids to sign up for a tonne of apps. Oh, and have your fingerprint taken for the canteen please…
This is probably similar enough to be adapted (and v good in itself)
www.waitrose.com/ecom/recipe/...
www.waitrose.com/ecom/recipe/...
One-pot Spiced Roast Chicken With Saffron Rice Recipe | Waitrose & Partners
This is a wonderful way to cook a whole chicken, as all the juices are absorbed by the rice cooking beneath it. The vadouvan spice is a vibrant and mildy sweet
www.waitrose.com
June 16, 2025 at 9:27 AM
This is probably similar enough to be adapted (and v good in itself)
www.waitrose.com/ecom/recipe/...
www.waitrose.com/ecom/recipe/...
Used to back in the 90s for Avery Hill GCSE. Worked well. Something on tropical rainforests. No idea if I have the markscheme. We got cover for the people assessing though, so I imagine that may be a problem these days
May 27, 2025 at 1:23 PM
Used to back in the 90s for Avery Hill GCSE. Worked well. Something on tropical rainforests. No idea if I have the markscheme. We got cover for the people assessing though, so I imagine that may be a problem these days