Jonathan Mountstevens
@mrmountstevens.bsky.social
Deputy Head, History Teacher and Chartered Teacher Programme Lead. Mostly here to discuss curriculum, assessment, school leadership and history. Views my own.
Blog: https://occamshairdryer.wordpress.com
Blog: https://occamshairdryer.wordpress.com
There’s definitely a lot less of it in secondary than there used to be (although there will certainly be schools that are exceptions). Not sure how much that’s been the case in primary.
November 16, 2025 at 6:29 PM
There’s definitely a lot less of it in secondary than there used to be (although there will certainly be schools that are exceptions). Not sure how much that’s been the case in primary.
I can only see it for secondary senior leaders.
November 16, 2025 at 5:56 PM
I can only see it for secondary senior leaders.
Agree, and it’s interesting that the responses for senior leaders were the same on behaviour, but lower for other things.
November 16, 2025 at 5:45 PM
Agree, and it’s interesting that the responses for senior leaders were the same on behaviour, but lower for other things.
True and I think the new framework will make this worse.
November 16, 2025 at 5:44 PM
True and I think the new framework will make this worse.
It comes up as an issue when we do staff surveys and I definitely think there’s stuff we can improve about it, but when you dig down and do follow-up work it turns out people mean all sorts of different things by it, so I reckon it’s a catch-all and a very tough one to get positive ratings on.
November 16, 2025 at 5:25 PM
It comes up as an issue when we do staff surveys and I definitely think there’s stuff we can improve about it, but when you dig down and do follow-up work it turns out people mean all sorts of different things by it, so I reckon it’s a catch-all and a very tough one to get positive ratings on.
Yeah although it’s not entirely what you’d expect. My dad did not approve of them at all, so I don’t think I read them until a teenager. Then one of them played a minor role in my unconversion.
November 15, 2025 at 9:48 AM
Yeah although it’s not entirely what you’d expect. My dad did not approve of them at all, so I don’t think I read them until a teenager. Then one of them played a minor role in my unconversion.
Read them to daughter a while back if I remember rightly. At least all except Last Battle. I have a complicated relationship with them.
November 15, 2025 at 9:44 AM
Read them to daughter a while back if I remember rightly. At least all except Last Battle. I have a complicated relationship with them.
Sauron not much of a runner though. At least not when he lacks physical form.
November 15, 2025 at 9:43 AM
Sauron not much of a runner though. At least not when he lacks physical form.
Have you singled out Caspian specifically or are you going through all of them (presumably a re-read)?
November 15, 2025 at 9:42 AM
Have you singled out Caspian specifically or are you going through all of them (presumably a re-read)?
Also whether the contest is a 100m sprint or a spelling bee.
November 15, 2025 at 9:40 AM
Also whether the contest is a 100m sprint or a spelling bee.
Ok fine. It’s whether he’d beat Sauron. Then there was a whole thing about whether the context mattered.
November 15, 2025 at 9:37 AM
Ok fine. It’s whether he’d beat Sauron. Then there was a whole thing about whether the context mattered.
Not sure the world is ready for more of it.
November 15, 2025 at 9:32 AM
Not sure the world is ready for more of it.
Have you tried Rhodia? I normally get from either them or Leuchtturm, but I generally get hardcover and A5.
November 15, 2025 at 9:31 AM
Have you tried Rhodia? I normally get from either them or Leuchtturm, but I generally get hardcover and A5.
We’re going to be glad of them next week. Winter coats and hats too.
November 13, 2025 at 6:49 AM
We’re going to be glad of them next week. Winter coats and hats too.
Not sure what you mean by this.
November 12, 2025 at 1:39 PM
Not sure what you mean by this.
Well yeah I get that, but then what would qualify for escalation?
November 12, 2025 at 11:00 AM
Well yeah I get that, but then what would qualify for escalation?
One reason I deal with this is because I’m good at writing emails (excuse the lack of modesty). I often worry that the nice, sympathetic stuff I put in will come across as insincere, but I’m surprised by how often people express appreciation for it, even if I can’t give them what they want.
November 12, 2025 at 10:49 AM
One reason I deal with this is because I’m good at writing emails (excuse the lack of modesty). I often worry that the nice, sympathetic stuff I put in will come across as insincere, but I’m surprised by how often people express appreciation for it, even if I can’t give them what they want.
Oh I see. Challenge there is how you avoid blocking access to Stage 2 complaints. I’m not sure what your alternative bar would look like.
November 12, 2025 at 10:46 AM
Oh I see. Challenge there is how you avoid blocking access to Stage 2 complaints. I’m not sure what your alternative bar would look like.
They certainly can be poor, and I think your point lends weight to my view that formalising the complaint is often not the best way to address what P/C or student needs. Our policy certainly encourages informal contact first and we try to promote that. Not saying we always get it right, of course.
November 12, 2025 at 10:29 AM
They certainly can be poor, and I think your point lends weight to my view that formalising the complaint is often not the best way to address what P/C or student needs. Our policy certainly encourages informal contact first and we try to promote that. Not saying we always get it right, of course.
I think we can do that can’t we? We’re allowed to say that this complaint hasn’t been through stage 1 yet, so we don’t accept it at stage 2?
November 12, 2025 at 10:15 AM
I think we can do that can’t we? We’re allowed to say that this complaint hasn’t been through stage 1 yet, so we don’t accept it at stage 2?
Perhaps. I’m thinking about complaints more generally rather than SARs specifically, which I don’t normally deal with. We do have a complaints form but we also accept letters/emails. Maybe that will have to change.
November 12, 2025 at 10:01 AM
Perhaps. I’m thinking about complaints more generally rather than SARs specifically, which I don’t normally deal with. We do have a complaints form but we also accept letters/emails. Maybe that will have to change.
That’s not something I’ve noticed in my experience, but you seem to be referring to a quite specific set of complaints around EHCPs and perhaps SEND more widely. I’m thinking more generally about any issues parents/carers might have with a school, where there isn’t normally LA involvement first.
November 12, 2025 at 9:55 AM
That’s not something I’ve noticed in my experience, but you seem to be referring to a quite specific set of complaints around EHCPs and perhaps SEND more widely. I’m thinking more generally about any issues parents/carers might have with a school, where there isn’t normally LA involvement first.