'It was Roy Jenkins who once wisely observed that the first attribute of a successful prime minister is not a first-class mind, but a first-class temperament': fascinating piece by Patrick Wintour on the mood behind the scenes in a 'dying government': buff.ly/3TUv6tX

In this Commission Conversation, I talk to teacher, writer and broadcaster Jeffrey Boakye about why oracy matters, how it shapes our interactions with people, and how an understanding of oracy can help us interrogate the unspoken 'rules' of language: buff.ly/3JfHhg3

Recap: everyone, it seems, is talking about oracy. The latest Commission Conversation …

'The past decade has shown a denigration of the arts and creative tuition in schools': here's Rufus Norris, Artistic Director of National Theatre, plus a commissioner Oracy Education Commission, saying why oracy matters and his hopes for what we might achieve: buff.ly/3Q24kia

The view from here: another gratuitous pic of Molly B on our walk this evening ... before she gets her hair cut on Monday (keep that bit quiet, please: she doesn't yet know). As ever with border terriers, she's turned on her happy face.
Carry on.

The next in our @OracyCommission Commissioner Conversations about oracy: listen to Sally Apps FCCT Cabot Federation on early years language, specialist provision, and how our language feeds into our identity. The Commission begins its work next week. buff.ly/3vElcol

Our next Commission Conversation is live. Hear from commissioner Sally Apps FCCT who discusses the impact of oracy education across Cabot Federation with Geoff Barton ahead of the first meeting of the Commission on Monday open.spotify.com/episode/60Pw0a…

This will be a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the life of a truly inspirational and transformational educationalist. Please put this date in your diary and watch out for further information.

With thanks (er ... I think) to Hamira Shah who's in Vienna and, visiting a gallery, spotted this painting by Christian Seybold: 'Self Portrait with Snuffbox'. Even Mrs Barton - former art teacher - asked me for evidence of the snuffbox. Carry on. buff.ly/4azaG0D

'So what exactly is oracy, why does it matter, how do you teach it, and is oracy as important as literacy and numeracy?': good questions from Tom Richmond in our EDSK podcast conversation about the @OracyCommission I'm chairing: buff.ly/4aLUQzj

Here's the latest in our series of our @OracyCommission conversations. Listen to my brief podcast with Professor Stephen Coleman Leeds Uni Media about the role of oracy education in helping young people engage & participate in the democratic process: buff.ly/3Ua23Up

'The April mist, the chill, the calm ...': 'Home' - a magnificent, characteristically understated poem by the great but troubled Edward Thomas, who died in WWI on this day in 1917: buff.ly/4aIznqY Thanks to Poetry Foundation

Q: 'Rob, why does oracy matter?'
A: 'Because spoken language is so closely identified with who we are and how we define ourselves ...'.
Ahead of next week's first meeting of the Oracy Education Commission, my podcast conversation with Professor Rob Drummond: buff.ly/3vRRs7e #Oracy

From Leicester to Suffolk: this looks very good ...

Just watching part of #AlanBates ' appearance at the Horizon inquiry - an absolute exemplar of calm, humane evidence-giving. A class act. buff.ly/3U9sedP

Important insights from ⁦Institute for Fiscal Studies⁩ on the impact of investing in children’s early years … bbc.co.uk/news/education…

As John says …

The view from here: always good to welcome great friends around …

'Young humanity is amazing ...'. Yep. Love this upbeat, reflective piece by Amol Rajan on insights gained from hosting his first series of #UniversityChallenge buff.ly/4aKZT3e

With all respect to Bartons everywhere …