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barbaraks.bsky.social

@barbaraks.bsky.social
56 followers 109 following 37 posts

Mother to teens and English teacher. In a different iteration of the algorithm, a hermit in the wild woods. Or a poet. Always reading

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barbaraks.bsky.social @barbaraks.bsky.social · 2h
Not that I’m suggesting you have mental health problems, but I remember there being a problem with the smoking ban and mental health impatient wards because there is a much higher proportion of MH patients who smoke than average
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barbaraks.bsky.social @barbaraks.bsky.social · 10/10/2026
I really worry about R4. I don’t want to search endless podcast content on different platforms. Or even worse, let the algorithms choose for me. I just want to turn the radio on and it be good. I was quite happy to pay my licence fee just for that. But soon it won’t be worth it
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barbaraks.bsky.social @barbaraks.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
I’ve lost count of the number of Ofsteds I’ve been involved in now. They were all pointless in whichever guise. I don’t even think parents give a shit anymore. Absolute waste of time and money
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barbaraks.bsky.social @barbaraks.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Given that the threshold is only just above minimum wage, if you have a job a graduate is repaying loans. Unless you have been part time (ie women) most people on plan 1 will have mostly repaid their loans now.
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barbaraks.bsky.social @barbaraks.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Because I am PAYE I don’t get to am do all the sneaky little tax offsets every self employed person does. I don’t have access to a salary sacrifice car. I don’t get to put everything through the business to avoid VAT. I don’t get a bonus.
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barbaraks.bsky.social @barbaraks.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
What is it with Bluesky mansplaining my life to me today? My wages have increased by less than inflation every single year. Pension contributions have increased but the end payout doesn’t change- in effect a pay cut. Everything has gone up faster than my wages can pay for it
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barbaraks.bsky.social @barbaraks.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
And everything else costs so much more so less cash left over when the bills are paid
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barbaraks.bsky.social @barbaraks.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
You are missing the point. The loans aren’t enough to cover their immediate costs. I have to subsidise quite considerably. And I have 3 children and we literally can’t afford it
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barbaraks.bsky.social @barbaraks.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
The loans cover the £9k fees and then extra maintenance loans then parental contribution is expected by the government. But even that doesn’t cover their costs. So I will be investing significantly as a parent and they will have 45k debt. And it’s unclear whether it will be worth it
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barbaraks.bsky.social @barbaraks.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
It is when there aren’t jobs for them and they can’t afford to buy a house even if they do get a graduate job. What’s the point? So yes, I would say high risk, in that the returns are quite possibly low
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barbaraks.bsky.social @barbaraks.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Exactly. The loans don’t cover even the rent. Parents have to cover the rest- £500 a month, maybe more. If all 3 go I will have take a loan to cover that
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barbaraks.bsky.social @barbaraks.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
But I’m a teacher and already can’t afford the mortgage. Especially now my teenagers’ education is about to be the most expensive and risky investment we’ve made. And the returns are likely to be low.
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barbaraks.bsky.social @barbaraks.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
He talks about it on This cultural life, which was excellent if you haven’t already listened
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barbaraks.bsky.social @barbaraks.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
They have a lot more cash than eg teachers (except not officially because a suspicious number of them earn about £12,499 a year) and don’t pay a shit ton in student usury. But then I don’t suppose many politicians would want their own children to become teachers either
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Peter Walker @peterwalker99.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
I've talked to the Reform councillor in Portsmouth who had to explain to a masked vigilante mob outside the city's Marriott hotel that a group of young men who had arrived on a coach were not asylum seekers but an U21 cricket team from Pakistan. He called it a “massively unfortunate incident”.
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Adam Rutherford @adamrutherford.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
Honestly, how is this news? We’ve been writing about this for years.
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Marie Le Conte @youngvulgarian.marieleconte.com · 14/07/2026
right hello bit late to the game, but glad to see France are wearing their cunty little kits tonight
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Adam Rutherford @adamrutherford.bsky.social · 13/07/2026
I've signed and sent a letter - from authors, broadcasters, journalists, artists, scholars and performers - to express our deep concern at @exeter.ac.uk’s troubling plans to make mass redundancies within the Humanities Dept @uniofexeterhass.bsky.social. I would love it if you read and shared widely.
Dear Vice Chancellor, Provost, Pro-Vice Chancellor and Executive Dean for the Faculty of Humanities,
Arts and Social Sciences and Chair of Council (cc Director of Human Resources and Chief Financial
Officer)
We write, as authors, broadcasters, journalists, artists, publishers, academics and performers in the public
sphere, to express our deep concern at the University of Exeter’s plans to make redundancies within the
Faculty of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS). The cuts come at a point when Exeter is not in
deficit, and they are not distributed equally across the university. With 114 of the proposed 153 FTE
academic redundancies falling within HASS, the University is dismantling areas of established excellence
and international renown in a Russell Group University whose reputation is known to be outstanding in the
Humanities. Several of the disciplines subject to the proposed cuts, including Classics and Ancient History,
English and Creative Writing, History, and Theology and Religion are among the UK’s strongest according
to league tables, the Research Excellence Framework (REF), the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF),
and other recognised indicators, including QS World Rankings.
The extent of the proposed cuts is both shocking and misguided. Exeter is seeking to make up to 20
academics redundant in English and Creative Writing, out of a headcount of 62. In Languages and Visual
Culture upwards of 17 colleagues will be made redundant, decimating subjects including Art History and
Visual Culture, French, German, Italian, Hispanic Studies, Russian and Chinese. 5 posts will go or have
gone in Classics and Ancient History (2 academics have already left), out of a staff body of 20. In Theology
and Religion up to 5 academics will be made redundant out of a group of 13. In History over 17 colleagues
will be made redundant, out of a staff body of 53. In the Institute for Arab and Islamic Studies staff are
facing a headcount reduction of almost a third (6FTE out …
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barbaraks.bsky.social @barbaraks.bsky.social · 08/07/2026
What’s even worse is when they say- we’re not doing this for Ofsted (aka we absolutely are) and then Ofsted come along and say, that was what we wanted last time, why are you still doing it?
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barbaraks.bsky.social @barbaraks.bsky.social · 02/07/2026
We’ve just had this conversation at home- my view is that if it matters so much to you as a family that you want to stay up, either a) own it and go in sleep deprived or b) own it and don’t go in and it’s an unauthorised absence. Not schools decision to make for you.
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Dan Neidle @danneidle.bsky.social · 01/07/2026
What if Andy Burnham could raise £15bn – without a tax rise? There's one catch. He'd need to solve the UK’s biggest and least-discussed tax problem. Almost half of all small business corporation tax isn't being paid - and nobody knows why. Thread:
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barbaraks.bsky.social @barbaraks.bsky.social · 01/07/2026
Your podcast got a mention at the DfE unlocking reading session in Birmingham today
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barbaraks.bsky.social @barbaraks.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
Access to the countryside and other common land in towns also vital for children. The privatisation of play is so engrained and endemic no one has noticed. Often the only safe and accessible places for children to play have entrance fees, and so outdoor play is also a class/ income issue
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barbaraks.bsky.social @barbaraks.bsky.social · 08/06/2026
I heard someone on the radio (can’t remember who) talking about how if we understood the internet as a public place and not a private space, it would be much easier to bring in regulation and then also people would be more likely to conform to the social norms they follow in their daily lives
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Jon Moses @jon-moses.bsky.social · 20/04/2026
There is a viral video going around on X and Facebook which has been seized on by the far-right. It claims to show a young British Asian destroying a dry stone wall. But as so often with such ragebait, the video isn't what it seems. Here is my, probably forlorn, attempt to correct the record.
open.substack.com
The far-right and a dry stone wall
a viral video promoted by racists is not what it seems
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barbaraks.bsky.social @barbaraks.bsky.social · 15/04/2026
This is excellent. I love it when the translation is better than the original - like Cacofonix is better than Assurancetourix in Asterix
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barbaraks.bsky.social @barbaraks.bsky.social · 25/02/2026
I’m glad (as the parent of 3 teens) for once me and the elite consensus are on the same page
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barbaraks.bsky.social @barbaraks.bsky.social · 23/02/2026
I don’t teach lotf, but if I did, I would find this very useful
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barbaraks.bsky.social @barbaraks.bsky.social · 15/02/2026
That would be me- and my mum and dad. Sister in law and her husband. Auntie and her husband…
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barbaraks.bsky.social @barbaraks.bsky.social · 11/02/2026
Great resource, really helped us with paper section B discourses. Thank you!
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barbaraks.bsky.social @barbaraks.bsky.social · 11/02/2026
Thorough reporting
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Jon Severs @jonsevers.bsky.social · 11/02/2026
“I’ve had more complaints at governor panel level in the last six to 12 months than I had in the previous 10 years put together" The huge increase in parental complaints are a known issue in the sector, but what is driving that rapid uptick? www.tes.com/magazine/ana...
tes.com
Why are schools getting more complaints than ever?
Headteachers are reporting a surge in complaints from parents. Ellen Peirson-Hagger explores the reasons for this and asks experts how the process could be made more manageable for overstretched schoo...
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Otto English @ottoenglish.bsky.social · 08/02/2026
The Daily Telegraph currently owned by a private equity vehicle RedBird IMI - based in the UAE and led by Italian American Gerry Cardinale and Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Patriotic news. For patriotic people. Who don't want to pay taxes.
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Jon Severs @jonsevers.bsky.social · 04/02/2026
Do schools need to change course on behaviour? Research offers a number of approaches to tackling behaviour that have had little large-scale run out in schools - is that because teachers don't trust them or they haven't had chance to prove they work? www.tes.com/magazine/tea...
tes.com
Do schools need to change course on behaviour?
'Bad' behaviour is damaging teacher wellbeing and disrupting learning, despite successive governments trying to tackle it. Could findings from behavioural psychology and child development hold the ans...
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barbaraks.bsky.social @barbaraks.bsky.social · 24/01/2026
It would help a lot if Ofqual said no to printing in different colours- use of coloured paper in secondary schools will persist as long as they validate it as a reasonable adjustment
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English and Media Centre @engmediacentre.bsky.social · 14/01/2026
How is poetry really taught in secondary schools today? We’re mapping the national picture in England. English teachers, your professional insight is essential! 5 minute survey: tinyurl.com/238cz6mu Project supported by Christ Church's Tower Poetry Development Grant​
tinyurl.com
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barbaraks.bsky.social @barbaraks.bsky.social · 10/12/2025
My parents have both been on the jury for a rape case where a verdict of not guilty had to be returned because it could not be proved beyond reasonable doubt that consent was not given. However angry we might be at the lack of justice, in a trial of he said/ she said it’s difficult to prove guilt
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barbaraks.bsky.social @barbaraks.bsky.social · 21/11/2025
And the way they calculate the holiday allowance (in England) means that we can’t tag annual leave to Mat leave like everyone else, meaning teachers have to return to work sooner than everyone else too
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barbaraks.bsky.social @barbaraks.bsky.social · 21/11/2025
Segregation would also put men at risk. The people most at risk from male violence is other men (70%+ of homicide victims). And this is why men don’t always police other men’s behaviour.
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Sam Freedman @samfr.bsky.social · 18/11/2025
The basic problem with the temporary refugee status policy - especially one lasting up to 20 years - is it leads to very few removals (based on Denmark's experience) but does significantly worsen integration.
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The Secret Barrister @barristersecret.bsky.social · 07/10/2025
This is a lie. There are many criticisms you might sensibly and truthfully make of the Sentencing Council and the Sentencing Guidelines. I’ve been making them for years. But this is an outright lie. Pure fabrication. A fraud on the public.
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Sarah T Roberts, PhD @ubiquity75.xyz · 30/09/2025
Apropos of nothing. www.glamour.com/story/the-mi...
glamour.com
The Misogynistic Abuse Directed at Rory McIlroy’s Wife at the Ryder Cup Is Deeper Than Golf
It shows a cultural shift, one in which men feel emboldened to attack women in public without shame or consequence.
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derek guy @dieworkwear.bsky.social · 01/07/2025
Any time I talk about a wealthy person's outfit, someone in the comments is quick to reply: "They're rich, you think they care?" No one has to care about my opinions or clothes, regardless of net worth. But let's talk about the connection between wealth and aesthetics 🧵
Someone on Twitter writes: "You think he gives a shit? His company (and net worth) went up in magnitudes of billions during his presentation yesterday. That's the last thing he cares about. :laughing emoji:
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London Review of Books @lrb.co.uk · 02/06/2025
‘Today, “fascism” is useful as a political concept only in so far as it enables us to spot its destructive potential before it fully discloses itself. As Primo Levi wrote,“‘it happened, therefore it can happen again.”’ @trillingual.bsky.social on far-right populism: www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
lrb.co.uk
Daniel Trilling · Is this fascism?
As the historian Ian Kershaw says, trying to define fascism is ‘like trying to nail jelly to a wall’, yet for all...
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barbaraks.bsky.social @barbaraks.bsky.social · 23/05/2025
This resonates- I approached SLT hoping for support to do a masters in educational psychology at a nearby uni, part time, evenings etc. I just needed my PPA to be timetabled to allow leaving early occasionally. Instead of support I was just questioned how I would still be able to fulfil my role
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barbaraks.bsky.social @barbaraks.bsky.social · 02/05/2025
Thank you- we’re signed up now
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Adam Rutherford @adamrutherford.bsky.social · 22/04/2025
Race is a social construct. But what does that mean, and why do we say this? An explainer, in the wake of Trump being racist and wrong (pt 675) www.bbc.com/future/artic...
bbc.com
'Biological reality': What genetics has taught us about race
As US President Donald Trump takes aim at the Smithsonian Institution for "anti-American ideology", Adam Rutherford examines what the science of genetics has taught us about race.
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derek guy @dieworkwear.bsky.social · 11/04/2025
How much do you think it costs to make a pair of Nike shoes in Asia? Before you open this thread, take a guess. Settle on a number and then compare it to what you'll learn in this thread. 🧵
A photo of a bunch of Nike shoes.
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barbaraks.bsky.social @barbaraks.bsky.social · 31/03/2025
Thank you for sharing. It would be nice to see some good come of this government
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Guy Shrubsole @guyshrubsole.bsky.social · 25/03/2025
After a tip-off from a wild camper, we went to investigate a recent moorland burning incident on Dartmoor this weekend. It's in an SSSI & SAC, on peat over 40cm deep, & on land belonging to... Alexander Darwall. So did @naturalengland.bsky.social, DEFRA and Darwall give permission for this burn?
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