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Katie Finlayson

@learnwhatyoulive.bsky.social
1.7K followers 2K following 4.6K posts

Home educator, data nerd, home ed exams specialist, ex-Chair of Governors and one time computer programmer. Expect eclectic thoughts.

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Reposted by Katie Finlayson
Chi Onwurah @chionwurah.bsky.social · 2h
Across England and Wales, more than 141,000 children are being raised by kinship carers – relatives and friends who step up to raise a child when their parents are unable to. This week is a time to shine a light on the vital role of kinship carers and families. #KinshipCareWeek
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Special Needs Jungle @spcialndsjungle.bsky.social · 8h
NEW POST: Researching flexi-schooling: How beneficial is it for children with SEND? We hear from an expert who's conducted multiple studies: www.specialneedsjungle.com/researching-...
A young girl with her curly hair in a pony tail sitting looking at an ipad
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SSAT @ssatuk.co.uk · 8h
What do the latest Ofsted developments mean for schools? Dr Keven Bartle cuts through the noise, exploring what’s changing, what leaders need to know and what it means in practice. f.mtr.cool/aezkzfqgn5 #education
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Matthew Evans @head-teach.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
matthewevanseducation.substack.com/p/a-sporting...
matthewevanseducation.substack.com
A Sporting Chance
Is Ofsted Inspecting Standards or School Effectiveness?
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Matthew Evans @head-teach.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
If Ofsted is judging school standards, context is irrelevant. If it is judging school effectiveness, context is everything. The problem comes when they do the former but it is interpreted as the latter.
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Alom Shaha @alomshaha.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Science fans! The amazing Prof. Saiful Islam will be giving a talk on “Supercharged: The future of energy materials” at @rigb.org on Saturday 3rd October
rigb.org
Supercharged: The future of energy materials
Saiful Islam explores the latest in new battery and solar materials, how this is impacting energy solutions, and what has cha
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Special Needs Jungle @spcialndsjungle.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
NEW POST: Contrary to political narratives, new research finds social networks and friendships in special schools thrive just as much as in mainstream. The research authors explain more on SNJ: www.specialneedsjungle.com/research-soc...
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Willerby @welcometowillerby.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
A Year in Willerby. 12 Stories from a Haunted Village. Down to the last thirty or so copies. Discounted to £15. Sending out a few tomorrow. Last chance to own the first ever Willerby book. www.etsy.com/uk/listing/4...
Photo of our book under a carved sheep head with a handwritten letter and vintage postcards.
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Katie Finlayson @learnwhatyoulive.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Both the girls back at uni and N settled into college... I really am down to only one at home now. Hard to believe these sorts of home ed days were ten years ago.
Four children aged from 3 to 10 sit around the board game "City of Zombies".
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JustMaths Mel @justmaths.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
I’ve now read all of Pearsons maths GCSE examiners reports … summaries for each can be found here … AQAs will go up on the weekend. If anyone would like to send me @OCR_Maths (I’ve had no response to my email!) I’ll read that sh1t to for ya 🤣 justmaths.co.uk/index-i-read...
justmaths.co.uk
INDEX: I read the sh1t so you don't have to - justmaths
Reading all the maths related stuff so you dont have to
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Katie Finlayson @learnwhatyoulive.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
One for the UK Maths crowd - this would be a great place to work: www.tes.com/jobs/vacancy... A level Maths/Stats/FM, large successful state college, lovely town. Fab students (such as my children :)).
tes.com
Teacher – A Level Maths, Welsh Bridge Campus - Tes Jobs
Shrewsbury College, United Kingdom
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Jim Lauder @mrjlauder.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
This, on options for the future of the school system, is very good from @moremorrow.bsky.social cstuk.org.uk/news-and-blo...
cstuk.org.uk
The cooperative civic trust: Completing the reform journey | Confederation of School Trusts
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Katie Finlayson @learnwhatyoulive.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
One for the UK Maths crowd - this would be a great place to work: www.tes.com/jobs/vacancy... A level Maths/Stats/FM, large successful state college, lovely town. Fab students (such as my children :)).
tes.com
Teacher – A Level Maths, Welsh Bridge Campus - Tes Jobs
Shrewsbury College, United Kingdom
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Christian Moore-Anderson @cmooreanderson.eurosky.social · 23/09/2026
Wow! I woke up this morning to see that two schools had put in orders for my book with a new *enactive* vision of classroom interaction: Teaching Meaning. I'm absolutely buzzing and extremely thankful.
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Jonny H @poppop.studio · 22/09/2026
I send a "links about the SEND reforms" newsletter by email and pop it on LinkedIn too. Subscribe poppop.studio/newsletter/ LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/pulse/transp...
linkedin.com
Transparent reform
There are 5 principles of the SEND Local Offer, Accessible, Collaborative, Comprehensive, Transparent, and Up-to-date. ACCTUp, as we call them.
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Education Endowment Foundation @theeef.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
What should education research focus on next? We’re asking people working in and with education to help shape our future research priorities. Your experiences, challenges and questions can help us understand where further evidence could be most useful. Closes 9 October 2026. tinyurl.com/ypfhr9xm
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ImpactWales @impactwales.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Research ED Cymru Bach. October 8th, 5pm-7pm. Come join @RhysWilliamsTV @lucycrehan, @KellyBubbins, @garein, @thomasbreeze and me. Get your tickets here: www.eventbrite.com/e...
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Nathan Day @nathanday.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
In #MathsToday, Year 10 Level 2 Further Maths wrapped up Binomial Expansion with some lovely questions from @draustinmaths.com, who has an excellent selection of L2FM worksheets at: www.draustinmaths.com/level2fm
draustinmaths.com
LEVEL 2 FM | Dr Austin Maths
NUMBER
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Gaby Hinsliff @gabyhinsliff.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
the weirdest thing is when your current affairs is their boring old history (2003 iraq war is literally on the alevel curriculum) but your ancient old lady music from the 1990s is what they listen to like it just got invented
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Alom Shaha @alomshaha.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Physics Teachers! I’m sure you teach your students about the way in which the discovery of the motor effect saved millions of women in particular from drudgery - the invention of the washing machine and vacuum cleaner being two obvious examples.
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Jo Hutchinson @jojohutchinson.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Everything Peter Fonagy says here aligns with what I have learned in over a decade’s work on mental health and SEND, my personal experience + those of many families I have conversed with. We await the findings on ADHD and autism. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
Young people are not snowflakes, head of mental health review says
Speaking exclusively to the BBC, Prof Fonagy says being young is much harder now than it was.
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Amanda Austin @draustinmaths.com · 20/09/2026
New A-level Further Maths resources added today: ✨Different Forms of Complex Numbers Fill in the Blanks ✨Multiplying and Dividing Complex Numbers Match-Up Steadily building a (hopefully useful) bank of Further Maths resources at www.draustinmaths.com/a-level-further-maths #MathsToday #ALevelMaths
Multiplying and dividing complex numbers in exponential form match-up activity suitable for A-level Further Maths students.Different forms of complex numbers fill in the blanks activity suitable for A-level Further Maths students.
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Ed Finch @edfinch.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
More than half our tickets have gone for this ace day out in Birningham. If you are thinking of coming, do book up or you may find they've all gone. I'd love to see you there.
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Stephen Bush @stephenkb.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
I haven’t read all of the books in @igmansfield.bsky.social’s list, but I have read enough of them to say confidently that this is a fantastic list of books to read and I am very much looking forward to completing the set:
edrith.co.uk
The 25 Science-Fiction Books You Must Read, Ranked
And six short story collections
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Christian Moore-Anderson @cmooreanderson.eurosky.social · 19/09/2026
Second iteration (with some mistakes included).
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Jer Thorp @jerthorp.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Friends! Can I ask you a favour? My 🐦 + 📊 course starts next week. I'm super excited but registration is worryingly low. Can you share this with your weirdo nature + art + code friends? jerthorp.me/learning
jerthorp.me
LEARNING | jerthorp
Online courses and wokshops about birds, data and creative coding. Binoculars to Binomials is for coders who are interested in cultivating an observational practice, and for birders who want to dive ...
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Adam Boxer @adamboxereducation.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
We all know that social media is bad for young people, and has been catastrophic for their mental health... ...or has it? In this episode, Professor Candice Odgers provides an alternative narrative that is fascinating and challenging. Tune in + share 🙏 open.spotify.com/episode/25NS...
open.spotify.com
Is social media causing the youth mental health crisis? With Professor Candice Odgers
They Behave For Me · Episode
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Alom Shaha @alomshaha.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
Parents! Carers! This year’s Royal Institution Christmas Lectures are on the science of TIME. If you can’t wait til then, I just so happen to have a book that you might like:
dk.com
About Time
Time is central to our experience as humans, and it’s important for children to know not just how to tell the time, but also how to make the most of it.About Time will help them learn how to tell the ...
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Ed Finch @edfinch.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Tickets are now on sale for #BrewEdBrum - Nov 28th Cherry Red Cafe Birmingham 11:00 a.m. till 5:00 p.m. Speakers, conversations, lunch, drinks, quiz, rucksack - proper job. eepurl.com/z-HWvZT1yK
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Rebecca Montacute @beckymontacute.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Do join if you're at Liberal Democrat party conference next week (and we'll be hosting the same event at Labour and Conservative conferences as well) -
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C. Kirabo Jackson @kirabojackson.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
If spending more on schools raises the earnings of the children who benefit, does it eventually make the whole economy richer? My new NBER paper examines this using school-finance reforms. 🧵 www.nber.org/papers/w35755
nber.org
The Macroeconomic Returns to School Finance Reforms: Micro-Calibrated Predictions Meet Causal Evidence
Founded in 1920, the NBER is a private, non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to conducting economic research and to disseminating research findings among academics, public policy makers, an...
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Nathan Burns @mrmetacognition.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Network, I really need your help with some trainee student placements. I'm supporting 5 secondary trainees, in North West London, who need schools for the year! 1 x Chemistry 1 x Maths 1 x Biology 1 x Art 1 x Business Can anyone in my network help? If you know anyone in that area, please tag!
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Ed Finch @edfinch.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
We've been planning the programme for #BrewEdBrum on November 28th. It's going to be a good one!! Well, to be fair, I've been playing guitar while Kate Smith got on with doing the planning but it's definitely going to be good... Speakers, lunch, laughs, rucksack- Ticket link going live very soon!
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Special Needs Jungle @spcialndsjungle.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
NEW POST: The #EOTAS consultation has shown how little the Government understands about this kind of provision and the children who need it. @sharonlsmith.bsky.social says it shows how vital it is for the DfE to listen to those with lived experience: www.specialneedsjungle.com/eotas-what-f...
a child with ear defenders sat on the ground
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Stephanie Tuerk @stephanietuerk.net · 14/09/2026
One of the best things about trying to build software professionally is that it teaches you that often times things are way more complex than they may seem if you've never done it before. One of the worst things about agent-executed coding is that you no longer learn this lesson.
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Katie Finlayson @learnwhatyoulive.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
Great thread which crystallises something about what we can and can’t teach, I think.
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ironeconomist.bsky.social @ironeconomist.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
A lot of theories of education fall down when they fail to realise that ‘wanting to learn a specific thing’ is extremely important to individual outcomes and not really within the control of either the teachers or the students.
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ironeconomist.bsky.social @ironeconomist.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
While teaching can certainly help discover or inspire a passion it’s silly to pretend ‘wanting to spend 8 hours a day thinking about algebraic topology’ is a teachable skill. And this is what people really mean when they say trying to separate transferable skills is a mugs game.
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Caitlyn Palmer @cpalmerhistory.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
History teachers of Bluesky! I'm teaching Edexcel 1G (Germany 1918-89) for the first time & am struggling with FRG knowledge/wider reading/documentaries/etc... any recommendations? #historyeducation
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Petra Mohr @pemo.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
I‘m a former teacher for physics and biology, now working in a planetarium as a science communicator. I absolutely agree with you on so many things (especially about how biology is underrated in its beauty and complexity) and so enjoyed the depth you explore from such seemingly simple questions.
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Munira Wilson MP @munirawilson.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
Academic and vocational education are not enemies. That is why it is so important we give children the opportunities they deserve. Schools, colleges, and universities are all stretched to breaking point so funding must follow to ensure these are not just empty words.
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Helen Czerski @helenczerski.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
As both an academic and a writer, I am repelled by the "this looks like a long document. Would you like me to summarize it for you?" that seems to appear at the top of every pdf viewer now. NO. The *entire point* of good writing (either books or journal papers) is that every sentence has a purpose.
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Morgan Polikoff @mpolikoff.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
A year in, what are teens telling us about cell phone bans? New work from colleagues and me at Brookings. A few highlights: www.brookings.edu/articles/a-y...
brookings.edu
A year later, what teens tell us about school cellphone bans | Brookings
Dan Silver, Amie Rapaport, and Morgan Polikoff track how teen cellphone use shifted over a year under school phone bans.
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will pooley @willpooley.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
“Many of the major questions that AI raises are old questions in new clothing. How do labour markets absorb technological change? How do we govern how institutions make decisions about people?”
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Edge Foundation @edgeuk.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Deciding on a career is a complicated and often overwhelming position to be in, with many taking a conventional route – but for Matthew Weeden, choosing the open road over a traditional office desk is proving to be a rewarding alternative route to university. 👇 www.edge.co.uk/apprenticesh...
edge.co.uk
Life on the road with an HGV apprentice
Deciding on a career is a complicated and often overwhelming position to be in, with many taking a conventional route – but for Matthew Weeden, choosing the open road over a traditional office desk…
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Ian Duhig @ianduhig.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
9yo boy gets the essence of the Scottish Play
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Second Reading @commonslibrary.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
The UK economy - A dashboard commonslibrary.parliament.uk/resear…
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Sam Freedman @samfr.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
One reason England does so well is our second generation immigrants outperform their peers which is not true in most OECD countries. We are also very good at integration. And it's v sad that this is never acknowledge in debates on immigration.
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Alistair Munro @alistair-munro.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
That may be true for the signalling role of qualifications, but PISA is about basic skills - human capital. Wales is creating a large fraction of young adults without core academic skills and that impacts not just the ability to learn skills and get a good job, but also health, unemployment...
chart showing fraction of pupils from three countries with scores below the level of basic proficiency. Sourced from https://www.oecd.org/en/about/news/press-releases/2026/09/pisa-2025-students-reading-and-mathematics-performance-declined-sharply-across-the-oecd.html
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Sam Freedman @samfr.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
Devolution created a natural experiment here and we have the results. bsky.app/profile/tom-...
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