In just a few weeks’ time, thousands of teenagers will be traveling to Japan to attend the World Scout Jamboree. They’ll be flying in groups of around 36 young people, with each group accompanied by four long-suffering and truly wonderful volunteer adult leaders. If you’re one of those teenagers, or one of those adults –…
“Is that the Apple Watch?” asked someone this morning, “Have you regretted buying it yet?” My answer was a grin. And a definite “nope”. Now, I do recognise that I am a bit of a geek. And an Apple geek at that. But my Apple Watch is beautiful – and I think I do…
The London Times this morning is reporting that the headmistress of Cheltenham Ladies’ College, one of the UK’s most prestigious private schools, is considering getting rid of homework. Eve Jardine-Young, principal of the 162-year old school, where 92% of the GCSE were grades A* or A last year, has described ‘prep’ as Victorian, and…
Stories like this, which I’ve adapted from an American website, always have a way of putting the right perspective on life. Jean Thompson stood in front of her Year Five class on the very first day of school in the autumn and told the children a lie. Like most teachers, she looked at her…
Wherever I travel around the world, I find myself having the same conversation with business leaders. “There’s something wrong with the education system,” they tell me. “Young people are leaving school with great academic qualifications, but they’re just not ready for the workplace. They don’t understand how to work in teams, the importance of…
It’s just under a week since the world changed for the people of Nepal. In those six days, more than 20 million GBP have been donated in the UK alone to emergency disaster relief. There have been 60 earthquakes in the last 7 days:- There have been many tremors over 4 on the scale,…
I was delighted today to speak to BBC Radio Oxford’s Breakfast Show presenter, Howard Bentham, about the fundraising that’s been going on for Oxfam’s disaster relief campaign.
A friend of mine is about to change roles in Scouting from working with Beavers (6-8 year olds) to working with Cubs (8-10 year olds). She’s nervous about making the shift and asked for some advice. This is what I wrote to her: What would you want from your Leader if you…
News overnight from friends suggest that the Scouts and other youth groups throughout Kathmandu are doing amazing work in the immediate aftermath of the disaster. The Award is run mainly through schools in Nepal. I have had contact from the Chair of the Board to let me know that most immediate friends and colleagues…
I’ve run marathons before. 5 times, in four different cities. But yesterday’s experience in London was the most difficult, emotionally challenging and exhausting race I’ve ever completed. It was also the most exhilarating. Running London is like running through a tunnel of well-wishers for 42.2km. There isn’t a moment when someone isn’t shouting…
