A Poor Player
@apoorplayer.bsky.social
English teacher, HOD, in the state sector. Probably fulfilling many associated stereotypes.
Reposted by A Poor Player
Two beautiful poems by Don Paterson about his son Jamie. ‘The Thread’ (from Landing Light, 2003) and ‘The Circle’ (from Rain, 2009).
February 12, 2026 at 8:58 PM
Two beautiful poems by Don Paterson about his son Jamie. ‘The Thread’ (from Landing Light, 2003) and ‘The Circle’ (from Rain, 2009).
Reposted by A Poor Player
Farage's claims here are straightforward lies (and it's about time the media/press said so)
The correct figures are 160K (0.3%) and 900K (1.5%)
www.gbnews.com/news/video-n...
The correct figures are 160K (0.3%) and 900K (1.5%)
www.gbnews.com/news/video-n...
February 12, 2026 at 5:02 PM
Farage's claims here are straightforward lies (and it's about time the media/press said so)
The correct figures are 160K (0.3%) and 900K (1.5%)
www.gbnews.com/news/video-n...
The correct figures are 160K (0.3%) and 900K (1.5%)
www.gbnews.com/news/video-n...
Reposted by A Poor Player
This is a famously messy Norwegian biathlete who was banned in 2023 from the Biathlon World Cup because he accidentally fired his competition rifle in his hotel room (he was also teary and apologetic then)
new most bizarre moment of the Olympics just dropped
Norwegian biathlete wins bronze medal, then, totally unprompted, reveal he cheated on his GF, she left him, and he wants to apologize publicly hoping she takes him back
www.vg.no/sport/i/vr5g...
Norwegian biathlete wins bronze medal, then, totally unprompted, reveal he cheated on his GF, she left him, and he wants to apologize publicly hoping she takes him back
www.vg.no/sport/i/vr5g...
February 10, 2026 at 5:35 PM
This is a famously messy Norwegian biathlete who was banned in 2023 from the Biathlon World Cup because he accidentally fired his competition rifle in his hotel room (he was also teary and apologetic then)
Reposted by A Poor Player
Sting got sued for unpaid royalties to his bandmates and in doing so he’s the only person so far to successfully defund the police.
a man is playing a saxophone and another man is playing a trumpet in a pink room .
Alt: Paul Simon and Chevy chase doing a comical dance in the You Can Call Me Al video
media.tenor.com
February 9, 2026 at 12:24 PM
Sting got sued for unpaid royalties to his bandmates and in doing so he’s the only person so far to successfully defund the police.
Calling #TeamEnglish - ages sgo I found LP1 practice qs - it had a mini extract (one was Hemingway, describing bombing I think?) And an example of Q1-4 for each. Anyone know who made them/where can find them again?
Vaguely wondering if it was @spryke2.bsky.social ?
Vaguely wondering if it was @spryke2.bsky.social ?
February 9, 2026 at 8:43 AM
Calling #TeamEnglish - ages sgo I found LP1 practice qs - it had a mini extract (one was Hemingway, describing bombing I think?) And an example of Q1-4 for each. Anyone know who made them/where can find them again?
Vaguely wondering if it was @spryke2.bsky.social ?
Vaguely wondering if it was @spryke2.bsky.social ?
Could there be more of an England rugby name than Henry Arundell?
February 7, 2026 at 4:50 PM
Could there be more of an England rugby name than Henry Arundell?
The weather in Scotland v Italy is vicious - the weather has been getting steadily worse for an hour.
Non-viewers may be surprised to know it is taking place in Rome and not Edinburgh.
Non-viewers may be surprised to know it is taking place in Rome and not Edinburgh.
February 7, 2026 at 3:21 PM
The weather in Scotland v Italy is vicious - the weather has been getting steadily worse for an hour.
Non-viewers may be surprised to know it is taking place in Rome and not Edinburgh.
Non-viewers may be surprised to know it is taking place in Rome and not Edinburgh.
Reposted by A Poor Player
“February. Another cold, dead month, or so it seems. The elms are bare against the sky, the plough-ground is naked and wet, and still as brown as the sodden leaves.
Yet the world is waking up”.
Artists: Edith Hilder, Rowland Hilder (ShellGuide, 1955)
Yet the world is waking up”.
Artists: Edith Hilder, Rowland Hilder (ShellGuide, 1955)
February 7, 2026 at 8:03 AM
“February. Another cold, dead month, or so it seems. The elms are bare against the sky, the plough-ground is naked and wet, and still as brown as the sodden leaves.
Yet the world is waking up”.
Artists: Edith Hilder, Rowland Hilder (ShellGuide, 1955)
Yet the world is waking up”.
Artists: Edith Hilder, Rowland Hilder (ShellGuide, 1955)
Reposted by A Poor Player
Why local journalism matters and why you should subscribe to @manchestermill.bsky.social
EXCLUSIVE: Reform UK just broke electoral law in Gorton and Denton.
The party confirmed they sent out campaign materials without proper party imprint, something it insists was a mistake.
The party confirmed they sent out campaign materials without proper party imprint, something it insists was a mistake.
February 6, 2026 at 6:50 PM
Why local journalism matters and why you should subscribe to @manchestermill.bsky.social
Thursday night rugby is weird.
February 5, 2026 at 8:07 PM
Thursday night rugby is weird.
Reposted by A Poor Player
again we do not really do a good job of explaining how wealthy people like Jeff Bezos are
his net worth is $253.2 billion.
so he could take one million dollars, and just light it on fire
and then do it again tomorrow
and again the day after that
and then do it every day for 693 years and 8 months
his net worth is $253.2 billion.
so he could take one million dollars, and just light it on fire
and then do it again tomorrow
and again the day after that
and then do it every day for 693 years and 8 months
February 4, 2026 at 5:41 PM
again we do not really do a good job of explaining how wealthy people like Jeff Bezos are
his net worth is $253.2 billion.
so he could take one million dollars, and just light it on fire
and then do it again tomorrow
and again the day after that
and then do it every day for 693 years and 8 months
his net worth is $253.2 billion.
so he could take one million dollars, and just light it on fire
and then do it again tomorrow
and again the day after that
and then do it every day for 693 years and 8 months
His ep of This Cultural Life this week was lovely. Didn't know I was a JP fan, turns out I am.
February 3, 2026 at 9:17 PM
His ep of This Cultural Life this week was lovely. Didn't know I was a JP fan, turns out I am.
Reposted by A Poor Player
Reminder that "jaywalking" was literally made up by american car manufacturers to shift the blame for accidents from drivers to pedestrians. "Jay" was a slang term meaning "idiot" or "rube".
“Jaywalking is permitted in London. In 1966, the police tried to crack down on it, but gave up after three months.”
People walk and cycle on roads by right, people drive under licence.
Jaywalking is not a thing in English law and Waymo must not change that.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
People walk and cycle on roads by right, people drive under licence.
Jaywalking is not a thing in English law and Waymo must not change that.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Self-driving taxis are coming to London – should we be worried? | Jack Stilgoe
Waymo’s cars were first rolled out in San Francisco, but the English capital’s old roads, pelican crossings and jaywalkers may pose issues for AI, says science and technology professor Jack Stilgoe
www.theguardian.com
February 2, 2026 at 11:21 PM
Reminder that "jaywalking" was literally made up by american car manufacturers to shift the blame for accidents from drivers to pedestrians. "Jay" was a slang term meaning "idiot" or "rube".
Jonathan Pryce on This Cultural Life unexpectedly moving this week. A listen for discussions of fathers and sons and Hamlet.
February 1, 2026 at 1:16 PM
Jonathan Pryce on This Cultural Life unexpectedly moving this week. A listen for discussions of fathers and sons and Hamlet.
This be the verse
if we're being honest I would love a LOTR cut without Frodo, Sam or Gollum, by some distance the most tedious threesome of the saga, let them do their thing on the side, I don't need to know about their whereabouts, I'm not Sauron
January 31, 2026 at 10:59 PM
This be the verse
Reposted by A Poor Player
I find it wild that if you’re verbally abusive to a police officer or a nurse you can be prosecuted, but we are saying that when it happens to teachers it’s not even appropriate to send a child home.
January 29, 2026 at 4:33 PM
I find it wild that if you’re verbally abusive to a police officer or a nurse you can be prosecuted, but we are saying that when it happens to teachers it’s not even appropriate to send a child home.
Genuine q - if this stat applies nationwide, we're saying a majority of children have a speech and language "need". At what point does that stop being a helpful distinction?
A government-funded speech and language screening initiative found an unexpected proportion of young children have unidentified needs, an evaluation report has said
schoolsweek.co.uk/speech-and-l...
schoolsweek.co.uk/speech-and-l...
Speech and language pilot reveals 'shocking' level of need
Analysis suggests 6 in 10 children given universal screening were found to have speech and language needs
schoolsweek.co.uk
January 30, 2026 at 11:35 PM
Genuine q - if this stat applies nationwide, we're saying a majority of children have a speech and language "need". At what point does that stop being a helpful distinction?
Reposted by A Poor Player
Reposted by A Poor Player
7. This is important. @teachertapp.bsky.social and other research shows a general consensus behaviour is worse than pre-pandemic.
Suspensions are going up because behaviour is getting worse. Very significant that biggest rise is in primary.
Limiting suspensions means tolerating worse behaviour.
Suspensions are going up because behaviour is getting worse. Very significant that biggest rise is in primary.
Limiting suspensions means tolerating worse behaviour.
January 29, 2026 at 4:13 PM
7. This is important. @teachertapp.bsky.social and other research shows a general consensus behaviour is worse than pre-pandemic.
Suspensions are going up because behaviour is getting worse. Very significant that biggest rise is in primary.
Limiting suspensions means tolerating worse behaviour.
Suspensions are going up because behaviour is getting worse. Very significant that biggest rise is in primary.
Limiting suspensions means tolerating worse behaviour.
Reposted by A Poor Player
SOMEONE CALL THE GUINNESS BOOK OF RECORDS. I have found the most middle class review ever on Ocado for Comte cheese.
Steady yourselves for this
Ready? You’re not even close to being ready
Steady yourselves for this
Ready? You’re not even close to being ready
January 28, 2026 at 1:57 PM
SOMEONE CALL THE GUINNESS BOOK OF RECORDS. I have found the most middle class review ever on Ocado for Comte cheese.
Steady yourselves for this
Ready? You’re not even close to being ready
Steady yourselves for this
Ready? You’re not even close to being ready
Reposted by A Poor Player
Think of all the tips lost.
January 27, 2026 at 11:20 PM
Think of all the tips lost.
My granddad? Rejected for flat feet, poor love.
(Moroccan great-grandad was teaching at the Ben Youssef madrassa in Marrakech then, when local conflict erupted, was sent off to the coast with women and children as he was deemed too useless to fight, and yes, these are the genes I'm proud to be carrying into the world today)
January 27, 2026 at 10:03 PM
My granddad? Rejected for flat feet, poor love.
A wonderful line from Osip Mandelstam which I stumbled upon in something else -
The wolfhound century leaps at my throat
The wolfhound century leaps at my throat
January 27, 2026 at 9:38 PM
A wonderful line from Osip Mandelstam which I stumbled upon in something else -
The wolfhound century leaps at my throat
The wolfhound century leaps at my throat
Apparently the Mail wouldn't have liked it... though I did get it changed so schools can make it a preference and a few do.
January 27, 2026 at 9:36 PM
Reposted by A Poor Player
'Ashen Grove, Wimbledon Park' (from 'Ethel and Ernest', 1998) by Raymond Briggs
January 27, 2026 at 4:43 PM
'Ashen Grove, Wimbledon Park' (from 'Ethel and Ernest', 1998) by Raymond Briggs