Author | Lightnews

Catherine Davis

@catherinedavis.bsky.social

210 followers 190 following 32 posts

Executive Headteacher of an age 4-18, all-through school in Essex. Interested in learning more about education and leadership (with a bit of politics, music, literature, theatre and art on the side!). All views my own and not of my school or trust.

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Catherine Davis @catherinedavis.bsky.social · Sep 11

Why thank you ma’am!

Catherine Davis @catherinedavis.bsky.social · Sep 10

We will forgive you.

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Catherine Davis @catherinedavis.bsky.social · Aug 25

I’m not surprised. This is a must read.

Michael J. Warren @drmjwarren.bsky.social · Aug 22

Thanks Catherine, so pleased to hear you’re enjoying it. It’s just been named as a cultural pick on Radio 3 Front Row. www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

Front Row - Review: Historical TV epic King and Conqueror, and Boudicca's Daughter by Elodie Harper - BBC Sounds

Plus film Young Mothers, and the 5-year project celebrating dramatist Brian Friel.

www.bbc.co.uk

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Catherine Davis @catherinedavis.bsky.social · Aug 21

Sorry, ‘The Cuckoo’s Lea’.

Catherine Davis @catherinedavis.bsky.social · Aug 21

I am adoring @drmjwarren.bsky.social A Cuckoo’s Lea. It is poetic, eloquent and magical in equal measure. There is nothing like being blessed by a ‘benediction of owls’.

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Catherine Davis @catherinedavis.bsky.social · Aug 6

He looks like the cat that got the cream!

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Catherine Davis @catherinedavis.bsky.social · Aug 6

They were over my garden last night. I was pleased to see them!

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Reposted by Catherine Davis

WomenEd @womened.bsky.social · Jul 3

I’m pretty sure every woman leader has had a cry at work. We are human. When our work matters, and we care about it, we feel it.

#imwithrachel

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Reposted by Catherine Davis

Jon Severs @jonsevers.bsky.social · Jun 12

"the average female secondary head could end up as much as £40,355 worse off than a man across the course of her headship"

Excellent and important analysis here from @ellencph.bsky.social
www.tes.com/magazine/ana...

Why are female secondary heads £6K worse off than men?

The gender pay gap for secondary headteachers is widening. Ten years ago there wasn’t a gap at all. What’s going on? Ellen Peirson-Hagger analyses the data

www.tes.com

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Catherine Davis @catherinedavis.bsky.social · Jun 8

I watched it during half term. Such a heartwarming film!

Reposted by Catherine Davis

Rachel Mills @docrmills.bsky.social · May 22

The increased pay award and increase in funding to schools is welcome. The requirement that schools make further ‘efficiencies’ AKA cuts, to cover shortfall is not. And as for exhortation to increase productivity - pretty tricky when you are already maxed out and exhausted….

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Catherine Davis @catherinedavis.bsky.social · Apr 20

Happy Easter to you all! X

Reposted by Catherine Davis

David Quantick @quantick.bsky.social · Apr 5

"Name?"
"Mark Carney."
"Full name?"

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Reposted by Catherine Davis

Caroline Derbyshire @morsecat.bsky.social · Mar 27

I have been a school leader for 19 years and even I am losing sleep over budgets this year. A big virtual hug of support to all those grappling with the impossible gap between funding and costs this year. I feel your pain.

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Reposted by Catherine Davis

Larry the Cat @number10cat.bsky.social · Mar 4

Defender of free speech Vance is going to give Trump such a telling off when he reads this!

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Reposted by Catherine Davis

Caroline Barlow @carolinebarlow.bsky.social · Mar 4

This is an important issue to raise,@schoolsweek.bsky.social - thank you, it’s utterly draining and demoralising. Much harder to hold the umbrella for staff when under attack in aggressive, personal and abusive ways with little recourse. Some of it utterly vile. 😞
schoolsweek.co.uk/calls-for-sc...

schoolsweek.co.uk

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Reposted by Catherine Davis

Helen Day @lbflyawayhome.bsky.social · Mar 2

“In the first week of March the wind blows hard, swaying the reeds and bushes and bending the big trees beyond the lake to its cold breath.”

The first page of ‘What to Look for in Spring”
Artist: CF Tunnicliffe
Writer: EL Grant Watson

The chilly scene near a pond or small lake as a wind blows the surface of the water to ripples and makes the catkins dance

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Catherine Davis @catherinedavis.bsky.social · Mar 1

👏🇺🇦🇬🇧🤝

Peter Stefanovic @peterstefanovic.bsky.social · Mar 1

BREAKING: Chancellor Rachel Reeves has signed a £2.26 billion loan agreement with Ukraine to strengthen its defence capabilities, to be repaid using profits from frozen Russian assets 👏

Reposted by Catherine Davis

Ellie C @philosophicellie.bsky.social · Mar 1

NEU surveyed schools and found 92% of secondaries in Essex will be unable to make budget that is balanced next year. That's not going to include those who may be able to but need to make drastic cuts to staffing and the offer to students.

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Reposted by Catherine Davis

Caroline Derbyshire @morsecat.bsky.social · Mar 1

I would like to see how the ESFA/DfE have modelled a balanced budget in 2025/6 in a large 11-18 rural school on minimum per pupil funding without damaging core provision and high standards.

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Catherine Davis @catherinedavis.bsky.social · Mar 1

Far too many schools. Particularly those on minimum per pupil funding👇

HeadteacherChat @headteacherchat.bsky.social · Mar 1

Anon post: Is anyone else struggling to set a balanced budget for the upcoming financial year, much less achieve a surplus?

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Reposted by Catherine Davis

Tristan Snell @tristansnell.bsky.social · Mar 1

This is Winston Churchill visiting the White House during World War II.

Funny how he isn’t wearing a suit either. Almost like he was a wartime leader defending his country from being slaughtered and wiped out by an authoritarian aggressor.

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Catherine Davis @catherinedavis.bsky.social · Mar 1

After last night’s terrible spectacle there are no words but only this image: cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_ful...

Catherine Davis @catherinedavis.bsky.social · Mar 1

Agreed. The first two particularly. I know of a few headteachers who are talking about stepping down and have cited both of these factors as reasons for doing so.

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Reposted by Catherine Davis

Sue Cowley @suecowley.bsky.social · Feb 27

All these men sitting around carving up the world is very tiresome. Where's the other 50% of the population? 😒

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