James Handscombe
@jameshandscombe.bsky.social
Executive Principal, Mathematician, Teacher, Wordsmith not necessarily in that order.
We live in a strange world, but I’m looking at this story on the BBC website and wondering “is this true, can this be true, …. ????”
February 10, 2026 at 7:47 AM
We live in a strange world, but I’m looking at this story on the BBC website and wondering “is this true, can this be true, …. ????”
A Harris Westminster reunion in an Oxford pub - amazing to have such a huge number of students from our little school flourishing across a huge range of subjects.
February 3, 2026 at 5:45 PM
A Harris Westminster reunion in an Oxford pub - amazing to have such a huge number of students from our little school flourishing across a huge range of subjects.
I’ve been pruning (this is my pear tree with its new barnet) and I have two pieces of wisdom*
1) One tree is a lot of tree
2) Thorns are really thorny
*in its broadest sense
1) One tree is a lot of tree
2) Thorns are really thorny
*in its broadest sense
January 25, 2026 at 2:43 PM
I’ve been pruning (this is my pear tree with its new barnet) and I have two pieces of wisdom*
1) One tree is a lot of tree
2) Thorns are really thorny
*in its broadest sense
1) One tree is a lot of tree
2) Thorns are really thorny
*in its broadest sense
This rather lovely piece of architecture is a building extending outwards and gracefully curving so as to amplify, rather than obstruct the view of the church next door.
January 24, 2026 at 4:25 PM
This rather lovely piece of architecture is a building extending outwards and gracefully curving so as to amplify, rather than obstruct the view of the church next door.
Love is a knitted octopus (apparently)
January 24, 2026 at 12:34 PM
Love is a knitted octopus (apparently)
1. Don Quixote: Gordon Lightfoot
2. Dangling Conversation: Simon and Garfunkel
3. The Fate of Ophelia: Taylor Swift
4. Norwegian Wood: The Beatles
5. Tangled up in Blue: Bob Dylan
2. Dangling Conversation: Simon and Garfunkel
3. The Fate of Ophelia: Taylor Swift
4. Norwegian Wood: The Beatles
5. Tangled up in Blue: Bob Dylan
January 24, 2026 at 9:21 AM
1. Don Quixote: Gordon Lightfoot
2. Dangling Conversation: Simon and Garfunkel
3. The Fate of Ophelia: Taylor Swift
4. Norwegian Wood: The Beatles
5. Tangled up in Blue: Bob Dylan
2. Dangling Conversation: Simon and Garfunkel
3. The Fate of Ophelia: Taylor Swift
4. Norwegian Wood: The Beatles
5. Tangled up in Blue: Bob Dylan
I love Isabel Allende’s writing, but she does have a tendency to put her characters in the midst of the worst of humankind.
This morning we have to make a decision, in the most dangerous time, to send our kid away and hope that he’s safe with foreign strangers.
This morning we have to make a decision, in the most dangerous time, to send our kid away and hope that he’s safe with foreign strangers.
January 23, 2026 at 7:47 AM
I love Isabel Allende’s writing, but she does have a tendency to put her characters in the midst of the worst of humankind.
This morning we have to make a decision, in the most dangerous time, to send our kid away and hope that he’s safe with foreign strangers.
This morning we have to make a decision, in the most dangerous time, to send our kid away and hope that he’s safe with foreign strangers.
I’m reading Isabel Allende - “It was much worse than he’d imagined hours prior, when he first heard the call to protest the Jews who were supposedly conspiring against the government.”
Mobs are much worse - given permission to break civil norms and anonymity, people are capable of great inhumanity.
Mobs are much worse - given permission to break civil norms and anonymity, people are capable of great inhumanity.
January 14, 2026 at 8:01 AM
I’m reading Isabel Allende - “It was much worse than he’d imagined hours prior, when he first heard the call to protest the Jews who were supposedly conspiring against the government.”
Mobs are much worse - given permission to break civil norms and anonymity, people are capable of great inhumanity.
Mobs are much worse - given permission to break civil norms and anonymity, people are capable of great inhumanity.
In praise of ignorance (from Virginia Woolf’s “A Society” - I think her tongue may be in her cheek).
“Let us devise a method by which men may bear children, for unless we provide them with some innocent occupation we shall get neither good people nor good books”
“Let us devise a method by which men may bear children, for unless we provide them with some innocent occupation we shall get neither good people nor good books”
January 9, 2026 at 7:42 AM
In praise of ignorance (from Virginia Woolf’s “A Society” - I think her tongue may be in her cheek).
“Let us devise a method by which men may bear children, for unless we provide them with some innocent occupation we shall get neither good people nor good books”
“Let us devise a method by which men may bear children, for unless we provide them with some innocent occupation we shall get neither good people nor good books”
“Cancer in malignant form: the liberal movements”
This could be from a modern right-wing politician rather than George Macdonald Fraser’s caricature of Otto von Bismarck.
Disparaging the idea that others should have the rights you enjoy is not a new hobby.
This could be from a modern right-wing politician rather than George Macdonald Fraser’s caricature of Otto von Bismarck.
Disparaging the idea that others should have the rights you enjoy is not a new hobby.
December 27, 2025 at 10:36 AM
“Cancer in malignant form: the liberal movements”
This could be from a modern right-wing politician rather than George Macdonald Fraser’s caricature of Otto von Bismarck.
Disparaging the idea that others should have the rights you enjoy is not a new hobby.
This could be from a modern right-wing politician rather than George Macdonald Fraser’s caricature of Otto von Bismarck.
Disparaging the idea that others should have the rights you enjoy is not a new hobby.
Boxing Day morning and I came across a couple of war graves in a Chesterton churchyard.
December 26, 2025 at 9:56 AM
Boxing Day morning and I came across a couple of war graves in a Chesterton churchyard.
The real meaning of Hogswatch.
And Christmas sits in the same shaped space - and also into one where the aged were reverently, passionately waiting for the miraculous birth - and also the one where the omnipotent creator slid into the world to sit on the sofa with you and me & see the winter through
And Christmas sits in the same shaped space - and also into one where the aged were reverently, passionately waiting for the miraculous birth - and also the one where the omnipotent creator slid into the world to sit on the sofa with you and me & see the winter through
December 20, 2025 at 10:39 AM
The real meaning of Hogswatch.
And Christmas sits in the same shaped space - and also into one where the aged were reverently, passionately waiting for the miraculous birth - and also the one where the omnipotent creator slid into the world to sit on the sofa with you and me & see the winter through
And Christmas sits in the same shaped space - and also into one where the aged were reverently, passionately waiting for the miraculous birth - and also the one where the omnipotent creator slid into the world to sit on the sofa with you and me & see the winter through
I’m confused and delighted in equal measure by this kind of writing (from the middle of The Ministry of Utmost Happiness).
I don’t know the answers to the questions, though.
I don’t know the answers to the questions, though.
December 4, 2025 at 7:52 AM
I’m confused and delighted in equal measure by this kind of writing (from the middle of The Ministry of Utmost Happiness).
I don’t know the answers to the questions, though.
I don’t know the answers to the questions, though.
This evening I was speaking about my book - I didn’t realize it at the time but it seems that when I talk about poetry my hand gestures mirror the falcon.
November 19, 2025 at 9:12 PM
This evening I was speaking about my book - I didn’t realize it at the time but it seems that when I talk about poetry my hand gestures mirror the falcon.
Yesterday I was a net acquirer of pens.
I’m not sure I need them all, but which shall I use to sign payroll?
I’m not sure I need them all, but which shall I use to sign payroll?
November 14, 2025 at 7:40 AM
Yesterday I was a net acquirer of pens.
I’m not sure I need them all, but which shall I use to sign payroll?
I’m not sure I need them all, but which shall I use to sign payroll?
I like the idea of curiosity as self-care: we say that in teaching every day is different and I can see that coming in each day full of curiosity for what might transpire would be healthy.
I also think that curiosity can be developed and, in related news, my book “Cabinet of Curiosity” is out.
I also think that curiosity can be developed and, in related news, my book “Cabinet of Curiosity” is out.
November 11, 2025 at 8:15 AM
I like the idea of curiosity as self-care: we say that in teaching every day is different and I can see that coming in each day full of curiosity for what might transpire would be healthy.
I also think that curiosity can be developed and, in related news, my book “Cabinet of Curiosity” is out.
I also think that curiosity can be developed and, in related news, my book “Cabinet of Curiosity” is out.
Exciting times - I now have a copy of my book!
November 10, 2025 at 3:23 PM
Exciting times - I now have a copy of my book!
What we have on our hands is a species problem - fascinating story from Arundhati Roy
November 10, 2025 at 8:16 AM
What we have on our hands is a species problem - fascinating story from Arundhati Roy
This game is fun!
catfishing.net/game/today
Guess the Wikipedia article from its categories: particularly enjoyed this one
catfishing.net/game/today
Guess the Wikipedia article from its categories: particularly enjoyed this one
November 7, 2025 at 5:13 PM
This game is fun!
catfishing.net/game/today
Guess the Wikipedia article from its categories: particularly enjoyed this one
catfishing.net/game/today
Guess the Wikipedia article from its categories: particularly enjoyed this one
It’s out!
The Cabinet of Curiosity should be in the hands of readers today.
If you know it all already you can correct my mistakes, if not then there may be a new fascination for you lurking in its pages.
#EdSky
#UkEd
#Curiosity
@hachettelearning.bsky.social
The Cabinet of Curiosity should be in the hands of readers today.
If you know it all already you can correct my mistakes, if not then there may be a new fascination for you lurking in its pages.
#EdSky
#UkEd
#Curiosity
@hachettelearning.bsky.social
November 7, 2025 at 7:37 AM
It’s out!
The Cabinet of Curiosity should be in the hands of readers today.
If you know it all already you can correct my mistakes, if not then there may be a new fascination for you lurking in its pages.
#EdSky
#UkEd
#Curiosity
@hachettelearning.bsky.social
The Cabinet of Curiosity should be in the hands of readers today.
If you know it all already you can correct my mistakes, if not then there may be a new fascination for you lurking in its pages.
#EdSky
#UkEd
#Curiosity
@hachettelearning.bsky.social
Chapter Eight is American politics and government and centres on the joys of being able to react to world events. The great thing about teaching curiosity is that there are so many reasons to be curious - and significant American elections come up every two years (plus yesterday!).
November 5, 2025 at 7:52 AM
Chapter Eight is American politics and government and centres on the joys of being able to react to world events. The great thing about teaching curiosity is that there are so many reasons to be curious - and significant American elections come up every two years (plus yesterday!).
Chapter Six is turning and turning in a widening gyre and introduces a tough beast slouching towards Bethlehem to be born. Poetry is not my natural home but curiosity means the numbers guy has to put some brain into finding out what beautiful words are all about.
The Second Coming by WB Yeats.
The Second Coming by WB Yeats.
November 3, 2025 at 7:26 AM
Chapter Six is turning and turning in a widening gyre and introduces a tough beast slouching towards Bethlehem to be born. Poetry is not my natural home but curiosity means the numbers guy has to put some brain into finding out what beautiful words are all about.
The Second Coming by WB Yeats.
The Second Coming by WB Yeats.
Chapter Five: Art Appreciation through the lens of British landscape painters of the early 19th Century (or Turner and Constable: same guy or different guys).
Culminating in this amazing abstraction:
Culminating in this amazing abstraction:
November 2, 2025 at 2:22 PM
Chapter Five: Art Appreciation through the lens of British landscape painters of the early 19th Century (or Turner and Constable: same guy or different guys).
Culminating in this amazing abstraction:
Culminating in this amazing abstraction:
Amazing little church in a speck of a village
November 1, 2025 at 10:51 AM
Amazing little church in a speck of a village
Mostly meningitis, it seems.
November 1, 2025 at 10:43 AM
Mostly meningitis, it seems.