What a sky , yet it came to nothing or at least all that rain fell somewhere else . 
Took Bramble for an early walk as we were delivering a Christmas present to our daughter . We promised bespoke shelves to house their books and today Dave made and fitted them whilst I entertained Arthur so that the parents could watch and learn . They are keen to learn DIY skills and thought it would be useful to watch Dave at work just as he watched his dad . 

The photo is of the school that brought us to Blackburn 38 years ago . It is set in the country park and has been demolished and then rebuilt since I taught there . It was a tough school with poor results , it’s amazing that I survived as I looked very young and spoke with a posh voice ( southern ) . All I had to offer was a  passion for my subject and the fact that I cared about the kids . It was just enough to get me through . I couldn’t understand how so many of the pupils couldn’t read and write properly when they had already spent 7 years in school before they arrived at our door. 
These days the school achieves much higher standards and is no longer regarded as a tough place . 
But oh the stories I could tell !
After working in many different ways with people on the margins I made my way into the primary sector teaching 7 and 8 year olds as it became apparent that many of those on the edges had missed out in their primary years . If children leave primary school literate and  numerate they have a greater chance of realising their potential even if their secondary school years go pear shaped . 

I have really felt for all those young people whose A-level results have been downgraded . For theIr  hopes and dreams that at this moment must shattered. 
At the same time they are witnessing that when people speak up , shout out , make a fuss that it makes a difference . I’m quite optimistic that they will be a review and that eventually the teacher assessments will be reinstated . 
Didn’t mean to write this much, time for  bed as we have a small boy arriving early in the morning!