Cordelia Cooper

This…

Traitors scheduling has gone awry. Was so proud to have sorted bedtime, dinner etc and be sat on the sofa ready for 9pm last night. Ep 2 has been and gone at 8? And it’s on this evening now? Saturday? At 745? Since when? I feel like changes to the traitors schedule need some sort of PSA 😆

Happy back-to-school month one and all…September, going on Christmas?!? 🎄Oooookay!

As I “officially” come to the end of mat leave, time for a duo of new profile pics:

1) One of my fave baby events (yes, in part down to the neon slogan in the background!) 🤭

2) The perfect way to spend the final few (child free!) days of my mat leave! 💅

Monday: back to it! 🙌

#BabySky #EduSky

Oh I LOVE this. Nothing more special than seeing a former pupil thrive 🥰

This looks like SUCH a stunning and moving book. *Adds to the Waterstones basket…*

Ha ha ha…this. And spare a thought for me returning to work after my maternity leave, to this fun and games! 🤦‍♀️

a penguin with a laptop on its head and the words back to work written below it ALT: a penguin with a laptop on its head and the words back to work written below it

…and just like that, I’m back at work and my son has joined the rat race 😆 He had a great day though (phew!) and we are definitely all enjoying extra bedtime cuddles this eve! 🥰

a sign that says " you 've got mail " with a mailbox ALT: a sign that says " you 've got mail " with a mailbox

So yes, this evening I’ve become THAT parent - the one who emails in on a Friday eve to say THANK YOU and show appreciation for the amazing job they are doing. Because we all know we done get enough of those emails, right!

Today my son had his first nap at Nursery + I had the privilege of joining the nap room for the last 15 mins. What a joy to be in a room of (I didn’t count, but maybe 8?) babies, all sleeping soundly, being ably supported by the nursery staff, who are quite frankly, angels + miracle workers!

As my son starts his settling in sessions at Nursery his week, it’s safe to say he’s beginning to look less like a baby and more and more like a little boy…G’ah! 🥹

Another book recommendation from my holibobs - in amongst all the Daniel Hurst thrillers on the kindle - this book was something else…and the last page? Well I must have read that a good few times. Tough, but important reading. Highly recommend. #BookSky 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟

A bit denser than my usual sort of read (and v. history heavy) but interesting and exceptionally gripping nevertheless. May have to get Disney+ to catch the telly version too! #BookSky

Also…to the naysayers who said I would never travel (or read!) again - safe to say we have done more of both this year than ever before! ✈️ 🌍 👣 📚 🤓

After an amazing few weeks overseas, 🇨🇴 🇧🇴 🇵🇪 🇧🇷 🇺🇾 we are back on British soil. Return journey was a dream (night flight for the win, jet lag still a little wild!) and little man is currently settling in at nursery while I drink chai, eat cake + reflect on the most wonderful 9 months 🥹 😍 💝

1 week into our holiday - having THE most fab time, it’s been simply too busy to post! Flight was WILD (major sensory overload meant son simply did not sleep!) but the adventure at the other end is making it all the more worth while - we are all having the absolute bestest of times! 🙌

An overnight stay at LHR can mean only one thing: first long haul flight in over 5 years, making our drink of choice seem only apt.

Cheers peeps + happy hols to all our teacher folk friends 🍻 🤩 😘 (and wish us luck travelling long haul with the bubba too 😜)

Happy Friday … and sharing this, just because it’s too good not to, right? 🪨 🦦

Oh hello blue skies 🤩

a sign that says five stars with four blue stars on it ALT: a sign that says five stars with four blue stars on it

The Split: end of Season 2 and start of Season 3, both phenomenal, if a touch triggering at times 😭 Well into Series 3 now. This is SUCH a fantastic TV discovery; I highly recommend 🌟

Gareth Southgate, "True success is how you respond in the hardest moments"

"It's about having the belief and resilience to persevere"

"Not everyone will win trophies. Not everyone will be at the top of their field"

"But everyone can live a life where they constantly try to improve"

First milkshake of the season too - these things absolutely got me through the last few HOT weeks of pregnancy in Summer 2024! Time is flying, but oh my goodness, loving this special time with my dreamboat 🥰

So tuckered out yesterday from a big old busy day of baby brunch (!), swimming + a LOT of walking (obvs) in the blooming beautiful sunshine (coat off, thank you very much), forgot to post the official PSA “Spring is in the air” pic (please be here to stay!!!) 🤞 ☀️

Have yet to watch, but…ugh. Just HATE the phrase ‘lost learning’ ~ what does that even mean? Disappointing.

Oh my goodness - yes yes and yes! I quite like a school based drama, if nothing else for doing the whole “That would or could never happen” throughout. FWIW, once you get past Ep 2 and the school mayhem, this drama is astoundingly exceptional.

💯 It’s (imho) the distinction between reliability and validity that sums up so well the challenges that (most) leaders feel so strongly about the inspection landscape. And look, I’m ALL for inspection + accountability. But there’s only so many times they can keep re-inventing the (broken) wheel…

A lucky stone, a seashell + of course my flamingo 🦩 of hope, courtesy of @raesnape.bsky.social (the weekend before my first OFSTED inspection as Head, no less!)

So, to the good teacher folk of Blue Sky, what are the ‘lucky’ items sitting on your desks or in your classrooms?!? 🍀

Politics + psychometrics. Rock + a hard place. A rompingly good read from @timleunig.bsky.social

So glad that in the year’s “break” I’ll have had from headship, literally no progress in school inspection has been made. My school however? Ticking along just wonderfully, thank you very much 🙏

I like this graph. 📈 A lot.

(With two left handed parents, what are the chances of the little man being left handed? Even the swimming teacher has noticed a dominance towards his left side when “swimming”.)

Interesting stuff!

Looking forward to seeing whether this *actually* captures any of the challenges of the last 5 years…or just seeks to blame…let’s see…