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Lucy Whiffin

@lucyw1982

Year 6 teacher, Maths and KS2 lead living and working in Somerset. Single mum to three fabulous, exhausting children.

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06.09.2024
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Latest posts by Lucy Whiffin @lucyw1982

This is their one childhood. It should be full of play, exploration, wonder and community. And for some children, school is the only place they will (should*) be guaranteed to encounter those things.

07.03.2026 07:40 πŸ‘ 12 πŸ” 4 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

I always think it when I encounter angry people driving...how unpleasant it must be to constantly be in an unnecessary rush and to be so cross with every other road user! It can't be a nice way to live.

04.03.2026 21:05 πŸ‘ 6 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

It is very interesting, thanks.

04.03.2026 19:39 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Hi, I'm a primary teacher in y6 in Somerset- been in primary for the past 6 years, teaching for 20- previously in secondary and middle, as well as being a childminder. I've done many stages and love different things about all of them. Hate SATs and the stuffed primary curriculum, but love teaching.

04.03.2026 19:14 πŸ‘ 11 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
Callout reads #FFBWednesday: Connecting UK Educators and Education.

A matrix shows excellent people involved in education, including worthy BlueSky contributors: 
1.	@simonebeach.bsky.social, a primary school headteacher
2.	@bennewmark.bsky.social, a secondary school teacher
3.	@hoylerosemary.bsky.social, a chair of governors
4.	@5naureen.bsky.social, a school governor
5.	@primaryteachermary.bsky.social, a primary school teacher
6.	@nourishworkplce.bsky.social, a supporter for school wellbeing
7.	@simonknight100.bsky.social, a special school headteacher
8.	@danlyndon.bsky.social, a secondary history specialist / teacher
9.	@schoolsweek.bsky.social, a widely respected education newspaper.

Footer reads @9000Lives.org

Callout reads #FFBWednesday: Connecting UK Educators and Education. A matrix shows excellent people involved in education, including worthy BlueSky contributors: 1. @simonebeach.bsky.social, a primary school headteacher 2. @bennewmark.bsky.social, a secondary school teacher 3. @hoylerosemary.bsky.social, a chair of governors 4. @5naureen.bsky.social, a school governor 5. @primaryteachermary.bsky.social, a primary school teacher 6. @nourishworkplce.bsky.social, a supporter for school wellbeing 7. @simonknight100.bsky.social, a special school headteacher 8. @danlyndon.bsky.social, a secondary history specialist / teacher 9. @schoolsweek.bsky.social, a widely respected education newspaper. Footer reads @9000Lives.org

Bringing #FFBWednesday to BlueSky.

Ready to build genuine education connections?
πŸ’« Like and repost
πŸ’« Comment with your edu bio + #FFBWeds
πŸ’« Follow everyone who participates

Let's create the education community BlueSky deserves.

04.03.2026 06:45 πŸ‘ 47 πŸ” 30 πŸ’¬ 26 πŸ“Œ 10

just fucking do SOMETHING and don’t let the constant stream of atrocities keep you frozen in inaction.

yeah, pay attention to the news, but make sure you know when/how to look away at least long enough to take care of those around you & do what you can to support work that needs doing.

thanks
9/9.

01.03.2026 03:36 πŸ‘ 115 πŸ” 18 πŸ’¬ 6 πŸ“Œ 1

It never ceases to confound me just how many folks think the point of essays is to provide teachers with essays. That teachers just like, collect them, or need them for sustenance or something. Rather than the point of them being the *actual fucking act of learning how to think about shit*

23.02.2026 19:49 πŸ‘ 1868 πŸ” 488 πŸ’¬ 48 πŸ“Œ 45

A worry I have is that when you find just the right support to help a child to flourish, they can *appear* to no longer need it. In other words, when the provision is right, they thrive...

"Oh look, they're thriving at school now- they no longer need all that provision" 🫀

24.02.2026 06:30 πŸ‘ 11 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

Every appearance of Bob Mortimer on Would I Lie to You?

21.02.2026 06:48 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

I'm reading this and personally, for our small primary school, it simply isn't actionable. We don't have enough adults to be able to carry out screenings/ assessments or to provide interventions. It sounds great but we are scraping by, only able to provide support for those with the highest needs.

17.02.2026 07:44 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

I am passionate about state schooling. But that is not the only way children can get a good education- and for many families, it currently isn't a viable way.
I have witnessed home education at close hand and, honestly, it can be better than anything that schools currently offer.

07.02.2026 09:49 πŸ‘ 4 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

I don't "opt-out" of McDonald's if I make pasta at home. I don't "opt-out" of the library if I borrow a book from a friend. I don't "opt-out" of the football if we go for a walk instead. I'm grateful those things exist to be chosen; I'm not shirking my responsibilities by doing something different.

07.02.2026 09:07 πŸ‘ 11 πŸ” 4 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

The question framing is tricky as well... I said we don't use them too much, meaning: all current factors included, we don't do it when we don't need to and when it isn't the best of a bunch of bad options.
Do I wish we did it less and were able to do it less? Of course.

07.02.2026 09:15 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

It reminds of being at university: some struggling to survive on their student loans while others invested theirs so they'd have a nice deposit for a house. One of my mum's friends said to her, "Lucy ought to invest hers too, it's much more sensible," and Mum had to point out I needed it to live!

06.02.2026 07:15 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

So will that cash be shared amongst local schools?

System is rigged.

06.02.2026 06:51 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Yes. I often think how unhealthy the relentless pace of schools is for everyone involved.

31.01.2026 10:29 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

I think it's hard to convey the time pressures in schools. Our headteacher's safeguarding load alone could easily be a full-time job. We know we need to be strategic as well as managing the day-to-day but so much crops up that needs immediate attention, before you know it another week has passed.

31.01.2026 10:21 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

Both!
Why we need change in schools but why schools (and wider society) need so much more to be able to make changes.

31.01.2026 08:43 πŸ‘ 5 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

It's hard, depressing work a lot of the time unfortunately. Everyone giving their all but still coming up against what can feel like failure after failure. It's not what any of us working in schools want or are aiming for. But it is the current reality.

31.01.2026 08:42 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Push back how?

(Sorry I am aware that could sound confrontational but is a genuine question)

31.01.2026 08:38 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

Exactly this. Persistent disruptive behaviour generally means not a child in that room- nor often in the whole area- is able to learn.

31.01.2026 08:02 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Also, in a one-form primary school (or smaller), who do they think is facilitating this and where is it happening? Most primaries do not have staff available to support this nor do they have spaces for it to happen. Every adult and every space is being used, every minute of the day.

31.01.2026 08:01 πŸ‘ 34 πŸ” 4 πŸ’¬ 4 πŸ“Œ 1

If Reeves said this, or anything like it, it's the most rank, crass stupidity.
The idea of a Reform govt fills me with horror. But ffs Labour; you're making yourselves literally impossible to support.

29.01.2026 23:14 πŸ‘ 47 πŸ” 9 πŸ’¬ 11 πŸ“Œ 0

She's paying more attention to intonation and rhythm than typical "seniors do Gen Z" videos I've encountered, which is interesting to me as a linguist

30.01.2026 05:30 πŸ‘ 115 πŸ” 12 πŸ’¬ 3 πŸ“Œ 0

Let's try it the other way about - the wealthy only get AI tutors and the poor only get human ones. We'll see how they get on after a few years.

28.01.2026 19:31 πŸ‘ 35 πŸ” 12 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

These are the same men who are confident they could score a point against Venus Williams

28.01.2026 06:42 πŸ‘ 29 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 2 πŸ“Œ 0

Love the way it’s framed as women somehow not being confident in ourselves, rather than justifiably not confident an LLM can do a thing that they’ve seen it can’t do

28.01.2026 06:28 πŸ‘ 64 πŸ” 12 πŸ’¬ 2 πŸ“Œ 0

I would say this findings shows women are more AI literate than men, because the majority of non-magical beings have no innate ability to "judge truthfulness"

28.01.2026 06:24 πŸ‘ 320 πŸ” 78 πŸ’¬ 22 πŸ“Œ 26

If this is what they do when they're out on the street with people pointing cameras at them, what do you think is happening inside the ICE prison camps that they keep denying Members of Congress access to?

25.01.2026 07:20 πŸ‘ 3959 πŸ” 1048 πŸ’¬ 51 πŸ“Œ 36
Preview
AI nudification: the latest weapon of violence against women and girls In Julie Burchill’s recent article in the Spectator, Does it really matter if Grok undresses us all?, she makes the argument that those who, like me, have repeatedly had their clothes removed by socia...

This week, an X user created an AI video of me being chloroformed and prepared for rape.

Victims are told it's not real and they're getting offended for no reason.

But nudification tools are weapons of sexual assault, and the harm they cause is real πŸ‘‡

jessasato.substack.com/p/ai-nudific...

23.01.2026 11:21 πŸ‘ 1872 πŸ” 826 πŸ’¬ 161 πŸ“Œ 121