Darren Holmes

My thought for the day (for what it’s worth): when school leaders make a commitment to total quality, everything changes. @EnquireTrust

Great to visit Oakdene Primary Academy in Billingham to see their approach to raising the attainment of disadvantaged pupils. To break down barriers to opportunity, pupil premium funding will rise to over £3 billion in 25-26.

@sam_ismail7 @EnquireTrust @Enquire1 @ambition_int @CharteredColl A huge thank you to Mr. Ismail and the entire team at Moorside Primary Academy! Your dedication and care create such a wonderful environment where children truly thrive. Angel and Ivy are absolutely loving their time at school, and we couldn’t be happier! 🙏

Excellent!

Decent weekend: @bellowheaduk (@glasshouseicm) and @JasonIsbellonly (@stocktonglobe).

@paulkenyonTV @ROBERT10912825 I’ve read it and I’d agree.

@ROBERT10912825 So I think I probably do.

Be worried about the Romanian elections! Leading the presidential race is ultra nationalist, + Putin fancier, Calin Georgescu. Terrifyingly, he models himself on famous anti -Semite, Iron Guard leader + Hitler fancier, Corneliu Codreanu. Georgescu makes Trump look woke.

Thanks to @GeirJordet for leading an amazing session today. Lots of inspiration and challenge…and huge amounts to think about. @EnquireTrust

This has potential for change. I sincerely hope they draw on the vast network of organisations leading some excellent work on this issue Whilst the issue is significant, so too is the work taking place across the UK to both understand AND tackle it. gov.uk/government/new…

Year 6 have been working unbelievably hard and have produced some excellent non-chronological reports! 2/2 @MoorsidePA #MoorsidePA #MoorsidePAEnglish

@geofftulley @frickleyafc @BSteakbake Talent - in whatever form it manifests - is a thing to behold. Nurture it and be thankful!

@Enquire1 @frickleyafc @BSteakbake I could knock this sort of stuff out all day long, Daz…it’s of no discernible use but God gave us what he gave us 🤷🏼‍♂️

@BSteakbake what's the going rate for a Strummer?

@geofftulley @frickleyafc @BSteakbake Very good, Sir!

@frickleyafc @BSteakbake I fought the lawn and the lawn won.

@poolieneil @strantonprimary @eden_trust Well done Neil!

So proud of the entire team at @strantonprimary and @eden_trust #strantonsuperstars

@SerdarFerit Best wishes, my friend.

I started writing this during my chemo infusion a couple of weeks ago and wanted to share in case it may be helpful to other cancer patients, and particularly to anyone who has been diagnosed recently. Some things that have helped me since I was diagnosed with cancer Fifteen months ago, I was diagnosed with stage 4 colorectal cancer. According to Cancer Research UK, the 5 year survival rate for my condition is about 10%, but for some reason (perhaps because I know that it’s the only way I’ll have a chance), I truly believe that I will be one of the outliers. I’m a relentlessly optimistic person, and while the last year and a bit has been extremely challenging, physically and emotionally, I remain positive about life. I’m still waking up every day with the intention to leave the world a bit better than I found it. Mentally speaking, I am in a much better place than I was when I initially found out. The first few months were incredibly difficult. I really feel for anyone who has faced, or will face, the news that they or someone dear to them has cancer. I have been thinking about some of the things I’ve found helpful since my diagnosis, and wanted to share these in case they may be useful to other cancer patients, and particularly to anyone who has been diagnosed recently. 1. Connecting and reconnecting with loved ones. This has been the best “side effect” for me. So many friends and family members have been in touch and visited me, including some I hadn’t seen for over 20 years. Some have travelled in from different countries, and one friend drove all the way from Newcastle to London to spend an evening together (not sure why I still find that more impressive than flying over from another country). I’ve also found myself really cherishing moments that I might have previously thought of as ordinary, such as watching reality TV with my wife, or playing football with my son. The love and support I have had from my family, my colleagues and my friends, is the thing I am most grateful for. 2. Connecting with other people who have cancer. A few weeks after my diagnosis I had a long phone call with a friend of a friend who had been through a similar experience- the shock, the confusion, the emotions. That conversation, and now friendship, has really helped me. I felt so connected to this person from the moment we spoke and over the last year we have shared a lot with each other about our experiences and feelings. Since then I’ve also been a point of contact for a few patients myself. I have been so happy to support them, just as I have been supported myself. While no two cases are the same, I have found it extremely helpful to have cancer buddies and would recommend this or a support group to other patients. 3. Getting a second opinion. I have sought a second opinion twice since my diagnosis and have found this helpful on both occasions. In my case, the last perspective I had, which was from a different hospital and oncologist, triggered a whole new treatment plan, which I am much more comfortable with than the previous plan. 4. Staying on top of the admin. This hasn’t been easy, so I’ve had to work at it, but I’m glad that I have done it. I’ve documented my journey, treatment, scans etc, and have tried to keep everything in a folder on an online drive. If this feels too much, I’d recommend asking for support from a willing friend/family member. 5. Counselling. I’m going to go straight into advice mode here and recommend counselling straight after diagnosis, for patients and their loved ones. A mistake I made was not speaking to someone before I started chemotherapy. I suggest reaching out to Macmillan Cancer Support for advice. 6. Having a sense of purpose. I can’t stress this one enough. Having a sense of purpose - a reason to make a positive dent in the world with the time that I have - helps me keep going, despite the grim stats. For some, this might be a sport or hobby, an art or craft; for others, it may lie in gardening, cooking, or caring for a loved one. For me, it is my work. Seeing the spark in a child's eyes as they share how they've been inspired and motivated, along with what they've learned from Lyfta lessons, fills me with joy and satisfaction. This feeling, I believe, is almost medicinal. The challenge here is that work can also be a source of stress, and it has been. The key is to find a balance. I’m still looking for one. 7. Yoga, breathing and exercise. I am so grateful to my wife for bringing yoga into our lives. Yoga has been part of her way of coping with what has happened. She has dedicated a lot of time to practise and also to teaching me over the last year. While I am not very good, I have learned enough to be able to do several flows myself and I have been trying to do a small amount daily when I’ve been well enough. I have found yoga to be an extremely vitalising way to start the day, particularly when combined with breathing exercises. I have also found walking and jogging to be calming and soothing. 8. A cancer card? I have a Macmillan card that says something to the effect of “I am a cancer patient and I need to use the loo NOWWW!” This has been helpful on more than one occasion and I highly recommend it to those whose bowels/bladder might have been affected by cancer treatment. -- Small personal update for friends who may be reading this: my body responded really well to chemo and radiotherapy last year. I had a couple of setbacks at the end of the year which required two small procedures and I am now back on chemotherapy for a period of time. I know that the road ahead will be rocky and unpredictable, but I also know that I will grow and learn a lot on the way. I know there will be light. Cancer treatment has advanced significantly and continues to do so. I’m certain that leaps forward in AI and other technologies, along with the phenomenal research being done all over the world, will mean that we’ll see treatments that offer big improvements in longevity and quality of life. There also seems to be a high likelihood that we will see a cancer vaccine before 2030, and I suspect some nice breakthroughs and surprises along the way too. Fingers and toes crossed. -- I am grateful to you if you have made it this far. Please do share with friends/family if you feel they may be interested. If you are a cancer patient and have some positive experiences to share which may be helpful for others, please consider adding them below 🌻

A fantastic Phonics Live session today showcasing the children’s strong progress in phonics and how it can continue to flourish at home. A big thank you to the many parents and careers who attended! #MoorsidePA #MoorsidePAEYFS #MoorsidePAEnglish

It was a pleasure to host our colleagues from @WhiteWoodsPAT1 yesterday. Thanks for your critique and insight. Thanks as well to @EnquireTrust leaders and educators who shared their practice…

@SClaybourn87 @Official_HUFC He certainly likes a challenge.

@Official_HUFC He looks delighted @Enquire1 😉

Luke Waterfall is a Poolie! 💪🔵 The defender makes the permanent move to the Suit Direct Stadium ✍️

Beautiful non-chronological report about Antarctica! #roseberryenglish #roseberrymrsweyell

It’s a stunner…a great place to learn.

I went to see Waterloo. Disappointingly, not a train in sight. But Rod Steiger was brilliant.

Revisiting this work from a couple of years ago for @valeriehannon, I was motivated to write this: davidjackson7.wordpress.com/2023/12/07/wha… @sebchapleau @gwynap @AlecPatton @Enquire1 @HistoryPardoe @Rodroad219 @johnbosselman @galldritt @EdReimagined @AJRAllModCons

Thanks Beryce!