The Pioneer Cadet Awards

Looking for a unique and meaningful extra-curricular activity for Upper Key Stage Two? pioneerintervention.com/pioneer-cadets…

@dave_mcpartlin And did it?

One of those days as a headteacher that you just know something unexpected will come up...

Looking for something a little extra special for young readers?

@dave_mcpartlin Only last week, I heard the use of screen time simply described as “quicksand” for children.

"One thing I worry about is that we start to lose touch with our emotions and how we feel. We’re distracted constantly. And everything good in our lives comes from our ability to be present – our relationships, how we feel about ourselves. We have to be able to be present. And these devices are training distraction.” theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2…

@dave_mcpartlin @frankcottrell_b What a joy. Well done Dave. A brilliant example of what can be achieved for our children. Absolutely fantastic!

Our Y5 BBC Pen Pal Project is the gift that just keeps on giving. 🥹 Watching the kids meet who they were writing to was a special moment, topped off with a message from the one and only @frankcottrell_b. 🥰

In today’s education news, ministers are told reading for pleasure needs a higher profile in schools. But the thing is, pretty much every school I visit could not do any more to promote reading for pleasure. The issue is how we can make books more accessible to families outside

@dave_mcpartlin So simple and so powerful. Just brilliant. Well done everyone!!

We have this theory that the stuff us adults loved as children, is what our pupils love just as much as us (they just don't always know, yet!) So, watch this space throughout 2026 as we go proper old-school & embrace good old-fashioned, wholesome activities. Suggestions welcome!

“Laurence you’ll never scale your business!”

Great effort from the team!

Merry Christmas Everyone

I had a few people message after my recent posts about Pioneer Cadets, assuming I was trying to give Laurence Davis and his team a quiet boost. And to be fair… I was. I’ve never done the paid-promo, freebie-for-a-review thing – it's not my thing. We paid properly for Pioneer Cadets and I shared it simply because it brilliant. One of the things that stood out was how it attracted a completely different group of children to the usual footballers and netballers - kids who sometimes don’t get those same opportunities to shine. Watching them grow in confidence week by week was genuinely lovely to see. I have huge respect for anyone who leaves a stable and successful job in education to build something they truly believe in. That takes courage, conviction and a lot of heart and Laurence has all three in abundance. What he’s created with Pioneer Cadets is something special: a space where children develop skills, character and pride in themselves. Our group absolutely loved it. A mix of Cubs, Brownies, Cadets and something uniquely its own, it brought together such a brilliant range of children. Seeing them earn their bronze awards was a real highlight and we’re already signed up for the silver. No deals, no favours - just giving credit and respect where it’s due. Well done and thank you @PioneerIntLtd. Highly recommended.

Not long now. If you’re attending, come and say hi.

Moments that matter…

Always nice to hear from headteachers of schools that deliver the awards.

@YewTreeSandwell This is beautiful. Spending what you’ve earned. Saving, brilliant. Amazing life lessons right there. It looks fantastic too.

Our Attendance Shop is all set up and ready to go for our 1st opening day of the year tomorrow. We can't wait to see all of the children who visit the shop to exchange their stamps for prizes, but also to see which children have decided to save their stamps for a bigger prize.

Amazing to see the impact of the awards at Flakefleet Primary School. Thank you for sharing @dave_mcpartlin