Alastair

Historian and Headteacher, ex-rugby and cricket coach, fisherman, weather geek and dabbler in music. Best learning is outside the classroom. Views are my own.

[Alastair @_Catacol]

@DanielKebedeNEU @educationgovuk Some truth here Daniel but make sure you adjust for tax and also pension contributions. Tax bands at 42% from £43k in Scotland while in England it’s still 20%. And that 42% isn’t met or exceeded down south until you earn £125k. More careful number crunching needed for accuracy.

[Alastair @_Catacol]

@webberweather Not seeing chances of renewed MJO 7/8 later in Feb and more Atlantic weather breaking as a result? And SSW precursor pattern has been in place in Dec. No chance of that?

[Alastair @_Catacol]

@scrumming_ten @TightFive_Rugby Come on SF - like following your posts… and I’m a Glasgow/Scotland fan so no bias here. But that was poor of Mapimpi. There are surely some lines in the sand we have to hold to, and fingers in eyes is one. We need to protect the game from that kind of stuff…

[Alastair @_Catacol]

@Headteacherchat Our auditors didn’t question it at all.

[Alastair @_Catacol]

@AndyChristie43 @Naxis911 Get fixed soon Andy. Enjoyed coaching against you at BGS in the past - get the navy blue back on fast!

[Alastair @_Catacol]

@scrumming_ten @PlanetRugby Smith is not the best 10 in the world. No way. Game breaker, but not connected.

[Alastair @_Catacol]

@CaolanSRugby @scrumming_ten Scarcely fired a shot? Umm. Turn on TNT and actually watch the game 🙄

[Alastair @_Catacol]

@1211News00 @scrumming_ten Did they? Ummmmm. As a Scotland fan I haven’t read or spoken to anyone who said anything close to that!

[Alastair @_Catacol]

@scrumming_ten Another deserved win for the Boks. Power is king most of the time at test level. But the Gods deserted Scotland today. A long list of poor calls and some bad luck thrown in. Bring on next weekend and a fight back from the North!

[Alastair @_Catacol]

@Strickomaster Yep fair enough. It obviously works for you but probably not for all. We include open evening in 1265, we feed all staff at 4.00 and end lessons at 1.00 to allow prep time. Nobody complains re workload.

[Alastair @_Catacol]

@Strickomaster We have 1700 on a site built for 1000. At our last open evening we had over 1000 families - that’s over 2000 people. Impossible to cater for those numbers during the day. Horses for courses I guess.

[Alastair @_Catacol]

@webberweather Thanks Eric - great stuff.

[Alastair @_Catacol]

@MissilePanda @wallinator1 Alan - you’re a tool. Factually incorrect on red cards (go check the stats) and the only one here talking nationality. Yawn. Go play with the rest of the twitter kids and let those with some brain debate the real world.

[Alastair @_Catacol]

@wallinator1 @MissilePanda Second that eye roll. Some folk post as though they know the game, and then show they have no idea. Bath were very impressive today. Not easy for a 10 deprived of 2 short carriers, but Finn did much that was excellent. 15 v 15 today and against my expectations I think Bath had it

[Alastair @_Catacol]

@Strickomaster I think it’s a mistake. Above and beyond the tax arguments it is also the case that some are very good schools. Some will close - do we really want to lose good schools? Others will become even more elite. I’d rather force more partnership as the best path forward.

[Alastair @_Catacol]

@MissilePanda Psychology. Scottish Achilles heel at present. Plus Tom Jordan going off exposed the midfield.

[Alastair @_Catacol]

@Headteacherchat I did both.

[Alastair @_Catacol]

@scrumming_ten The pod is free, the interview was fine. Eben has a minor pop at Courtney Lawes for criticising the Bulls selection - no issue - and then spoke about the Irish in a thoughtful manner I reckon. Nothing to see, all overblown. So says a Scotland fan living in England by the way…

[Alastair @_Catacol]

@Strickomaster Agreed. So when is the STRB report landing? I thought in time for 1st May but all is quiet. Anyone got any intel on when this year’s recommended increase starts to be debated? Budgets due soon!

[Alastair @_Catacol]

@ASCL_UK any news on the STRB report that was asked for in time for discussions in May? It is all very quiet. Budget impacts this year are going to be significant. Has the deadline for the report been put back?