It seems JP and I were called ‘stupid arty farty types’ in front of an entire Year 8 science class yesterday, apparently because a couple of JP’s tutor group were late getting to the lesson. This, I think, gives a sense of the high regard that Art is held within not just the Science department, but the school in general. In the three years of Specialist Status as a Visual Arts school, the level of barely disguised animosity and cynicism has been depressing at best. It makes me wonder why we bother at all. And then I see the amazing work most of our kids do over in the Art dept, and I remember. I remember too that the crappiest part of this job is not dealing with the kids (of whom the vast majority are lovely) but is rather dealing with other adults who have shockingly bad personal and professional skills. Is it any wonder then that those adults are the one who have behaviour issues in their classes? Is it any wonder that those adults are the ones who are failing to deliver engaging teaching and learning to the kids? No, and no again.