Trapper

Ugh three performances, by three Key Stages. The technical side is fairly basic PPTs, music and video recording but man are SLT flapping!

Mine's closed to students, open for staff not striking. Is this the first time the NAHT has voted to strike?

Got it for £50 off eBay back in 2004. Found the StrongARM card in a storeroom at a local primary school!

I'm stil USING one! It's a Sony one, it was fantastic in it's day. Still useful for our kids to use (ASD) and it's built like a brick sh!thouse. If you drop it, nothing damages it!

I proudly have my 5" disc of BBC Repton bluetacked to my office wall along with a photocopy of my software mentioned in Acorn User! My technical manual shelf also has a copy of the invaluable WIMP Programming for All by Alan Wrigley (for RISC OS 2) At home I've got a working RISC PC 600 (StrongARM 233, 586 card, 128MB RAM, Viewfinder - the works!)

Way back when in the day I used Server 2003 (R1!) when it first came out as a desktop alternative to XP. Worked fine. I've played with the idea of using 2008 as I tend to use a lot of VMs on my desktop, so having HyperV would be ace. Then again I also have a decent GPU for half terms ...

Now I know Link2ICT in Birmingham say not to virtualise CMIS, but are there any technical reasons behind this, or are they just trying to flog Tempus servers to schools? Has anyone virtualised and having problems? My admin server is getting long in the tooth, and instead of spending a grand for a dedicated server just for MIS, I was considering spending an extra £500 and getting a half decent server to virtualise both MIS and others.

My share of the 2007 Christmas chocolate haul.

I'm certain of the answer before I ask, but the SIRO in a school has to be a senior manager, and has to be one of the designated child protection officers, right? Does anyone know where these is written down (either English or Legalese) on the DfE website? The school seem to think I should do it (as I doubt anyone wants the job!), but as I'm only a middle manager, and I think being the network admin doesn't sit with the SIRO role I'm trying to find some form of official documentation to pass it upwards.

CompuGlobalHyperMegaNet Then Bill Gates might buy you out (very old Simpsons reference)

Eeeee I remember Derbyshire schools when they had them Archimedes machines in 'em. By gum.

Does anyone have any recommendations for wireless headphones? I'd need 10 in close proximity. Sadly the spec of the PCs isn't great (Celeron 2GHz - 256MB RAM), but my students keep destroying corded headphones (5+ sets per week), so something needs to give!

Had a decent quote back from CS New Media (on a Sunday too!) with 20% discount for EduGeekage. It's cheaper than my LEA hosted solution for our website, I might move in April!

Hello, We're in our Centenary year and I'm putting together a seperate website for this event to keep it seperate from our public facing site. Does anyone use a decent, cheap UK webhost for their school website? It needs to run Joomla! so some decent space, decent monthly bandwidth and a MySQL server. I'd prefer a one off yearly cost and a .co.uk domain name. I used to use One.com, but they are so slow at the moment to load sites. I'd prefer a company who would accept Purchase Orders, so I don't have to use my own credit card to buy it.

I also feel driving well below the speed limit to annoy faster drivers is also dangerous driving and asking for an accident. I don't agree with doing 70 in a 30. But my personal feeling is if you have a clear road, a safe road, a good car and are willing to take the chance on a mobile camera unit then perhaps 40 in a 30 isn't the worst sin imaginable. Around Birmingham we have four lane straight roads, which are 30 zones. Anywhere else in the country they'd be at least 40. It's all there are as a money making scheme for the local authorities.

My sister in law now has six points, after passing four months ago. For the first it was doing 36 in a 30. Why? Her Dad (ex-science teacher - get the bashing in!) told her the sat nav speedo is more accurate than the ONE PLUGGED INTO THE BLOODY WHEELS! So she got done for that. Last week she jumped a light a second too late in the "Well it's amber so I'll keep going" and it was one of those that takes a nice photo. I assume she's looking at loosing her nice new license? Worst thing being she's just started her NQT year, at a school 30 miles away!

Anyone else found any game ending bugs? I can't leave Picus. Kill the boss, go to chopper, get reward and... still standing there. Even went back almost 2 hours and replayed and still can't leave. This is... frustrating.

I've got a GTX460 and it runs very well at 1920x1080

I just broke my TV watching Question Time. Anyone know where I can another one, cheap?

This has been doing the rounds:

I also hope you'll post a follow up to Labour. You can't blame Maggie forever. When I was at school in the 1990s even the bad kids had a chance, and even the worst of them could be brought round, even for a while, by the best teachers. Now look at them after 10 years of increased benefits, ASBOs which they collect, an educational system which is so left wing that even the most disruptive pupil cannot be removed and disciplined due to their human rights.

Ignore duplication. Forum seems a bit jittery this afternoon!

Teaching has become very left-wing huggy huggy in the past decade. I don't there's enough of the older fire and brimstone scare the crap out of you teachers left. They've all just retired to protect their final salary! My father-in-law retired early as he had his students (all girls too!) going crazy. Not just jumping on desks, but screaming abuse at him - calling him a racist, saying they'd sue him for it. The SLT at the school didn't really care (Discipline problem? What discipline problem?!) I'm lucky that I've only worked in three schools, all of which are Outstanding (not only in OfSTED, but in management) so I haven't seen this first hand since coming back into education after leaving it at age 18 ten years ago. But I remember the real nasty pieces of work at my old school - the no hopers, the ones where going to jail is almost assured - still respected several of the older teachers as they took no crap off them, and also treated them well - I'm sure you all know what I mean - the I'll respect you when you respect me thing. And it worked.

There are plenty out there now. Try some firms like SMART, ProBrand, Interactive Education. They'll have the best advice.

I can't believe my family. They've decided to all go out for a meal at 8pm tonight. Even after pointing out to them that it's really not a good idea they're still doing it. Bloody teachers!* They never listen. (*That's not a general insult they are all in fact teachers)