2025 Summer Term

The know zone

  • Reception Baseline Assessment: Changes for 2025
    Tiffnie Harris shares the latest information for primary schools delivering the Reception Baseline Assessment from autumn 2025. More
  • Where are we now?
    Dr Anne Murdoch OBE shares the latest updates on T levels and other Level 3 technical qualifications. More
  • Embracing AI
    Emma Harrison reflects on the AI journey in business functions in schools, colleges and trusts. More
  • Securing your future
    Melanie Moffatt says not all pensions are created equally, and members need to act while they are young to protect their retirement future. More
  • Under review...
    For this issue, we asked ASCL members to share their views on the interim report of the Curriculum and Assessment Review. Here's what they said... More
  • The Great Escape
    Assistant Headteacher Melissa Jackson says she's proud to be on ASCL Council. Here, she shares her passion for Council, school leadership and escape rooms! More
  • Anti-social media?
    Carl Smith issues a rallying cry for us to break free and seize back control of social media. More

Carl Smith issues a rallying cry for us to break free and seize back control of social media.

Anti-social media?

The funny thing about social media is it's not social. People are anything but social on social media. Perhaps they should call it anti-social media instead. 

It has its upsides. None spring to mind immediately but keeping people connected might be one. We have a basic human need to stay connected, but you can have too much of a good thing, and school and college leaders had too much of this particular good thing some time ago. 

First, it promotes fake lives. I don’t mean fake people, although that happens as well; I mean lives that are presented in a fake way. Looking through Facebook is like looking at one long party/holiday/BBQ. Everyone is having a wonderful time, except you. And it is the same with schools and colleges. Every school or college is overflowing with joy on social media, except yours. 

Then there is the joy of online bullying, of your staff I mean. When it comes to parents bullying staff, the bullies are always right. Parent voice is one thing, but Parent VOICE is another. 

So much for the lone poster but the fun really starts when a pack mentality emerges. One poster invites others to agree and maybe provide some anecdotes of their own. People go where people are and, if they are online, the more the merrier. A mob appears. There is strength in numbers and there is never any shortage of those. 

At this point Ofsted arrives. The Parent View survey goes out and at about 8pm the mob coordinates its response. There is nothing like a bit of power without accountability to get people excited. Before you know it, Mrs Miggins at number 42 has said her son is not safe in school (while forgetting to add that he punched a Year 8 pupil last week), and the entire staff have a nervous breakdown. 

Then there is the odd TikTok craze to contend with. I believe they used to call them devious licks but apparently that’s so 2021 now. Smashing up soap dispensers was one. Creating memes to show various members of staff as paedophiles was another. Then there was the blackout challenge also known as the choking challenge. 

Such fun. 

That is before we get into the joys of sextortion, spreading vile rumours and sharing videos of fights with half the town, preferably at 4am. 

So why do we bother? Why do we stay in the social media cesspit? Surely there are better things to do than being addicted to the next digital dopamine hit? Apparently not, because we all crave validation, and teenagers crave it more than most. We are driven by FOMO. 

Well perhaps, but all things have their time, and I have an inkling the time for uncontrolled social media is ending. Yet again, we learn that it might be a good idea to have some rules and regulate things a bit after all. Who knew? 

Carl Smith is Principal at Casterton College Rutland (CCR)  

Want the last word? 

Last Word always welcomes contributions from members. If you’d like to share your humorous observations of school life, email Permjit Mann at leader@ascl.org.uk ASCL offers a modest honorarium.

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