The Knowing and Caring Profession

Teaching has always struggled with its identity. Is it a profession? A vocation? Something that people who can’t do anything else fall into? A safety net or a career?

Is it a walk in the park? All those holidays. Something anyone can do, let’s face it, we all went to school.

Or is it a complex, challenging, somewhat maligned and misunderstood profession made up of exceptional and perhaps not so exceptional members. How would we know?

The Knowing and Caring Profession takes a look behind the rhetoric and rigmarole, to explore education and more specifically the education profession through a variety of lenses.

Phil Lambert’s approach to education, teaching and the broader profession is at times confronting, challenging and controversial. At its heart, it is an exploration of education by a teacher, a bureaucrat, an academic, a leader and a parent, all rolled in to one.

Phil brings a different perspective to many of the complex and challenging facets of education. From curriculum and class sizes to teacher education and student learning outcomes, Phil distils what can be polarising and emotive topics into easy to digest, fascinating and, at times, funny anecdotes and examples for non-educators.

Anyone who has even a passing interest or involvement with the education system will gain significant insight and understanding of what is truly at its very core, a knowing and caring profession.

The Labyrinth: Rewiring the Nodes in the Maze of Your Mind (Rewired Edition)

For thousands of years, the labyrinth has been a symbol for wholeness, which can only be experienced when we live from our centre. As we develop in this world, society’s limiting beliefs hijack our perception, cocooning themselves around our essence; thus, we lose touch with our timeless self.

Fear-based beliefs compartmentalise our energy. They convince us that we’re an isolated fragment instead of one with collective consciousness—if you ever feel this way, then this book is for you!

The integration of fear-based emotions leads you back to your wholeness of being, which never left you. In this book, you’ll learn how to reconnect to your inner self and create the life you truly desire.

Only our beliefs separate us—whether religious, political, along with others—individually and collectively, Humanity must dissolve these limiting mindsets so we can live peacefully to embrace all life, on Gaia and beyond!

So, take my hand as I guide you through the maze of your old self, back to your inner self, where the illusions of the past have no more power over you.

Get ready to embrace your innate perfection.

The Lamb Of God

England, the 1460s: the conflict known as the Wars of the Roses, pitting Lancastrian against Yorkist, is at its height. After his terrible experiences at the Battle of Towton and the siege of  Bamburgh Castle, Philip Neville is tasked with finding and escorting the recently deposed Henry VI – a man so pious and kind-hearted that many call him ‘the lamb of God’ – to London. During the period of relative peace that follows, Philip, previously disappointed in love, is at last persuaded to take a wife and make his way at court but finds it difficult to rein in his belligerent and insubordinate nature.
Despite his burning hatred for the ambitious nobles who have profited from the war, Philip remains steadfastly loyal to the new king, Edward IV. However, that loyalty is tested as never before when the alliance between the two most powerful men in the country – King Edward and Richard Neville, known as ‘Warwick the Kingmaker’  – begins to fray…
The Lamb of God is the second book in Philip Photiou’s War of the Roses trilogy. The first, The Wrath of Kings, was praised by best-selling author Philippa Gregory for its ‘intense realism and wealth of period detail’: qualities that The Lamb of God displays on every page.

The Last Epitaph

In a world ravaged by a religious war that has claimed the lives of billions, scientists race to find a solution in a top-secret lab. Patrick Jarborn is the last hope for humanity, but when the lab is overrun, he and his guardian Gloria must flee for survival. Along the way, they discover Sarah, another test subject with a crucial role in humanity’s future. Together, they embark on a perilous journey through a world they only know from books, facing unimaginable threats as they search for safety. As they navigate the crumbling ruins of civilization, Patrick and Sarah find solace in each other, and hope for a new era of peace. The Last Epitaph is a heart-wrenching tale of survival and the power of love in the face of humanity’s darkest hour.

The Last Survivor

The astonishing tale of Spottedfur the Wildfire Cat begins with Survivor Clan, Windwarrior, Ricky, Saphi, and Freya.

Adventure through a world where conch horns blow, there is no time for speeches, and the armies of Windwarrior and Survivor Clan start silently forward. Take a stand alongside them as dawn rises on a new world, where heroic friendship and action-packed tragedy break through to a new beginning...

‘Suddenly, a horn rang out over the treetops. It was a distress signal from Survivor Camp! They were in trouble...’

‘We must fight...Who will stand?’ For a moment, silence, then a lone voice called, ‘I will stand...’

‘Spottedfur heard a soft tapping. She looked over to the window, and there perched a blue jay, its beak tapping, tapping, tapping against the window frame. Spottedfur smiled...’

‘Violence is rarely the answer,’ he would say, ‘but when it is it, my sweet little cat, fight with everything you have...’

The Last Wish

Tom isn’t anything to anyone, or at least he wasn’t until the dying wish of his father sent him on a seemingly impossible trek to find a lost wartime lover, unwittingly throwing Tom into a maelstrom of violence, death and romance. An exciting and sometimes humorous escapade which started when a bereaved son had nothing better to do.

The Law and I

Delve into the riveting memoir of an attorney who navigated the transformative world of litigation law in private practice. Journey back to an era when senior partners donned wing collars and were addressed as clerks by their surnames, and when solicitors weren’t confined to specialisations.

Experience the spectrum of clients he represented, from navigating harrowing cases at police stations – covering everything from murders to activists challenging government departments – all the way to the House of Lords, now known as the Supreme Court.

Beyond the courtroom, he shares insights into his dealings with prisoners, including those under maximum security, managing matters from adjudications to parole requests. Simultaneously, he paints a picture of his life outside the law, tending to an 18-acre smallholding.

As he reflects on his career, the author offers a poignant commentary on the evolving landscape of legal practice, weighing in on the advancements and setbacks since his retirement. This is not just a tale of law but of resilience, adaptability, and profound change.

The Lawyer's Last Words

Upon his release from a prison in the South of France, Marlon Crappy, a daunting and fierce behemoth of a man, unexpectedly discovers he’s now a wealthy heir, courtesy of his late brother’s estate. This sudden fortune, including a luxury yacht, only fuels his thirst for revenge. He’s convinced that the affluent owners of a grand chateau are responsible for his brother’s tragic end.

However, the chateau’s proprietors are not to be trifled with. Comprising an ex-US Navy Seal, a formidable Dutch Judo Champion, and the enigmatic Eva, a former French Secret Service agent, they are a force to be reckoned with. When tragedy strikes the chateau’s youngest members, and with Parisian politicians entangled in the fray and an unknown thief plundering Crappy’s newfound riches, the trio must delve deep into their formidable pasts to face this escalating threat. The battle lines are drawn, and in this high-stakes game, every move could be their last.

The Lecture

As Dr Daniel Brown prepares to present the first of his three lectures, he reflects upon how his life has been forever changed by the events leading up to this presentation. However, he does not yet know that his life, and indeed the whole world, is about to be changed forever. While presenting long-overdue answers to age-old questions, the ultimate crime is suddenly discovered during an adventure which shocks the audience to the core.

The ensuing punishment is relentless…

The Lecture Diaries

Whilst Dr Daniel Brown presents the second of his three lectures, it becomes apparent that the rigorous honesty and morality of the two crew is now being tested again and again. As they settle into their new lives, it becomes apparent that their transition is not going to be quite as simple as they originally imagined. However, they both find very different ways of dealing with various situations whilst still retaining their individual morality and honesty. During one of her conversations with Dr Brown, the female crew’s honesty is tested to the absolute limits, it is then those terrible crimes are revealed; the problem then becomes who are the initial perpetrators and who should then be punished, or even be held accountable...

The Life and Loves of Saint Columba

‘Years ago, I was captivated by a magical day spent on Iona and dreamed of writing a book on St Columba, an inspirational man far ahead of his time, who challenged the institutions of church and state, and created a monastery that became a beacon of spiritual and artistic light during the dark ages.’  Tim Hetherington
In this bold take on the life of Saint Columba – the founder of the religious community on the Scottish island of Iona and one of Ireland’s three patron saints – Tim Hetherington eschews the pieties of a conventional hagiography in favour of a more down-to-earth view of the saint and the religious, social and political world of Ireland and Scotland in the sixth century AD. Originally named Crimthann – the fox – and a member of the powerful Ui Neill Clan, Columba’s remarkable gifts of intellect and character were quickly noted and nourished by the leading clerics of the day. But his impetuous nature and family loyalties led him to involvement in political intrigues and conflicts.
Denounced by Church leaders, Columba left Ireland with twelve monks and founded the monastery on Iona. Over the years he established the Christian Church throughout Dalriada, the Irish kingdom in Western Scotland, and then in the rest of Scotland ruled by King Bridei of the Picts. Columba aligned himself closely, perhaps too closely, with the Dalriadan royal family. But the sheer force of his personality and his dedication to spreading Christianity by written works as well as by word of mouth ensured his special place in history.
Masterfully blending extensive research and novelistic imagination, The Life and Loves of Saint Columba is full of fascinating insights into the nature of faith and spirituality. This is a must-read for anyone interested in Christianity or Irish history.

The Life I Won

A gripping tale of strength, resilience and of how life can be devastating yet beautiful at the same time.

She was born to a working-class family in Manchester. Her father was her inspiration. She idolised this charismatic man, and he told her every day that she was special. Emulating her beloved father’s work ethic, Mandy worked on a market stall at thirteen years old, then went off to university at eighteen, always working to help financially. From nothing and nowhere she built a successful career in an unexpected place. She was admired, respected and had made it.

Then her world literally fell apart and life took her on a journey from abundance to rock bottom. There were lessons to be learned on this rocky road and if she wanted to stay alive, it was her duty to learn them.

Facing relentless challenges, losing people she loved and every penny she had, many would have given up. But not this woman, because her dad had told her she was special.

Heart-breaking, enlightening and ultimately uplifting, The Life I Won tells a story of success despite adversity. It will teach you that if you have the right attitude, you can play the game of life and win, no matter how bad it seems.