How is my child being educated? It is a key question for all parents and carers. A few statements: Education matters. Education is not...

This post comes straight from a meeting that I had with a family the other week: one of the parents said to me that they could not see...

Image from Unsplash by Riccardo Annandale Everywhere I go within the education system at the moment everyone is talking about the...

The variability in approaches between schools, Trusts and local authorities never ceases to amaze me.  I have been working today with a...

Two distinct strands of work have emerged over the last 12 months of the Finding Common Ground project. The core advice service for...

As a committed Christian I have always disliked faith-based admissions policies. They are a form of social selection where schools get to...

Now there's a question! As 2025 opens we are hearing several voices ringing loudly in education: Government: "All children should be in...

I am a teacher. I consider that trauma-informed practice in education is a positive, essential thing . I also know that schools are...

It has been interesting this week to work with individual senior staff in a school around working with an exceptionally tricky parental...

The Finding Common Ground project brings up all kinds of interesting conversations with families: Foster parent: "I don't get X to do...

Over the last 12 months I have talked with more and more families where being in school every day is just not a possibility for the young...

It is the time of year for Open Evenings and parents/carers making anxious decisions about secondary school applications. More and more...

As the first anniversary of the Finding Common Ground project approaches I am finding myself being asked by various people and agencies...

Reflecting on the past year The Finding Common Ground project started from experience of working with many families as a school leader,...

Firstly, an apology: This blog has been quiet recently! That is simply due to a whole range of things going on. As you may be aware, I...

Reflecting on the last few months and preparing to talk to a parents' and carers' group tomorrow I have been thinking about the nature of...

From working with lots of families as part of the Finding Common Ground project (www.findingcommonground.org.uk) it is clear that many...

As I work with families through the Finding Common Ground project, a number of common themes recur. Over a number of posts I plan to...

The excellent Schools Week has published a couple of articles this week which should give everyone pause for thought, but, with...

Last week, I was sent a message raising a concern from parents of children with EBSA (Emotionally Based School Avoidance - also known as...