Writing from the middle of it.
Some of this is research. Some of it is family life. All of it is written for the people doing the quiet, daily work of supporting a child.
Every story, in one place.
New writing lands most weeks. Some stories live here, some open in the blog — they're all part of the same collection.
- 11 June 2026
What I wish I'd known as a headteacher: the gap between SEND policy and real life
I can still picture children whose needs I understood completely, and yet whose experience of school never quite reflected that understanding.
Read the story - 12 May 2026
What I wish I'd known as a headteacher: the gap between SEND policy and lived experience
Twenty-six years in education taught me a great deal — and revealed a truth I still find uncomfortable to sit with.
Read the story - 23 April 2026
Why your child needs you to ask for help first
The evidence behind supported parenting — and why getting help isn't a sign of weakness, it's one of the most powerful things you can do.
Read the story - 14 April 2026
You don't have to figure this out alone
A note about why The Kind Learner exists — and how I can help your family.
Read the story - 10 April 2026
When your child's big feelings bring up your own
You're not a bad parent. You're a human one.
Read the story - 4 April 2026
Push and pull: understanding why your child doesn't want to go to school
There's a particular kind of morning that many parents know well — and what sits underneath it.
Read the story - 27 March 2026
The link between emotional wellbeing and academic progress — it goes both ways
A post for parents who wonder whether the two things are connected.
Read the story - 20 March 2026
More than a tutor: why I do what I do
After 14 years as a primary headteacher — and a deeply personal journey as a parent — stepping into tutoring with one purpose.
Read the story - 14 March 2026
“She seemed fine” — why SEMH needs are so often missed in girls, and what to watch for
The quieter presentations that slip past us, and the signs worth noticing early.
Read the story - 4 March 2026
Understanding the new SEND White Paper — what it might mean for families
Plans to reform how children with special educational needs are supported, explained plainly.
Read the story - 26 February 2026
The most powerful thing you can say to your child on a Friday afternoon
By Friday afternoon, many children are carrying more than we realise.
Read the story - 21 February 2026
What happens to learning when anxiety creeps in?
There is a particular look children get.
Read the story - 17 February 2026
Introducing The Kind Runner: small steps, shared journeys
A new strand of the work — and why movement belongs in the story.
Read the story - 12 February 2026
Belonging before behaviour
Why feeling safe, known and valued is the real starting point for learning.
Read the story - 6 February 2026
Supporting children who feel behind
Without making them feel broken.
Read the story - 31 January 2026
Why family time matters: supporting primary-aged children's mental health
What the research says about routines, relationships and resilience — and five simple ways to build them into a weekend.
Read the story - 25 January 2026
One small thing that made a big difference for us as a family
How a morning pin badge became a symbol of connection, resilience and being held in mind.
Read the story
