I just read Shuggie Bain, a visceral account of Douglas Stuart’s own childhood experiences. No research paper or guidance document could match it as a plea directly to the human heart for compassionate curiosity about why children might fail to attend school regularly. I couldn’t help reflecting on what a paltry thing the fixed penaltyContinue reading “Tough on absence, tough on the causes of absence.”
Author Archives: Mary Meredith
Evidence gathering leaders, inclusion needs you
Language matters. It’s long concerned me that ‘trauma-informed practice’ (TIP) provokes a dismissive or defensive reaction in some. When those some are educators, strongly influencing the life chances of children impacted by trauma, that’s a problem that can’t be ignored. Should we persist in using a language that hasn’t secured widespread buy-in or deploy differentContinue reading “Evidence gathering leaders, inclusion needs you”
A new definition of off-rolling & other key updates to the School Inspection Handbook
The October 2023 update of the Inspection Handbook includes some changes within Behaviour and Attitudes relating to the use of suspension and exclusion. It also extends the definition of off-rolling to cover pupils who may be still on-roll but who are not allowed to attend school. There are caveats around the extended definition, for exampleContinue reading “A new definition of off-rolling & other key updates to the School Inspection Handbook”
Back to school behaviour advice
As ever, there has been no shortage of advice for teachers on managing behaviour when pupils return next week. I like these ‘micro tips’ from Jon Hutchinson, Director of Curriculum and Teacher Development at the Reach Foundation. Referencing short, playful moments of interaction with the whole class, the power of the teacher apology, setting extraContinue reading “Back to school behaviour advice”
Learning from an AP referral panel
People might wonder why trauma informed practice is such a passion for me, and why I can’t help but react when it’s dismissed as somehow anti-discipline or dangerous by those who are too entrenched in their behaviourist positions to even find out about it. (I refer here to England’s expert advisor on behaviour & hisContinue reading “Learning from an AP referral panel”
How can we support traumatised refugees in school?
Whilst the plight of Ukraine children has inspired a groundswell of compassion and school leaders are absolutely committed to welcoming refugees into the sanctuary of their schools, many are expressing concern about whether they will have the resources required to adequately meet the needs of those traumatised by their experiences. With CAMHS waiting times anContinue reading “How can we support traumatised refugees in school?”
“I was asked to be a prefect. I actually cried.” Learning from a transformative managed move.
Expertly and compassionately handled, the managed move can transform the life-chances of vulnerable young people but, as in all things, there is a spectrum of practice and safe transition onto the roll of the new school is far from guaranteed. With every school move, every social and educational disruption, the pupil’s odds of positive outcomesContinue reading ““I was asked to be a prefect. I actually cried.” Learning from a transformative managed move.”
Six ways to improve managed moves
This is the introduction to a longer post (yet to be written!) about how we might improve the poor outcomes of those predominantly disadvantaged and vulnerable pupils who experience managed moves. According to research undertaken by Dave Thomson at the FFT, only 17% of managed move pupils achieved 4-9 in English and Maths in 2019,Continue reading “Six ways to improve managed moves”
Trauma-informed practice. Where do I start?
The short answer to this is with Dr. Bruce Perry’s reversed triangle diagram of the brain, the implications of which need to be understood by all staff, if schools are to meet the greatest challenge of the day: securing the wellbeing of our children. Perry summarises the model in ‘The Boy who was Raised asContinue reading “Trauma-informed practice. Where do I start?”
Opening the can of worms & fear of trauma informed practice
To open a can of worms is to attempt to solve a problem only to inadvertently complicate it and create even more trouble. The metaphor refers to fishing – the tendency of live bait to wriggle loose from any open container, creating a messy issue for the angler. The idiom is used to describe uncontrollableContinue reading “Opening the can of worms & fear of trauma informed practice”
Mary Meredith 