In This Together Podcast Por Becky Dawson arte de portada

In This Together

In This Together

De: Becky Dawson
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In This Together, the place where we explore all things wellbeing in education. Join us as we dive into honest conversations, share practical strategies, and uncover the insights you need to foster a thriving environment for both staff , students and everyone in their lives. Get ready to feel inspired, supported, and ready to make a real difference in your community!


All rights reserved. Higiene y Vida Saludable Psicología Psicología y Salud Mental
Episodios
  • Creating Emotionally Available Schools With Roger Mitchell | In This Together Ep 16

    Creating Emotionally Available Schools With Roger Mitchell | In This Together Ep 16
    Jan 30 2026

    Roger Mitchell, Headteacher of Ripple Primary School, joins In This Together to discuss "How do we create emotionally available schools?". Roger shares his twenty-year journey of transforming a fragmented school into an "Outstanding" setting rooted in kindness and professional generosity. This episode explores the vital shift from punitive discipline to relational practice, emphasising that creating a sense of belonging for pupils, staff, and families is the foundation of educational success.

    Takeaways
    • The "Why" Before the "What": Always investigate the reasons behind a behavior or action before deciding how to respond to it.
    • Professional Generosity and Maturity: Building a culture where staff look out for one another and act with integrity ensures a stable, kind environment for pupils.
    • Relationships Over Sanctions: Meaningful change in behavior is driven by the connections built between adults and children, not by the punishments imposed.
    • Belonging is Inclusion: True inclusion means every individual feels they have a rightful place in the school community.
    • Consistency in Leadership: Headteachers must model the emotional availability and kindness they expect to see throughout the entire school.
    • Contextualized Justice: Similar to a court of law, school "judgments" should consider personal circumstances and remorse rather than following a zero-tolerance, one-size-fits-all approach.


    Sharing is Caring


    Roger Mitchell recommends three essential books for educators looking to transform their school culture:

    • The Kindness Principle by Dave Whitaker: A highly accessible guide to using unconditional positive regard in education.
    • When the Adults Change, Everything Changes by Paul Dix: A foundational text on how adult behavior dictates the culture of the classroom.
    • Becoming a Trauma-Informed Restorative Educator by Joe Brummer and Margaret Thorsborn: A practical resource for implementing restorative justice and relational practice.

    More information on emotionally available schools can be found on Roger’s website

    https://emotionallyavailableschool.com/


    Don't forget to follow us on your podcast platform and if you feel able to, give us a rating and review to help more educators find these crucial conversations. Share your thoughts, comments, questions, or brilliant work by emailing the team at teamwellbeing@twinkl.co.uk..


    Chapters


    00:01 - Introduction - Meeting Roger Mitchell and the focus on emotionally available schools.

    00:47 - The 20-Year Journey - Transforming a fractured school into a community.

    01:50 - Professional Generosity & Maturity - Core values that frame the school's mission.

    04:50 - Recruiting for Kindness - Smothering the school with love and hiring the right people.

    07:52 - Removing Detentions - Moving away from "policing" and exiting children from class.

    11:04 - Relationship Building - Treating children with the same decency as adults.

    13:42 - Belonging and Identity - Why belonging is the most powerful word in inclusion.

    16:11 - Academic Success - Proving that a relational approach leads to high academic outcomes.

    18:40 - Teaching Behavior - Why behavior should be taught just like maths or spelling.

    21:50 - The "Professionally Lazy" Option - Critiquing zero-tolerance and context-free sanctions.

    25:58 - Supporting Staff - Applying Maslow's hierarchy to a teacher's readiness to teach.

    33:53 - Scaffolding Emotional Intelligence - Moving from student anger to sadness and worry.

    39:19 - Engaging Families - Removing the "yellow line" and welcoming parents as clients.

    47:19 - Sharing is Caring - Roger’s top three book recommendations for educators.
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    48 m
  • Zero Exclusion Education With Nicola Lace and Mia Casey | In This Together Ep 15

    Zero Exclusion Education With Nicola Lace and Mia Casey | In This Together Ep 15
    Jan 23 2026

    The In This Together podcast welcomes Nicola Lace, HeadTeacher, and Mia Casey, SENDCo, from Learning Partnership West CIC. They delve into the significant impact of adopting a zero-exclusion, trauma-informed methodology within alternative provision settings. Drawing on their experience at an "Outstanding" rated school, they explore how creating emotional safety and prioritizing relationships can rewire neural pathways for students with complex needs. The episode explores the practicalities of restorative practice, the necessity of staff wellbeing, and how mainstream schools can adapt these core principles to support the most vulnerable learners.


    Takeaways

    • Safety as a Foundation: For students who have experienced adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), emotional safety is a prerequisite for any academic learning to occur.

    • Consistency and Predictability: Reliable, positive interactions—such as consistent greetings at the school door—help build the trust necessary for student regulation.

    • Reflective Practice: Moving away from punitive systems requires staff to be "reflective practitioners" who can apologize to students and hold each other accountable when triggered.

    • The "Triangle of Trust": Every student should have at least three emotionally available adults of their own choosing to advocate for them.

    • Individualized Success: Measuring progress through personalized "fresh starts" every lesson and daily "briefs and debriefs" to adjust the curriculum to the student’s immediate needs.

    Sharing is Caring

    Nicola Lace and Mia Casey recommend several resources for those looking to deepen their inclusive practice:

    • Masculinity in Schools by Lewis Wedlock: A look at the experiences of young men in education and helping them navigate the complexities of adolescence.
    • Research by Dr. Craig Johnson: Insights into marginalized communities in alternative provision and how to improve their representation.
    • Level 5 Diploma in Trauma-Informed Schools UK: A transformative training course that provides the psychological grounding for relational practice.

    

    Don't forget to follow us on your podcast platform and if you feel able to, give us a rating and review to help more educators find these crucial conversations. Share your thoughts, comments, questions, or brilliant work by emailing the team at teamwellbeing@twinkl.co.uk.

    Chapters

    00:00 - Introduction - Nicola Lace and Mia Casey's background in neuro-inclusion.

    01:45 - The "Outstanding" Ofsted - Discussing the impact of a glowing report on a non-traditional setting.

    03:56 - Building Emotional Safety - Why vulnerability and apologizing to students is a leadership tool.

    05:57 - Fresh Starts and Reliability - Modeling regulation and discussing behavior, not the student.

    07:42 - Challenging Punitive Systems - Why students "test" boundaries and how to stay emotionally safe as staff.

    09:00 - Staff Wellbeing and Supervision - The role of external supervision and massage in tackling secondary trauma.

    12:18 - The PACE Approach - Using Playfulness, Acceptance, Curiosity, and Empathy. 14:41 - Rewiring the Blueprint - How one trusted adult can change a child’s internal working model of relationships.

    21:57 - Zero Exclusion in Practice - Using diverse spaces like farms and adventure playgrounds to co-regulate.

    24:30 - Restorative Breakfasts - Why "rewarding" a student after an incident is actually vital reflective work.

    28:49 - Daily Briefs and Debriefs - The importance of team communication for daily flexibility.

    32:38 - Mainstream Applications - How large schools can implement "emotionally available adults".

    37:31 - The Triangle of Trust - Student-led choice in finding advocates within the school. 44:01 - Sharing is Caring - Professional recommendations for trauma-informed practice.
    Más Menos
    53 m
  • Aspire to Wellbeing With Dr Sue Roffey | In This Together Ep 14

    Aspire to Wellbeing With Dr Sue Roffey | In This Together Ep 14
    Jan 16 2026
    Becky Dawson talks with Dr. Sue Roffey, a leading authority on pastoral care, author, and director of Growing Great Schools Worldwide, about the essential connection between well-being and achievement in education. The discussion centres on Dr. Roffey's book, Aspire to Well-being and Learning for All, and the six ASPIRE principles: Agency, Safety, Positivity, Inclusion, Respect, and Equity, which she argues must be central to the work of educators. The episode explores the compelling idea that well-being underpins not only mental health but also engagement with learning.Dr. Roffey highlights that education is not just about cognitive development, but also the social, emotional, and self-development of every individual, emphasizing that there is no dichotomy between well-being and learning. Drawing on decades of positive psychology and well-being research , she introduces the ASPIRE principles as crucial for creating schools that are "child ready" rather than demanding children be "school ready". The conversation delves into practical examples from schools that are successfully embedding these six principles, achieving great outcomes by changing how they do things, which includes boosting staff wellbeing. Dr. Roffey also discusses the importance of parent-carer voice and the power of focusing on positive relationships and intrinsic motivation to combat the "loss of love of learning"TakeawaysImplement the ASPIRE Principles: Understand and embed the six principles—Agency, Safety, Positivity, Inclusion, Respect, and Equity—as the foundation for improved learning outcomes and mental health.Prioritize Staff Wellbeing: Recognize that looking after teacher wellbeing is critical; it prevents stress-driven reactions and creates a supportive environment, as evidenced by schools offering flexible planning time and professional development.Shift from Extrinsic to Intrinsic Motivation: Cultivate a love of learning by making the curriculum relevant, meaningful, and fun, fostering curiosity, mastery, and a sense of meaning and purpose over mere external rewards.Reframe Behaviour Management: Utilize clear expectations and routines delivered with kindness and respect (reminders, not reprimands) to foster positive relationships and a culture of accountability.Empower Student Agency: View children as contributors with their own experiences and strengths, inviting their involvement in discussions, reviews, and goal-setting for learning and well-being.Engage Parent-Carers as Partners: Approach parents/carers by seeking their advice, understanding their context, and starting conversations with a positive observation about the child, fostering a non-adversarial working relationshipSharing is CaringDr. Sue Roffey recommends her book, Creating the World We Want to Live In , which encourages a shift in focus from "me" to "we" and a commitment to longer-term thinking over short-term convenience, applying these concepts across education and society.Chapters00:00 - Introduction: The essential link between well-being, engagement, and achievement.01:37 - Aspire: The Six Principles: Introducing the ASPIRE framework (Agency, Safety, Positivity, Inclusion, Respect, Equity).02:49 - Education's True Purpose: Defining education as developing the whole individual and shaping the world we want to live in.03:49 - ASPIRE's Research Foundation: Principles rooted in Positive Psychology, well-being, healthy child development, and relationships.05:45 - Schools Being Child Ready: The importance of schools creating an environment where children and young people can thrive.06:58 - Loss of Love of Learning: The impact of this loss on curiosity and teacher retention.08:49 - Agency in Practice: Examples of student agency and involvement in their own learning and reviews.11:55 - Outcomes and High Expectations: The evidence that a well-being focus achieves, or even surpasses, national outcomes.14:12 - Safety and Mistakes: Creating a classroom culture where mistakes are seen as a pathway to learning.14:43 - Quality of Relationships: The critical importance of positive relationships modeled by staff for life-long well-being.19:13 - The Power of Practice: The value of researching schools successfully implementing this integrated approach.21:06 - Staff Wellbeing and Stress: The necessity of supporting staff to prevent stress-driven reactions and maintain high standards.23:29 - Secondary School Implementation: Using frameworks like Circle Solutions for social-emotional learning and tackling issues like social media and misogyny.26:55 - Growing Good Men: The need for respect to be modelled constantly throughout a young person's educational journey.28:59 - First Steps for School Leaders: Practical advice on starting with teacher wellbeing and using the ASPIRE Culture Cards.34:25 - Cultural Change and Retention: The long-term gains of prioritizing staff support and retaining talent.35:25 - Behaviour Management without Punishments: Using a 'thinking room' for ...
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    47 m
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