We are big Harry Potter fans.  I read all the books when they first came out.  Katie and Pip have seen all the films on numerous occasions and Pip and I are currently working our way through the audiobooks as we travel too and from his new school. We're currently mid-way through The Deathly Hallows so you'll understand we have invested many hours in Harry.The books interest me both ..read more

Over the past 6 months or so it's become more and more clear that Pip is coming into puberty.  He's 11 now so it's not unexpected but I suspect no parent is ever ready for when it arrives.  It sneaks in, seemingly under an invisibility cloak suddenly appearing in unexpected moments with a growling sort of "ta daaaa!".I started preparing Pip a while ago for the changes he would ..read more

When you are the parent of children who need extra support you find yourself on a hamster wheel of seeking support. Because the world rather annoyingly doesn’t say “Oh, look, your child needs extra support, I wonder why that is? Shall I easily offer you assessments and help provide you with an answer?” it is mostly left up to us parents and care givers to:1. Firstly recognise that a question ..read more

Something has been happening for a number of years now. A disquiet that is slowly building momentum. Adopters and parents of children with neurodiversity have been realising the education system is not only not meeting the needs of our children, it is actively damaging them. Parents of children who are neurotypical are also starting to express concerns. There has been a huge mental health crisis ..read more

There is increasing discussion on social media and in the media about the lived experience of children in education who have neurodiversity. It’s good that the topic is being raised but often the media focusses on specific groups of individuals in a very generic way. There are headline titles about ‘Ghost Children’ (a term Katie finds quite offensive) with specific focus on the children not ..read more

We've been through so many emotions over the past 5 years that it became harder and harder to write about them so I have only written sporadically.  So many emotions, all tumbled and jumbled together. Where do I start?  How do I break them down? Big emotions. Internalised emotions.  Projected emotions. Emotions from others that were taken on and worn like a coat.  Emotions ..read more

Over recent months I've heard the government media talking about the "invisible children".  The children who haven't returned to school since the pandemic.  The children who often aren't actually receiving any state funded education because the system isn't really making them a priority.Not long ago I heard an interview with the Children's Commissioner for England, Dame Rachel De Souza ..read more

During the lockdowns of 2020/2021 I noted that if ever there was an opportunity to reform the UK education system it was now. The pause in normal life provided the opportunity for reflection and change. The one size fits all approach hasn’t worked for a long time, if it ever truly has.  A total overhaul of how our children are taught is desperately required. Smaller class sizes could solve ..read more

I've made the observation several times over the past few weeks that my life feels like I'm parenting under a microscope.  In fact I've even likened it to The Truman Show as well, except I'm at the part of the story where Truman knows that he's being watched and judged 24/7.When you have a child that has complex difficulties parenting is hard.  Parenting is hard enough at the best of ..read more

I've been feeling quite dispirited lately, mostly with education.  A few years ago if two children were out of full time education for nearly two years there would have been a lot of questions.  I'm grateful that we have a team of very supportive people around us and part-time timetables have been sanctioned but, with all the stress currently in UK schools with many schools struggling ..read more