💬 Episode Description:

In the very first episode of Make it Make SENDs, I sit down with Kieran Rose — better known as The Autistic Advocate
— to talk all things autism, inclusion, and the future of education.

Kieran is one of the UK’s most respected autistic voices, a writer, trainer, and speaker who’s spent years challenging the systems that fail autistic children and their families. In this honest and powerful conversation, we explore how our schools are designed, why so many autistic pupils are being excluded or misunderstood, and what needs to change if we’re ever going to get inclusion right.

Kieran makes a bold and thought-provoking statement: “We don’t have a SEND crisis — we have an education crisis.”Together, we unpack what that means, and how teachers, parents, and policymakers can start to shift the narrative from “fixing children” to fixing the system.

This episode is real, reflective, and full of insight — a must-listen for anyone who cares about how we educate and support neurodivergent young people.

🔗 Join the Conversation:

You can explore Kieran’s work, resources, and training at www.theautisticadvocate.com
and follow him on social media @TheAutisticAdvocate.

For more reflections, blog posts, and future episodes, head to www.detentiondiaries.com
— home of the Make it Make SENDs podcast, the Detention Diaries series, and a growing community of educators, parents, and advocatesworking to make education better for everyone.

👉 Read. Listen. Join the conversation. Let’s make it make SENDs — together.

Enjoyed the episode? Then it’s time to join the class.
👉 Head to www.detentiondiaries.com
to read the blog, sign up for the newsletter, and join our online staffroom community.

Because education doesn’t end at the classroom door — and neither does the conversation.

In this episode of Detention Diaries, I’m joined by Will Evans — my former PGCE mentor and now Music PGCE Lead at Manchester Metropolitan University. Will’s spent years helping new teachers survive (and sometimes even enjoy) their first year in the classroom, and in this episode, we lift the lid on what teacher training really looks like in 2025.

We chat about the changing face of education, why creative subjects like music are more vital than ever, and how to prepare new teachers for a profession that’s equal parts art, science, and chaos. Will shares his insights into training, resilience, burnout, and why so many of the best educators are also brilliant storytellers.

It’s funny, thoughtful, and just the right amount of nostalgic — two old colleagues swapping stories about lessons gone wrong, what’s changed since our training days, and what still needs to.

👉 Join the conversation at www.detentiondiaries.com
— the online staffroom where real teachers talk about real education.

Because teaching isn’t just a career — it’s a calling… with a lot of paperwork.

Enjoyed the episode? Then it’s time to join the class.
👉 Head to www.detentiondiaries.com
to read the blog, sign up for the newsletter, and join our online staffroom community.

Because education doesn’t end at the classroom door — and neither does the conversation.

In Episode 2 of Detention Diaries, I sit down with Andy — a former mainstream teacher who went on to set up education across multiple alternative provision sites in the North West, and now works with Progressive Masculinity, helping schools rethink how they support boys.

We dive deep into what’s really going on with young men in education — the ones who slip through the cracks, lash out, or just quietly disappear. We unpack the findings of the ‘Lost Boys’ report, explore the crisis of modern masculinity, and ask: how can schools help boys grow without shutting them down?

Andy’s story takes us from PE changing rooms to PRU classrooms to working nationally on gender and behaviour. It’s a conversation about identity, belonging, and hope, with a fair bit of honesty (and a touch of swearing) along the way.

If you’ve ever taught that student, worried about the state of boys’ education, or wondered what it really means to “man up” in 2025 — this episode’s for you.

👉 Join the conversation at www.detentiondiaries.com
— the online staffroom for real talk about teaching, learning, and surviving education.

Enjoyed the episode? Then it’s time to join the class.
👉 Head to www.detentiondiaries.com
to read the blog, sign up for the newsletter, and join our online staffroom community.

Because education doesn’t end at the classroom door — and neither does the conversation.

When mainstream can’t meet every need — what really happens inside a Pupil Referral Unit? 

In this episode of Detention Diaries, I sit down with David — a former SENDCo at my school who’s now working as English Lead in a Pupil Referral Unit (PRU). He’s someone who’s lived the reality of trying to make mainstream education work for every student… and then decided to see what life was like beyond it.

We talk about the truth behind alternative provision — the successes, the heartbreaks, the misconceptions — and what it’s like teaching young people who’ve already been written off by the system. David shares his honest thoughts on behaviour, inclusion, and what schools get wrong (and right) when supporting students with complex needs.

Expect insight, humour, and a few moments that might make you rethink what “success” looks like in education. Oh — and maybe a little swearing. Because when you’re working in a PRU, sometimes there’s just no other word that fits.

If you’ve ever worked with challenging students, tried to keep your cool during yet another “urgent” behaviour meeting, or wondered what happens after exclusion — this episode pulls back the curtain.

Enjoyed the episode? Then it’s time to join the class.
👉 Head to www.detentiondiaries.com
to read the blog, sign up for the newsletter, and join our online staffroom community.

Because education doesn’t end at the classroom door — and neither does the conversation.

Welcome to Detention Diaries.

Stay tuned for our first episode. 

Like, Subscribe, join the community. Be sound!

Loads of love.

Detention Diaries

Enjoyed the episode? Then it’s time to join the class.
👉 Head to www.detentiondiaries.com
to read the blog, sign up for the newsletter, and join our online staffroom community.

Because education doesn’t end at the classroom door — and neither does the conversation.