In This Together

Senior PSHE Subject Lead Nicole Campbell joins Becky Dawson and Laiba Sheikh on In This Together to discuss "How can we make PSHE matter?" Nicole emphasizes a whole-school approach, student agency, and open communication for effective PSHE/RSE delivery. The episode addresses challenges like age-appropriate topics, sensitive subjects (consent, FGM), and the necessity of confident, supported teachers who value honesty and parent consultation. Nicole highlights the need to acknowledge external learning via technology for PSHE to have a transformational impact.

• Parental involvement and shared responsibility are vital for RSE/PSHE, requiring informed consultation.
• Teaching consent must begin much earlier (nursery age) for effective prevention.
• Balancing age-appropriateness is challenging; sensitive topics (like FGM) need careful pitching, while others (like pornography's dangers) demand early intervention due to accessibility.
• Specialist PSHE/RSE teachers with passion and knowledge are crucial for better student outcomes.
• A whole-school approach is necessary; PSHE must be prioritized and embedded interdisciplinary, not an "add-on."
• Teachers uncomfortable with a topic should communicate this or, if they must teach it, be honest and adopt a learner seat approach with students.

Nicole recommends embracing child-led social media campaigns and collaborative group projects as a teaching method. This gives young people agency and voice while reducing the pressure on teachers to lecture, especially on sensitive topics.

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00:00 - Introduction - Nicole Campbell, PSHE Subject Lead

00:49 - Age Restrictions - Discussing age restrictions on teaching RSE/PSHE topics and the role of parents.

01:04 - Parent Communication - The need to work with parents and listen to their concerns.

02:30 - Student Agency - Understanding where young people are at and giving them more agency over their learning.

03:02 - Foundation of Knowledge - Why we need to understand students' existing knowledge in PSHE.

04:10 - Trauma-Informed Delivery - The importance of teaching PSHE in a trauma-informed way.

04:47 - Teaching Consent - Arguing that consent should be taught from a much earlier age.

06:51 - Prevention vs. Cure - Is there more harm in teaching things later than earlier?.

09:28 - Relevance Challenge - Adapting the curriculum and tackling relevance when teaching life lessons.

11:23 - The Specialist Teacher - The importance and impact of having specialist PSHE/RSE teachers.

13:18 - Interdisciplinary Approach - Embedding PSHE throughout the whole school curriculum.

15:02 - Team Teaching - School and parents working together as a team to teach PSHE.

17:13 - Personal Motivation - What motivates Nicole to teach PSHE and RSE.

18:33 - Student-Led Curriculum - Making education more pupil-led and relevant to life.

23:22 - Teacher Confidence - Advice for non-specialist teachers who feel uncomfortable or lack confidence in delivering PSHE.

23:51 - The Learner Seat - Putting yourself in the learner seat and valuing honesty with students.

26:47 - Primary vs. Secondary Impact - Comparing the time constraints and impact of teaching PSHE in primary versus secondary school.

29:25 - Sharing is Caring - Recommending student-led social media campaigns.

Jaz Ampaw-Farr, author and "resilience ninja" , joins Becky Dawson and Laiba to discuss the profound, life-changing impact that everyday heroes—any adult—can have on a child's life. They tackle the question: What impact do everyday heroes have on a child in trauma?

In this powerful episode of In This Together, Jaz Ampaw-Farr and Laiba share their lived experiences of childhood trauma and the vital role that educators played in their healing and success. Jaz introduces her "Be Human First" philosophy and the need for adults to prioritise their own wellbeing to show up as their "full fat self". The discussion centers on the small, consistent acts of kindness and belief—the everyday hero moments—that provide value over rescue and are the true foundation for effective education.

• The profound impact of "everyday heroes" in school—any adult who is consistent, present, and displays botheredness.
• The critical need for educators to lead themselves first and prioritise their own wellbeing to avoid displaying as "Category Two" (busy, transactional) adults.
• Understanding the difference between value and rescue; valuing a child is essential for them to eventually value themselves.
• Jaz's "Three Es" of connecting with students: Empathise, Engage, and then Enrol—rejecting the expectation of immediate trust and compliance.
• The life-changing power of simply believing a child when they disclose abuse or trauma.
• How language influences our actions: moving away from terms like "challenging behaviour" to "distressed behaviour" or "safety-seeking behaviour".
• The role of leadership in modeling wellbeing (e.g., leaving work on time, setting boundaries) and embracing fallibility
• The importance of self-regulating your sharing of lived experience (Mark Finnis's "Three Ps": Private, Personal, Public) to ensure you are not sharing the burden of pain.

Don't forget to follow us on your podcast platform and if you feel able to, give us a rating and review.

Share your thoughts, comments, questions, or brilliant work by emailing the team at [email protected].

Chapters

00:00 - Introduction to Jaz Ampaw-Farr 

01:11 - The Mindset Shift: Harnessing "Because of You" Impact

02:30 - Be Human First: Prioritising Your Wellbeing

03:51 - Value over Rescue: Everyday Hero Moments

05:51 - The Three Es: Empathise, Engage, Enrol

07:02 - Laiba's Lived Experience and the Power of Unconditional Positive Regard

09:23 - Sharing Your Story: Private, Personal, and Public Life

12:19 - Choosing to Show Up as Yourself: Finding Agency

14:15 - Protecting Your Wellbeing: Setting Boundaries on Sharing

18:14 - Professionalism vs. Connection: Finding the Balance

23:46 - The Role of Leadership in Modelling Wellbeing and Fallibility

27:59 - Being 10% Brave and Living a Life Not Driven by Fear

29:25 - The Single Most Important Thing: Believe Them

34:15 - Trauma-Informed Training and Sharing Lived Experience Safely

39:45 - The Language We Use: Distressed Behaviour vs. Challenging Behaviour

46:55 - Sharing is Caring: Skank Off and Take a Minute to Breathe

Peter Radford, author, speaker, and trainer, joins Becky Dawson to discuss his personal journey and the critical systemic changes needed to support teacher wellbeing and retention. They tackle the question: What does it really take to keep teachers in the classroom? 

In this episode of In This Together, Peter Radford shares the deeply personal experience that led him to write Love Teaching, Keep Teaching and dedicate his work to transforming school culture and staff wellbeing. Peter and Becky discuss the three key aspects of teacher retention: individual self-care, leaders championing wellbeing, and systemic change within education. Peter provides actionable insights for leaders to foster a culture of support by addressing the six core psychological needs and adopting an equitable, people-first approach to leadership

• Peter Radford's experiences in senior leadership that led to overwhelm and his decision to leave full-time teaching to advocate for teacher wellbeing.
• The three key areas for improving teacher retention: individual teacher wellbeing, leadership, and the wider education system
• The striking statistic that 75% of people leave their job because of their direct line manager, underscoring the vital role of leadership in retention
• The six core psychological needs (Love, Belonging, Being Understood, Achievement, Autonomy, and Purpose) and how their deficit impairs cognitive function 
• How the environment (the "cage") plays a direct role in staff wellbeing and behaviour, and the leader's responsibility in meeting five out of the six psychological needs
• How embedding a Rights Respecting Schools approach (based on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child) can transform school culture and lead to markedly higher staff wellbeing
• A framework for cultural change through self-reflection, modeling balance and using emotionally intelligent leadership
• The importance of undermining power dynamics by adopting an equitable, restorative approach that starts with the person harmed and enables shared leadership

Sharing is Caring 

Book Recommendation: Peter recommends Lost Connections by Johann Hari

Don't forget to follow us on your podcast platform and if you feel able to, give us a rating and review

Share your thoughts, comments, questions, or brilliant work by emailing the team at [email protected]

00:00 - Introduction 

00:53 - Peter's Personal Experiences and Road to Overwhelm 

04:22 - Hitting the Wall: A Panic Attack and the Reality of Mental Health 

06:07 - The Three Pillars of Love Teaching, Keep Teaching 

07:22 - Leadership as the Number One Factor in Teacher Exodus 

11:23 - Equitable Leadership: Investing in People-First 

13:33 - The Six Psychological Needs and Their Impact on Wellbeing 

16:00 - The "Cage": How Environment Drives Behaviour 

22:19 - Rights Respecting Schools: A Vehicle for Culture Change and Wellbeing 

24:43 - Balancing Rights: Behaviour Management through a Rights-Based Lens 

27:14 - The Path to Cultural Change: Self-Reflection and Modelling Balance 

30:54 - Emotionally Intelligent Leadership: Asking "How are you feeling?" 

32:59 - Undermining Power Dynamics: Starting with the Person Harmed 

37:52 - The Dangers of Firefighting and the Need for Shared Leadership 

40:18 - Book Recommendation: Lost Connections by Johann Hari

In this episode, Shahana Knight, an award-winning childhood trauma and behaviour specialist and director of TPC and Therapeutic Classrooms, discusses what happens when we put emotional wellbeing at the heart of the classroom. Shahana explains how her work is viewed through a trauma-informed lens, focusing on understanding the stress behind a child's behaviour. She details her journey in creating Therapeutic Classrooms, environments designed to calm the brain, reduce stress hormones, and help children regulate. The conversation covers the challenge of moving away from outdated, overwhelming classroom designs and presents compelling evidence on the impact of this radical change on children's academic and emotional outcomes.

• Book: The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt



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• Wellbeing and mental health are crucial to understanding and addressing classroom behaviour.
• A trauma-informed perspective is key to seeing a child's actions as a response to stress, not defiance.
• Therapeutic Classrooms use science and environment (soft seating, low lighting, decluttering) to help children regulate and feel safe.
• The classroom environment should feel nurturing and comfortable, like a home, to foster a sense of belonging and safety.
• Understanding the "why" behind this radical change—the neuroscience—is more important than simply achieving a nice aesthetic.
• Successful therapeutic approaches lead to reduced dysregulation, improved behaviour, and greater academic achievement.
• Leadership needs to be brave enough to challenge outdated practices and the myth that traditional displays or rigid seating are required for learning.
• Flexible seating and regulation tools (like blankets and weighted teddies) support movement, which the brain needs for learning.

• 00:00 Introduction to Shahana Knight
• 00:59 The Journey to Creating Therapeutic Classrooms
• 03:59 The Trauma-Informed and Holistic Perspective
• 09:39 The Challenge of Outdated Classroom Design
• 10:21 The Big Ask and Rethinking the Classroom
• 14:50 Challenges: Standards and Sourcing Furniture
• 17:53 Why Cheap Alternatives are Not Safe or Sustainable
• 19:54 The Importance of Understanding the "Why" (Neuroscience)
• 22:30 The Issue of Adult Control and Confidence
• 25:39 Fear of Change and External Challenges (e.g., Ofsted)
• 26:59 Measuring the Impact: Academic and Emotional Wellbeing
• 37:30 Crucial Role of Trauma-Informed Practice
• 38:34 Quick, Doable Tips for a Safe Space (Lighting, Decluttering)

44:37 Sharing is Caring Recommendation: The Anxious Generation

How can schools move from simply reacting to stress to proactively embedding staff and student wellbeing as a core principle? 

In this episode of the In This Together Podcast, Becky Dawson is joined by Andrew Cowley, a wellbeing consultant, speaker, author, and coach for Designated Mental Health Leads. Drawing on his 30 years as a primary teacher and school leader, Andrew shares his insights on what it truly means to look after school staff and build a culture of genuine support. 

Together, they discuss:

• Andrew's journey from teaching into his current work, which was influenced by his early realization that staff wellbeing needed better management in schools. 
• The critical importance of building strong relationships and connection with colleagues and students, which involves knowing them beyond their professional or student roles. 
• The need for school responses to crises to be proactive, responsive, and principled, rather than simply reactive.
• How students can sense when teachers are struggling or burnt out, emphasizing that staff wellbeing directly impacts the quality of teaching and student experience. 
• The "THINK" acronym—a framework for embedding mental health and wellbeing. 
• The challenges around lack of protected reflective practice for educators, contrasting it with professions like the NHS. 
• Why everyone—from teaching assistants to school leaders—is a wellbeing leader, and how the approach should be sideways-in, not top-down or bottom-up. 
• The importance of embracing a diverse team, including cynical people and support staff, to create an effective whole-school approach. 

• Proactivity and principles are essential for a responsible approach to wellbeing, not just reacting to issues. 
• The THINK acronym stands for: Time, Holistic, Inclusive, Non-judgmental, and Knowledgeable.
• Wellbeing is for everyone in the school, and leaders should communicate the moral purpose (the why) behind the work. 

Andrew recommends:

Book: 'Legacy' by James Kerr, which focuses on the culture of the All Blacks rugby team.

⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 Introduction and Welcome

00:31 Andrew's experience within teaching and his move into wellbeing work

04:57 The importance of knowing your colleagues and students

09:46 Laiba's perspective as a student on teacher wellbeing

11:57 The THINK acronym explained

21:35 Challenges for staff wellbeing and the lack of protected reflective practice

24:43 Lateral leadership and Kulvarn Atwal's slice groups

26:03 Key steps for a whole school approach to mental health and wellbeing

28:39 Final Recommendations & Resources

31:13 Closing Remarks

How can schools move from good intentions to meaningful impact when it comes to safeguarding Black girls?

In this episode of the In This Together Podcast, Becky Dawson is joined by Joel Dunn, CEO and founder of the Paradigm Project, and Jade Ecobichon-Gray, social wellness and equity consultant and PhD researcher at the University of Cambridge. Together, they explore their groundbreaking report From Intention to Impact: A Cultural Humility Approach to Safeguarding Black Girls in Education.

We discuss:

• The origins of their partnership and how cultural humility training developed.
• What cultural humility really means – and how it differs from cultural competence.
• Why reflective practice is critical for educators.
• The visibility gap: when teachers believe they are inclusive but Black girls feel unseen.
• The impact of stereotypes, adultification, and the “strong Black girl” trope.
• How intersectionality shapes the lived experiences of Black girls.
• Why creating spaces of joy – not just safety – is vital.
• Recommendations for schools: protected time for reflection, embedding humility in teacher training, and shifting how we measure success.

🔗 Read the full report: From Intention to Impact

https://paradigmproject.co.uk/research/from-intention-to-impact/

Sharing is Caring Recommendation

🔗 See the foundational Milk Honey Bees report See Us, Hear Us https://milkhoneybees.co.uk/see-us-hear-us-on-girlhood-and-growing-up-black-in-lambeth/

This powerful conversation challenges educators and leaders to reflect deeply, act intentionally, and ensure that Black girls are truly seen, heard, and supported in education.

✨ Key takeaways from this episode:

• Intention is not the same as impact – action and accountability must follow.
• Cultural humility requires ongoing self-reflection, not one-off training.
• Black girls face both invisibility and hyper-visibility in school settings.
• Adultification robs Black girls of childhood and increases safeguarding risks.
• Schools must create spaces of belonging and joy, not just avoidance of harm.
• Embedding reflective practice supports both student and educator wellbeing.

⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 Introduction and Welcome

01:06 Joel & Jade’s Collaboration and Early Work

04:22 What Is Cultural Humility?

07:18 The Importance of Reflection in Education

13:04 Turning the Lens Inwards – Racial Identity & Whiteness

16:46 Intention vs. Impact in Schools

21:46 Visibility Gaps and Wellbeing Impacts

23:36 Stereotypes, Adultification, and the Strong Black Girl Trope

29:49 Personal Reflections and Intersectionality

33:53 Disclosure, Trust, and Identity as Non-Monolith

37:55 The Case for Protected Reflective Practice

43:19 Systemic Change and Upstream Thinking

48:29 Rethinking What Schools Measure

50:27 Final Recommendations & Resources

54:14 Closing Remarks

How can we better support children’s mental health and emotional literacy? In this episode of the In This Together Podcast, Becky Dawson is joined by Jennifer Wyman, founder and director of Bridge the Gap, Child Mental Health CIC. Jennifer shares her powerful journey from childhood trauma to becoming a leading advocate for children’s wellbeing, and why emotional literacy is just as vital as academic learning.

We discuss:

Jennifer’s journey: from lived experience to professional advocacy.

Why emotional literacy is the foundation of lifelong wellbeing.

The challenges adults face in supporting children (discomfort, time, sensory overwhelm).

Practical strategies for schools and parents, including “emotional swimming lessons.”

The importance of reflective practice and whole-school wellbeing policies.

How simple language shifts can transform support for children.

🔗 Find out more about Jennifer’s work at Bridge the Gap CIC: https://www.jwbridgethegap.com/

 📖 Sharing is Caring Recommendation: The Kindness Principle by Dave Whitaker

✨ Key takeaways from this episode:

Emotional literacy is as essential as academic learning.

Adults must lead the way in modelling emotional skills.

Whole-school approaches create safer, more supportive environments.

Small language shifts can make a big difference for children.

⏱️ Timestamps

 00:00 Introduction and Welcome

 02:15 Jennifer’s Background and Inspiration

 08:30 The Importance of Emotional Literacy

 15:45 Challenges in Emotional Support Systems

 22:00 Practical Advice for Schools and Parents

 30:10 Youth Volunteering and Impact

 38:00 Final Thoughts and Recommendations

Today's Focus Question

"Does behaviour management need a radical change?"

In this episode, Tracey Campbell, a behaviour management consultant, discusses the complexities of behaviour management in education. The conversation explores the need for a radical change in how behaviour is managed, emphasising a trauma-informed approach that prioritises understanding and compassion over control. Tracey shares insights from her extensive experience in education, highlighting the importance of adult behaviour in shaping student experiences and the necessity of building supportive relationships within schools. The discussion also addresses the challenges of exclusions and the need for courageous leadership to create environments where all students feel safe and valued.

Find out more about Tracey’s Sharing is Caring Recommendation here:

https://www.class13.org/

Takeaways

Behaviour management needs a radical change to be effective.

Trauma-informed approaches are essential in education.

Adults' responses to behaviour significantly impact students.

Exclusions often fail to address underlying issues.

Building relationships is crucial for student success.

Schools must have a clear vision and values.

Courageous leadership is necessary for meaningful change.

Compassion should be at the heart of behaviour management.

Understanding the root causes of behaviour is vital.

There are more good teachers than bad, and they make a difference.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Behaviour Management

02:12 The Controversy of Behaviour Management

05:17 Understanding Behaviour Responses

08:39 The Need for Radical Change

11:11 The Role of Relationships in Education

13:01 Adapting to 21st Century Classrooms

15:55 The Importance of Relational Practice

19:16 Creating a Positive School Ethos

20:16 Vision and Values in Education

22:54 Linking Vision, Values, and Behaviour

25:00 The Disconnect Between Ethos and Experience

29:01 The Role of Courage in Leadership

30:08 Zero Tolerance vs. Trauma-Informed Approaches

37:15 Understanding Behaviour Beyond Rule Breaking

41:40 New Chapter

Welcome to the very first episode of "In This Together," Twinkl's brand-new podcast all about wellbeing.

Join your hosts, Becky Dawson and Laiba Sheikh, as they introduce themselves and share how they met. In this short episode, you'll learn why they were inspired to create a podcast focused on wellbeing and get a sneak peek at the incredible guests who will be joining them on future episodes.

Don’t forget to drop us an email if you have any thoughts, comments, questions or want to share some brilliant work that you are doing for wellbeing in your setting ⁠[email protected]⁠

If you want to follow Becky you can find all her socials here

https://linktr.ee/beckydawsonwellbeing