Academic Coaching for Parents with Dr Anna York-Weaving

Is anxiety always bad, and can we learn to outsmart it? Anxiety is a normal part of life, but for some young people it can become difficult to understand and manage, particularly when it begins to affect learning, sleep or everyday routines. In this episode, I am joined by Lily Felton, a trainee clinical psychologist at King’s College London and the author of Outsmart Anxiety: A Practical Guide to...

Have you ever started a new school year determined that this one will be more organised, only to find that within a few weeks homework, deadlines and schoolwork are already starting to pile up? The beginning of a new academic year provides an important opportunity to establish routines and systems that can make learning easier to manage throughout the year. 🎙️ In this episode, I discuss: ✅ How to...

Have you ever wondered why your teenager can seem mature and thoughtful one moment, and impulsive, emotional or resistant the next? Understanding what is happening in the developing teenage brain can help us make sense of some of the changes we see during adolescence and, importantly, shape how we support young people through them. In this episode, I am joined by Dr John Coleman OBE, a leading psy...

Have you ever heard your child say “I can’t do this” before they have even really tried? A student’s belief in their own ability can influence how they approach challenge, how much effort they invest and how long they persist when learning becomes difficult. In this episode, I explore the psychology of self-efficacy: our belief in our ability to succeed at a specific task. Drawing on the work of P...

Have you ever wondered when your child actually has time to think deeply, apply their knowledge and reflect on how it all fits together? Because deeper learning does not necessarily come from completing more tasks, but from having the time and space to analyse ideas, make connections and learn from mistakes. Children often move from lesson to lesson, activity to activity and task to task, with ver...

Have you ever wondered what mindfulness really means, and whether it could help your child feel calmer, cope with stress and improve their focus? In this episode, I am joined by Dr Mark Pearson, author, educator and counsellor with more than 35 years of experience in expressive therapies. Together, we explore what mindfulness really is, why it has become increasingly important for children growing...

Have you ever wondered why your child’s eating habits can feel so difficult to manage, even when you know what healthy eating should look like? In this week's episode, I am joined by Professor Jane Ogden, Professor of Health Psychology at University of Surrey, whose work has shaped how we understand the psychological and behavioural factors behind how and why we eat. Professor Ogden has...

Have you ever looked at your child and felt that something has shifted in their motivation, their focus or even their engagement? In this episode of Academic Coaching for Parents, I am joined by Amber Chandler, an award-winning educator, author and speaker from New York, with over 20 years of classroom experience. Amber has recently published her book “ Reclaiming Connection ”, published by Routle...

Have you ever felt unsure how to support your child during exam revision season, despite wanting to help them succeed? Because more often than not, the challenge is not your child’s ability, but the lack of a clear system for how to revise effectively. Revision season can be a stressful time not just for students, but for parents too. It can feel like you are constantly trying to motivate, guide a...

Have you ever asked yourself, in a world shaped by social media, algorithms and constant information, how do we know if our children have the skills to think critically, recognise misinformation and think for themselves? In this episode, I am joined by Dr Maree Davies, a researcher and senior lecturer based at the University of Auckland, whose work focuses on critical thinking and how young people...

Have you found yourself wondering whether your child is actually revising properly for their GCSEs or A-Levels? In the final weeks before exams, many students are sitting at their desks, but without a clear plan, effective study strategies or a structured approach to revision. And as a parent, that uncertainty can feel incredibly stressful. In this episode, I unpack why this stage often feels over...

In a culture that celebrates busyness and long working hours, rest is often treated as something we earn after productivity. But what if that idea is completely wrong? In this episode of  Academic Coaching for Parents , I am joined by Alex Soojung-Kim Pang, founder of 4 Day Week Studio and a globally recognised expert on the future of work. Alex has worked with companies, nonprofits and...

Have you ever looked at your child, perfectly capable, intelligent and full of potential, and wondered why they delay starting their work? Many parents describe this behaviour as laziness. But more often than not, something else is driving that behaviour. In this episode, I unpack what is really going on when students procrastinate or struggle to begin their work. Drawing on neuroscience, psycholo...

Have you ever felt confused or overwhelmed by your teenager’s behaviour and emotional reactions? In this episode of Academic Coaching for Parents, I am joined by Dr Bettina Hohnen, Clinical Psychologist and Lecturer at University College London, to explore what is really happening inside the teenage brain, and how understanding brain development can transform the way parents communicate, set bound...

Mock exam results can be unsettling, especially when they are lower than expected. Many parents feel pressure to act quickly, often assuming that more teaching or tutoring is the answer. I take a step back and look at what disappointing mock results actually tell us. I then outline practical ways parents can respond to support early progress. Rather than reacting with panic, we explore how mock re...

In this episode of Academic Coaching for Parents, I am joined by Kristina Karlsson, founder of the global stationery brand Kikki. K , bestselling author and creator of the Your Dream Life Starts Here coaching programme. Kristina’s journey is extraordinary. From a single 3am list that sparked a global brand, to navigating the loss of Kikki. K and stepping into a completely new chapter of her life,...

Have you ever looked at your child’s academic struggles and felt an urgent need to explain why ? Because one of the most consistent patterns I see in my academic coaching work is this: when students struggle, parents understandably rush to explanations, before checking whether the foundations for learning are actually in place. In this episode, I introduce a foundations-first approach to academic...

How do the brain’s natural rhythms shape attention, memory and learning? In this episode of Academic Coaching for Parents, I am joined by Professor Ole Jensen, Professor of Translational Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of Oxford, to explore how brain oscillations - rhythmic patterns of neural activity - underpin attention, learning and reading. We discuss how these brain rhythms help to c...

Have you ever wondered why some of your child’s biggest learning moments happen in conversation - when they are explaining an idea, asking questions or debating something with friends? In this episode, I am joined by Professor Andrew Tolmie, Chair of Psychology and Human Development at UCL’s Institute of Education and Deputy Director of the UCL–Birkbeck Centre for Educational Neuroscience. Profess...

Is your child drifting through the school week - rushing homework at the last minute, staying up too late and never quite finding balance? In this episode of  Academic Coaching for Parents , I share how to design your child’s ideal week: a simple, flexible framework that helps them know what to do and more importantly when. Not a rigid timetable, but a rhythm that reduces stress, support...

Why does your child’s learning sometimes surge ahead, only to stall or even dip the next year? And what’s really happening in the brain during these uneven stages of growth? In this episode of Academic Coaching for Parents, I’m joined by Professor Rogier Kievit, Professor of Developmental Neuroscience at the Donders Institute, Radboud University Medical Center.  Rogier’s groundbreaking resear...

Why do teenagers sometimes struggle to plan ahead, stay focused or see things from someone else’s point of view? And how can parents support them through these changes? In this episode of  Academic Coaching for Parents , I’m joined by Professor Iroise Dumontheil, Professor of Psychology and ARC Future Fellow at the University of Melbourne. Her groundbreaking research explores how the ado...

What if stimulating the brain could help unlock learning, especially for children who struggle the most? In this episode of  Academic Coaching for Parents , I’m joined by Professor Roi Cohen Kadosh, Head of the School of Psychology at the University of Surrey and a world-leading cognitive neuroscientist. His pioneering research explores how safe, non-invasive brain stimulation can boost...

As the new academic year begins, many parents are asking themselves: does my child need a tutor? For years, tutoring has been the “go-to” solution when students underperform. But here’s the truth: tutoring often falls short. It repeats the same content children already hear in school, without ever addressing the real reasons behind academic underperformance. In this episode, I’m sharing why tutori...

⭐ What if the secrets to thriving in school were the same as performing under pressure in elite sport? In this episode, I’m joined by chartered psychologist and co-author of The Science of Learning , Bradley Busch. Bradley shares powerful insights from his work across education and elite sport, helping us understand how the brain learns best, what truly drives motivation and why academic resilien...