Detention Diaries

Keywords education, SEND, inclusion, teacher burnout, mental health, school leadership, education reform, SEND crisis, education crisis, teacher wellbeing, child mental health, safeguarding, policy, school improvement, inclusive practice Summary In this episode of Make it Make SENDs, I sit down with Lorraine Petersen OBE — former CEO of nasen, headteacher, and one of the most respected voices in S...

Keywords education, leadership, school culture, discipline, inclusion, Welsh education, head teacher, student engagement, academic rigor, mentorship Summary In this conversation, Alun Ebenezer shares his journey in education, discussing the importance of creating a positive school culture, maintaining high standards, and the challenges faced in the Welsh education system. He emphasizes the need fo...

Music, Inclusion, and Empowerment with Kate Campbell Green Join us in this insightful episode as Kate Campbell Green shares her journey through music education, inclusion, and advocacy. We explore how music can be a powerful tool for social change, personal growth, and transforming educational spaces. Discover practical strategies to make music truly inclusive and inspiring at all levels. Timestam...

Keywords progressive masculinity, mental health, emotional literacy, young men, education, intersectionality, digital culture, positive masculinity, misogyny, teacher training Summary In this conversation, Mike Nicholson discusses his journey from being a teacher to founding Progressive Masculinity, a program aimed at creating safe spaces for boys and men to explore their identities. He emphasises...

In this episode of Detention Diaries , Dan sits down with Ross McGill , the founder of Teacher Toolkit — one of the UK’s most influential platforms supporting teachers with practical strategies, wellbeing insights, and real classroom solutions. Ross shares his journey from classroom teacher to education thought-leader, the challenges facing schools today, and his honest views on workload, burnout,...

In this conversation, Dan speaks with Dr. Shelley Moore about her journey in education, focusing on the importance of inclusive practices for students with disabilities. They discuss the challenges faced by the education system, the need for a shift from special education to inclusive education, and the significance of community and collaboration in fostering an inclusive environment. Dr. Moore sh...

This week on Make it Make SENDs , I sit down with Jane Harris , Chief Executive of Speech and Language UK and Vice-Chair of the Disabled Children’s Partnership — two organisations at the frontline of making sure every child’s voice is heard (literally and figuratively). Jane shares what’s really going on behind the statistics: Why so many children are struggling with speech, language and communica...

Join me on this week’s episode of the Make it Make SENDs podcast as I chat with the remarkable Ginny Bootman — a SENDCO, former headteacher, author and champion of empathy-driven SEND education. 🚀 In this conversation we dive into: Ginny’s journey from classroom to leading inclusive practice How empathy, trust and relationships make all the difference in SEND provision The current state of SEND l...

💬 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 h...

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 , w...

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...

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...

Welcome to Detention Diaries. Stay tuned for our first episode.  Like, Subscribe, join the community. Be sound! Loads of love. Detention Diaries Support the show 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 n...