Welcome to our April Newsletter.

In the UK the bluebells are beginning to colour the woodlands and the cherry trees are now in bloom. In the Southern Hemisphere it is thankfully cooling down! There is so much gloom in the news it is hard sometimes to focus on the positive, but it can make all the difference to our wellbeing. This week I heard a radio program about people who had lost their larynx, usually through cancer, and were no longer able to speak normally, if at all. Suddenly I was immensely grateful that I have a voice, something I usually just take for granted. It made me feel even more strongly though that we have a responsibility to raise our voices where we can for those who are silenced, marginalised or simply too young to be heard.

You are all busy people, so please skim this newsletter and click on the links of interest!

Circle Solutions

Introduction to Circle Solutions: East Finchley, London, Wednesday 10 May, 9.30 – 4.00 

Nearly all recent training has been for specific schools or authorities. Although this course is run by patoss, it is open to all-comers. There is no doubt that Circle Solutions is a safe and effective way to give children and young people a voice, help them understand the basics of healthy relationships, promote a positive sense of self and change behaviour ‘from the inside out’. Suitable for all educators teaching in either primary and secondary settings. Book at this link
There is now an updated Australian version of the Introduction to Circle Solutions PowerPoint available to all CS Accredited Trainers on this website. Please email for the password (it is the same password as previous versions, just with the year changed to 2023).

The Mental Health and Wellbeing in Wales Awards – perhaps someone doing Circle Solutions in Monmouth, Gwent or Flintshire might think about applying for the Impact on Education award?

Upcoming Conferences 

I am proud to be the UK Ambassador for the Positive Schools conferences that are again face to face all over Australia. These are entitled Wellbeing in Action. Check out the impressive line-up of speakers.

  • June 7.8.9 Brisbane
  • June 14,15,16, Sydney
  • November 8.9.10 Melbourne
  • November 22,23,24, Fremantle.

You may also be interested in the Positive Schools Online Professional Learning Platform 

 RethinkingEd conference – Sept 23 Parliament Hill School, North London.

Last year’s was very vibrant and is yet another voice for the education our kids need and deserve – not to mention their teachers! Early bird tickets are now available with a further 20% discount for those who enter the promo code RE20FRIEND on the ticket page before April 30. Feel free to extend this offer to any friends or colleagues who might be interested.

Sept 16 Pedagoo Hampshire – for teachers by teachers. Hosted by Hayling College headteacher and teacher wellbeing guru Martyn Reah Sign up if you want to speak 

Books 

Square Pegs: Inclusivity, compassion and fitting in: A guide for schools (2023) is edited by Fran Morgan and Ellie Costello and published by Independent Thinking Press, an imprint of Crown House Publishing. It is about those thousands of children who are expected to fit into a ‘one size fits all’ education system and simply can’t. Distressing but also optimistic about what is needed and what is possible – a recommended read.

The authors have been invited to give evidence to the House of Commons Education Select Committee on Attendance next month. This is their written evidence

The Power Threat Meaning Framework: Overview by Lucy Johnstone and Mary Boyle is published by the British Psychological Society. It is for those who want alternatives to the medical model of behaviour that labels children with disorders.

Resources 

Building Better Schools is an open access time-saving resource. It contains 38 ready-to-use policies and provides a summary of best practices for schools. A link to the contents and full download is here.

Minds Ahead is a social enterprise that exists to revolutionise mental health in schools and colleges. More info here. 

Schools TV has now come to the UK from Australia. Some well-known presenters from both sides of the world.

Podcasts 

For those who are not yet sick of the sound of my voice (!) here are recent opportunities to watch one keynote and hear a couple of interviews.

At the 2022 European Conference on Positive Psychology in Reykjavik entitled Creating a World We Want to Live In, my keynote was on Creating a Culture of Wellbeing in Schools – YouTube.

Discussing Education with Professor Isaac Prilleltensky

With Crispian Farrow for Education in Motion discussing the importance of student agency for wellbeing in education. 

Reports and Research 

The Good Childhood Report 2022

The World Happiness Report 2023 

‘Reappraisal’ strategy for regulating emotions can also boost creativity – article in BPS Research Digest (19 April 2023). “The study suggests that creativity and the ability to think in flexible, interesting ways is not solely trait based, but can change and shift quite easily. Methods such as reappraisal could therefore provide a way to improve our creativity, at work and in other environments.”