Relationship Health Matters Podcast

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A discussion with Jacqui Wilson exploring the need for a new map

Reflections on Emotionally Based School Avoidance - a conversation with Jacqui Wilson

In this discussion, we explore the way that relational patterns emerge and how they can get stuck and the role of awareness in making change possible.

In this discussion we bring our focus to the issue of the skills needed for relationship health across the life span and the importance of building these skills in children.

In this podcast you will hear us reflecting particularly on the issue of internal relationship health and how it emerges from our experiences in external relationships.

Elaine is a teacher and SENCO in a small rural primary school. She discussed the impact of the national curriculum changes and COVID-19 on students' academic and social-emotional well-being. She noted that academic skills are now expected at younger ages, leading to increased pressure and mental health issues.

Elaine emphasized the importance of nurturing relationships and a holistic approach to education, highlighting the need for better support for parents and early intervention. She suggested that training should start at the top level and be ongoing, involving both new and experienced teachers. Elaine also stressed the importance of...

Rachel is an experienced educational psychologist who has been working in the education sector since 2003. Her role involves understanding and addressing the developmental and educational needs of children. Rachel is passionate about bridging the gap between early years education and mainstream schooling, especially for children with special educational needs and those who have experienced developmental trauma.

Rachel has observed significant challenges within the educational system, particularly how current education policy means that schools often prioritize academic goals over the social-emotional development of students. She advocates for a more holistic approach to education, emphasizing the importance of emotional...

John is an experienced secondary teacher of PE and math with over 35 years of experience. He discussed the decline in children's social-emotional and motor skills seen over his career, and noticeably at entry to school in Year 7. He noted that by the time students reach secondary school, many lack coping skills, resilience, and the ability to work in groups. Girls generally develop these skills faster than boys, creating challenges in co-educational settings.

John emphasized the need for a curriculum that addresses social-emotional development, noting that current practices focus too much on academic attainment. He highlighted the lack...

Gill is an experienced reception teacher who now works across the primary range in a support role. She discusses concerns about the National Curriculum's impact on social-emotional development in young children. She notes a shift from child-centered, in-the-moment planning to a knowledge-focused curriculum, which neglects personal, social aspects.

Gill highlights issues such as lack of early intervention support, budget cuts, and the rigid adherence to a knowledge-based curriculum. She emphasizes the importance of early intervention, nurturing relationships, and play-based learning for developing emotional resilience and social skills. Gill argues for a holistic approach that prioritizes personal, social...

Kirsten is an experienced primary SENCO working with several small schools. She discussed the challenges in tracking social-emotional development in primary schools. She noted a significant increase in children struggling with emotional regulation and resilience, often first identified in reception but neglected in subsequent years.

Current assessment focuses on cognition and learning, neglecting emotional development. Despite the introduction of ELSA (Emotional Literacy Support Assistant) roles, schools increasingly struggle to afford classroom assistants and the needs for help far outstrips supply of adults able to listen and serious school funding challenges are actively limiting what schools can manage...

Paul is an experienced teacher with 40 years of experience in the primary sector, 13 years as primary headteacher. He now trains prospective primary teachers. Paul discussed the evolution of the national curriculum and his views regarding its damaging impact on children's education.

He highlighted the shift from a holistic approach focusing on the whole child to a more academic-centric model under Michael Gove's reforms.

Paul believes this shift has led to a decline in emotional and social development, with schools becoming more like factories focused on SATs and attainment. Paul emphasized the need to return to...

A conversation with Jacqui Wilson.

When it comes to wellbeing for yourself, for your family or in in your workrole, are you looking for a way forward that can help you join up the dots? Would you like to spend less time feeling stressed out and more time feeling connected, with confidence that your decision making is grounded in a clear practical science based understandings? You might be a perfect fit for the I Matter Relationship Health Learning Journey starting with the I Matter Framework Fundamentals – a 7 module immersive training that teaches you the foundations that will enhance your understanding and communication skills and im...