Welcome to Detention Diaries — a podcast, blog, and teacher community built with heart, humour, and a healthy dose of realism. We discuss all things education, get involved and join the community at detentiondiaries.com.
Make it Make SENDs #6: From SEND Crisis to System Reform: Lorraine Petersen OBE on What Must Change
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 SEND and inclusive education. We explore the current state of education and ask the big question: ...
13 Mar 2026
Detention Diaries #6 Alun Ebeneezer - Creating a Culture of Discipline in Schools
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 for discipline, mentorship, and community engagement while addressing the balance between inclus...
27 Feb 2026
Make it Make SENDs #5 : Music and Inclusivity - is it even possible? with Kate Campbell-Green
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. Timestamps: 00:00 - Welcome and introduction to Kate Campbell Green's journey 02:23 - Setting the t...
12 Feb 2026
Detention Diaries #5 - Redefining Masculinity: What does it really mean to be a man?
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 the importance of breaking down barriers, understanding intersectionality, and addressing me...
5 Feb 2026
Detention Diaries #4 What Teachers Really Need: Ross McGill on Workload, Wellbeing & the Future of Schools
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, policy, and what truly needs to change in education. It’s a candid, inspiring, and refreshingly re...
28 Nov 2025
Make it Make SENDS #4 - Aiming for the Edges with Dr Shelley Moore. How inclusion REALLY works!
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 shares her research findings and practical strategies for teachers to create inclusive classrooms, ...
14 Nov 2025
Make it Make SENDs #3 - Talking About Talking: Jane Harris on Fixing the Speech and Language Crisis
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 communication right nowHow early identification can change everythingWhat needs to happen in policy, funding ...
8 Nov 2025
Make it Make SENDs #2 - Follow the Empathy Road: Educating for Inclusion with Ginny Bootman
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 practiceHow empathy, trust and relationships make all the difference in SEND provisionThe current state of SEND legislation, what’s working and what still needs to changePractical advice for teachers, parents ...
31 Oct 2025
Make it Make SENDs #1 - The Autistic Advocate. It’s Not a SEND Crisis — It’s an Education Crisis
💬 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 honest and powerful conversation, we explore how our schools are designed, why so many autistic pupi...
23 Oct 2025
Detention Diaries #3: From Classroom Chaos to Campus Calm: Training the Teachers of Tomorrow
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, why creative subjects like music are more vital than ever, and how to prepare new teachers for a profe...
16 Oct 2025
Detention Diaries #2: Lost Boys: What Schools Get Wrong About Masculinity
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 quietly disappear. We unpack the findings of the ‘Lost Boys’ report, explore the crisis of modern ...
9 Oct 2025
Detention Diaries #1: From SEND to PRU: Lessons from the Edge of Education
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 it. We talk about the truth behind alternative provision — the successes, the heartbreaks, the...
7 Oct 2025
Detention Diaries: Intro and Welcome
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 neither does the conversation.
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