In This Together
Claim This Podcastby Becky Dawson
Podcast Overview
<p>In This Together, the place where we explore all things wellbeing in education. Join us as we dive into honest conversations, share practical strategies, and uncover the insights you need to foster a thriving environment for both staff , students and everyone in their lives. Get ready to feel inspired, supported, and ready to make a real difference in your community!</p>
Language
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Publishing Since
8/20/2025
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Recent Episodes
July 10, 2026
Does our care cause harm? With Kevin George | In This Together
<p>In this episode, host Becky Dawson is joined by Kevin George, a former professional footballer turned clinically trained psychotherapist, author, and human behaviour specialist . Kevin shares his unique journey from growing up in a high-risk environment heavily influenced by gang culture to finding a sense of resilience and purpose through professional sport . He discusses how traditional education and mental health systems often fail young men, particularly those he calls the "invisibles"—children whose struggles go unnoticed because they don't meet specific crisis thresholds .</p><p>Kevin explains his mission to bring mental health support directly to where young men are, primarily through his "Soccology" initiative and the "Keep the Dream Alive" project . By using football as a metaphor for life, he helps young people build emotional literacy, self-regulation, and the motivation to overcome high levels of adversity . This conversation highlights the need for schools to move beyond predictable learning objectives and embrace high-challenge, high-reward environments that foster genuine development .</p><h3>Takeaways</h3><ul><li><strong>Reaching the "Invisibles":</strong> Many young boys do not meet the crisis thresholds for traditional mental health support, leading to a large population of underserved "invisible" students who struggle in silence .</li><li><strong>Football as a socialization tool:</strong> Sport provides extended boundaries and a hierarchy where attributes like aggression can be safely channeled into self-regulation and teamwork .</li><li><strong>The failure of predictable learning:</strong> Traditional classrooms often kill curiosity by being too predictable; introducing risk, challenge, and kinesthetic elements can re-engage disruptive or bored students .</li><li><strong>Identity vs. Persona:</strong> Elite young performers often sacrifice their true selves for their "sporting persona," making it devastating when their career ends; support must focus on protecting the individual, not just the athlete .</li><li><strong>Development over education:</strong> Professional training for educators should prioritise child development and psychology over rigid curriculum delivery to better support neurodivergence and adversity .</li><li><strong>The power of "RE Day" and innovation:</strong> Success in schools often comes from leaders who are willing to scrap ineffective routines in favour of experiential learning and transparent communication with parents .</li></ul><h3>Chapters</h3><ul><li><strong>00:01 - Introduction</strong> - Becky Dawson introduces Kevin George, psychotherapist and former West Ham and Charlton player .</li><li><strong>01:17 - From the Pitch to the Therapy Room</strong> - Kevin reflects on his childhood in a rough environment and how it shaped his understanding of systemic problems .</li><li><strong>03:38 - The Myth of Overprotection</strong> - Why shielding young people from suffering can prevent them from building the resilience needed for high performance .</li><li><strong>06:48 - Persona Death and Aftercare</strong> - Discussing the psychological impact on young athletes when their identity is entirely tied to their sport .</li><li><strong>10:51 - How Schools Fail Young Men</strong> - Exploring how the lack of risk and curiosity in classrooms leads to disruption and disengagement .</li><li><strong>15:25 - The Coach as a Father Figure</strong> - The vital role of authoritative, respectful mentors in providing boundaries for "hard to reach" boys .</li><li><strong>19:33 - Soccology and Emotional Regulation</strong> - Using football to teach boys how to handle frustration and become active citizens .</li><li><strong>23:52 - Hip Hop and Mental Health</strong> - How rap music serves as a vehicle for emotional literacy and complex linguistic skills for boys who fail English .</li><li><strong>28:37 - Keep the Dream Alive</strong> - Kevin’s mission to provide free, high-performance training and life opportunities to underserved youth .</li><li><strong>34:52 - The Funding Challenge</strong> - The difficulty of getting support for proactive prevention and the "invisible" students.</li><li><strong>39:17 - The Tracksuit Head Teacher</strong> - A story of radical school leadership that prioritised student experience over Ofsted checklists .</li><li><strong>43:21 - Final Reflections</strong> - Closing thoughts on the need for healthy school cultures and inviting further conversation .</li><li><br></li></ul><p><strong>Join the Conversation</strong> We would love for you to follow the podcast and leave a rating or review on your preferred platform . If you have thoughts, questions, or want to share the brilliant work you're doing for wellbeing, please email us at <strong>teamwellbeing@twinkl.co.uk</strong> .</p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p>Find out more about Kevin’s work here</p><p>Website: <a href="http://www.kevingeorge.online" rel="nofollow">www.kevingeorge.online</a></p><p>X: @mrkevingeorge </p><p>Instagram: @iamkevingeorge </p><p><br></p>
July 4, 2026
How do we Support Student Mental Health? With Purvi Gandhi | In This Together
<p>Host Becky Dawson is joined by psychologist Purvi (Vi) Gandhi, author of The Little Guide for Teachers on Student Mental Health. They explore shifting from reactive clinical models to proactive "psychological fitness," empowering students to study their own mental health using a curriculum developed over 11 years. Vi explains how schools can act as society’s "central nervous system" and introduces practical frameworks like the SEA model to build student resilience.</p><h3>Takeaways</h3><ul><li><strong>Proactive Fitness:</strong> Focus on building psychological literacy to recover from life's challenges, rather than just diagnosing ill health.</li><li><strong>Students as Researchers:</strong> Teach students to investigate psychological mechanics (memory, mindfulness) to find tools for their own "toolkit."</li><li><strong>SEA Framework:</strong> Use feedback to <strong>Spot</strong> strengths, <strong>Explain</strong> them in context, and <strong>Appreciate</strong> their impact.</li><li><strong>Wellbeing in Practice:</strong> Focus on four measurable areas: acknowledging strengths, managing stressors, working productively, and community contribution.</li><li><strong>Character Integration:</strong> Embed character development (e.g., perseverance) into daily lesson objectives.</li><li><strong>Social Action:</strong> Support students in launching their own health campaigns to foster community contribution.</li></ul><h3>Chapters</h3><p>00:00 - Introduction</p><p>00:57 - The Psychologist in the Classroom</p><p>03:06 - Psychological Literacy vs. Ill Health</p><p>05:25 - A 11-Year Curriculum Journey</p><p>09:57 - The Responsibility of Response</p><p>11:29 - Putting the SEA Framework into Practice</p><p>12:59 - Wall Sits and Grit</p><p>14:13 - Schools as the Central Nervous System</p><p>16:58 - Teachers as Enablers, Not Clinicians</p><p>18:59 - The Zone of Flow</p><p>21:19 - Learning from Failure</p><p>24:04 - A Game-Changer for Tomorrow</p><p>26:33 - Recommendations and New Projects</p><p><br></p><p><strong>Join the Conversation</strong></p><p>Follow the podcast and leave a review. For thoughts or wellbeing initiatives, email us at <a href="mailto:teamwellbeing@twinkl.co.uk" rel="nofollow">teamwellbeing@twinkl.co.uk</a>.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>Resources & Links</strong></p><p>• <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/purvi-gandhi-aka-vi-gandhi/" rel="nofollow">LinkedIn</a></p><p>• <a href="https://brownsbfs.co.uk/Product/Gandhi-Purvi/A-Little-Guide-for-Teachers-Student-Mental-Health/9781529672404" rel="nofollow">A Little Guide for Teachers: Student Mental Health</a></p><p>• <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_6PskE3zfQ" rel="nofollow">Watch Austin’s Butterfly</a></p>
June 26, 2026
Why is teacher autonomy essential? With Sophie Smith-Tong | In This Together
<p>Today, we are joined by the brilliant Sophie Smith-Tong, author of Teacher Autonomy: Where Has It Gone and Why We Need It Back and founder of Mindfulness for Learning. In this episode, host Becky Dawson and Sophie explore why the education system’s heavy focus on data and high-stakes accountability has led to the "infantilising" of the profession and a decline in educator wellbeing. They discuss the vital link between professional trust and classroom impact, highlighting how restoring autonomy allows teachers to respond to children with genuine "humanness". Sophie shares practical insights on moving beyond "nonsense" tasks to create a more compassionate, human-centered school culture.</p><h3>Takeaways</h3><ul><li><strong>The link between autonomy and wellbeing:</strong> Wellbeing in schools is often misunderstood as "perks" like yoga or cake, but the true driver of educator health is being treated like a professional and having a voice in decision-making.</li><li><strong>The impact of "The Nonsense Tree":</strong> Many educators are burdened by repetitive data entry and "cut and paste" tasks that offer little pedagogical value, leading to physical frustration and a loss of passion.</li><li><strong>Trust as a foundation for learning:</strong> A lack of teacher autonomy directly restricts child autonomy; when teachers feel controlled by rigid scripts or success criteria, they lose the flexibility to respond to students' emotional and social needs.</li><li><strong>Challenging the fear of accountability:</strong> High-stakes measures like Ofsted often create a "vicious cycle" where leadership feels forced to implement blanket rules, which stifles creative and nuanced teaching.</li><li><strong>Starting small with radical change:</strong> To embed autonomy, leaders should notice and remove "patronising" interactions—such as requiring stamps for verbal feedback—and instead foster a culture of vulnerability and professional trust.</li></ul><h3>Chapters</h3><p><strong>00:01 - Introduction</strong> - Becky Dawson introduces Sophie Smith-Tong, author and wellbeing consultant .</p><p><strong>01:02 - Sophie’s Journey</strong> - Reflections on a challenging school experience and finding a sense of belonging through teacher training .</p><p><strong>02:26 - Discovering Early Years and Wellbeing</strong> - How falling into Early Years and reading Adrian Bethune changed Sophie's career path .</p><p><strong>06:47 - The "Eye Roll" of Wellbeing</strong> - Discussing the barriers to self-care when the system is not conducive to it .</p><p><strong>09:11 - Defining Teacher Autonomy</strong> - Why feeling controlled and patronised is the ultimate barrier to educator mental health .</p><p><strong>11:39 - Accountability and the Refresh of Fear</strong> - How the Ofsted framework influences leadership and restricts room for movement .</p><p><strong>13:45 - Impact on Children</strong> - Why a lack of teacher freedom results in a loss of compassion and patience for students .</p><p><strong>16:51 - Pruning the "Nonsense Tree"</strong> - Identifying the soul-destroying tasks that take a physical toll on staff health .</p><p><strong>20:07 - The Power of Context</strong> - Why blanket rules fail and why the teacher is the only person who knows their classroom’s unique needs .</p><p><strong>25:56 - Support Staff and Teamwork</strong> - The importance of giving teaching assistants a voice and building informal relationships .</p><p><strong>27:59 - Advice for Leaders</strong> - Practical steps for senior leaders to start noticing patronising systems and building trust .</p><p><strong>34:10 - Bringing Back the Joy</strong> - Final thoughts on democratic schools and trusting curiosity in education .</p><p><strong>Join the Conversation</strong></p><p>We would love for you to follow the podcast and leave a rating or review on your preferred platform! These conversations are vital for the education community. If you have thoughts, questions, or want to share the brilliant work you're doing for wellbeing, please email us at <a href="mailto:teamwellbeing@twinkl.co.uk" rel="nofollow"><strong>teamwellbeing@twinkl.co.uk</strong></a>.</p><p><br></p><p>Find out more about Sophie’s work here:</p><p>https://teacherautonomy.com/ </p><p>https://www.mindfulnessforlearning.com/ </p><p>https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophie-smith-tong-7b3891207/</p><p><br></p>
39 total episodes available
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- What is In This Together?
<p>In This Together, the place where we explore all things wellbeing in education. Join us as we dive into honest conversations, share practical strategies, and uncover the insights you need to foster a thriving environment for both staff , students and everyone in their lives. Get ready to feel inspired, supported, and ready to make a real difference in your community!</p> - How often does this podcast release new episodes?
This podcast updates daily.
- Where can I listen to this podcast?
This podcast is available on 4 platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. You can also use the RSS feed directly.
- Does this podcast accept guests?
Yes, this podcast regularly features guests.
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