What a start to the year it has been. My understanding of leadership has fundamentally changed. Stepping fully into my role as Founder and CEO, transitioning from senior leadership, has reinforced a simple but powerful truth: life is neither binary nor linear. We will all face varying degrees of challenge and adversity. What matters most is how we respond, how we step up, and whether the systems we build within education are designed to support young people to do the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I am entering the next phase of my journey with PGS with absolute clarity of purpose. Our work is anchored in a clear and unwavering vision: a system where pupils are not defined by behaviour, circumstance, or adversity, but are supported through a strong sense of belonging to thrive and reach their full potential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Our mission remains focused on bridging the gap between pupil behaviour and academic success, ensuring that no child\u2019s life opportunities are limited by adversity. We are acutely aware of the challenges schools continue to face, including persistent absenteeism, high suspension rates, harmful gender attitudes, and the lasting impact of trauma on pupils\u2019 engagement and well-being.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This challenge is clearly reflected in the most recently published Department for Education data (2023\/24)<\/strong>. Persistent absence continues to affect approximately one in five pupils nationally<\/strong>, presenting a significant barrier to engagement and attainment. During the same reporting period, schools recorded 954,952 suspensions<\/strong> and 10,885 permanent exclusions<\/strong>. These figures continue to reinforce what many schools already know: behaviour and attendance challenges are not isolated issues, but systemic ones requiring sustained, evidence-informed intervention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The national Attendance and Behaviour Hubs programme<\/strong>, with 57 lead schools currently in operation out of an anticipated 90<\/strong>, represents an important step forward. However, as I have previously stated, the current level of provision does not yet afford all pupils in need access to the tailored and bespoke intervention required to support their progression in school. Too many young people continue to navigate exclusionary experiences without meaningful preventative support in place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is precisely why the work we are doing is so important. Young people across the country need intentional, pupil-centred intervention that goes beyond systems and structures, intervention that meets them where they are, addresses root causes, and restores a sense of belonging. Our work exists to support schools to do exactly that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This year, opportunity will be central to our impact. Sustainable change does not come from quick fixes or punitive responses. Permanent exclusion should always be a last resort, considered only after thoughtful, tailored, and evidence-informed interventions have been explored and exhausted. Our programmes are designed to support schools to intervene earlier, act more intentionally, and build cultures where inclusion is not an aspiration, but a lived and embedded reality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Attending the IncludED Conference<\/strong>, hosted by The Difference<\/em>, was an incredibly thought-provoking experience. Bringing together over 800 educators from across the country, the conference reinforced that the direction of travel for our organisation is both necessary and validated. Engaging with practitioners deeply committed to inclusive practice strengthened my conviction that our evidence-informed initiatives are developing pupils\u2019 social and emotional literacy while strengthening trust, relationships, and belonging between pupils and staff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Equally influential has been the continued spotlight on harmful gender attitudes and misogyny. Sarah Wordlaw\u2019s book launch<\/strong> is a powerful reminder that this work cannot wait until adolescence. Addressing misconceptions around masculinity and gender from an early age through carefully designed, age-appropriate intervention is critical. Our early intervention programmes will continue to prioritise this work, supporting pupils to develop empathy, respect, and a healthier understanding of identity and relationships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As we move through 2026, our focus is on consolidation and growth, expanding our reach while remaining grounded in impact, evidence, and integrity. Our ambition is not simply to support schools, but to contribute to a future where no child\u2019s aspirations are limited by adversity, exclusion, or misunderstanding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This work is complex. It demands courage, patience, and an unwavering belief in young people. But it is work worth doing, and we remain fully committed to doing it well.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" What a start to the year it has been. My understanding of leadership has fundamentally changed. Stepping fully into my role as Founder and CEO, transitioning from senior leadership, has reinforced a simple but powerful truth: life is neither binary nor linear. We will all face varying degrees of challenge and adversity. What matters most […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":217,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[16,14,15,23,19,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1750","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-department-for-education","category-high-suspension-rates","category-permanent-exclusion","category-send-inclusion","category-suspension-rates","category-uncategorised"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n