“My child would never do that!” — now what?

A parent says: “My child would never do that.” You know the evidence is there. But you also know saying “You’re wrong” won’t help. One of the biggest shifts in parent conversations is moving from opinion to evidence. But they don’t always believe you. In this week’s email I share: • why “evidence anchors” matter • how to respond when perceptions differ • a powerful question to ask when parents reject the evidence you’re sharing

A practical way to stop emotionally charged emails hijacking leadership

Have you had that moment when you open your inbox and amongst the sea of emails there’s one name that might as well be in neon lights? And not for good reasons. I think every head I speak to has a few parent emails that emotionally infiltrate the day before they’ve even been opened. So in my latest blog I share: two practical email rules heads are using and how to stop emotionally charged emails driving your response Tiny tweaks. Huge difference.

When a parent sends a 50-page email… do this first

A very long parent email can take up emotional energy before you’ve even replied. Here is a coaching technique that can completely change how you respond.

How to shape parent culture early — without adding more work

Welcome back! It’s a new school year and that always brings energy with it. New classes.New relationships.New opportunities to strengthen what already works well. And whilst September is undeniably busy, I think most school leaders also enjoy this time of year. There’s momentum.Fresh starts.The chance to build culture intentionally from day one. And that September […]

Difficult Parents. This isn’t about blame. It’s about clarity.

The first two weeks of September shape far more of the parent culture than we realise. Not through policy. Through lived experience. If parent issues felt heavy at times this year, this might help you head into September differently.

The parent who keeps coming back — and how to stop the cycle

Every headteacher knows that parent. The one who keeps coming back. Again. And again. You do your best to help, but it never feels resolved. You might even feel your stomach sink when you see them approaching. In this week’s short video, I share a simple framework that keeps you in control.

One quick calculation that calms parent overwhelm

Looking back over this half-term, you might feel like you’ve been dealing with one parent issue after another. It can feel like every parent has a problem. Or that too many parents are frustrated with what the school is doing.

How to make parent wins work for the whole team

Some parent conversations are hard work. Some are draining. And some… are wins. Here’s a simple leadership habit: Make space to share “What worked.”

A small shift can make your Home-School Agreement a game-changer.

Your Home-School Agreement is one of the most under-used tools for managing parental relationships. Most of the time, it goes like this: A child joins the school, parents are given a copy, they sign it… and it disappears into a folder. Rarely looked at. Rarely remembered. Which is a shame — because if it’s done well, it can head off many of the parental issues you’re facing.

The quick & quiet way to stop parent issues snowballing

Some issues become niggles that drag on. You know the ones I mean: A parent is unhappy about a decision — their daughter should have been picked for the team. A parent insists their son would never behave that way — maybe not at home, but he does at school. A carer says their child is being picked on and the perpetrator must be moved to another class. Now!

Category: Parent communication

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