School Refusal, School-Based Trauma And The Rise Of Emotionally Distressed Children
Almost weekly now, we speak to parents who are quietly carrying an enormous weight. Often the conversations begin the same way. A parent lowers their voice slightly and says something like: “I don’t really know who to talk to about this.” Or: “I feel like everyone else’s children are coping except mine.” Sometimes there are…
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The Problem With Overscheduled Childhood
There was a time when childhood happened largely beyond the reach of adult management. Children disappeared after breakfast on bicycles or into woods, fields and half-forgotten corners of neighbourhoods. They built dens, climbed trees, argued, made up games, got muddy, got bored and eventually wandered home hungry. Much of childhood existed in spaces adults neither…
Keeping Children Safe While Whittling at Home
Whittling at Ambleford: more than the finished object At Ambleford, whittling is a firm favourite. Children arrive brimming with ideas: knives, spears, bows and arrows, walking sticks, tent pegs, little figures, bits of “useful” woodland kit. We support all of that creativity, but what consistently surprises parents is this: more often than not, it isn’t…
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The Silent Crisis in Childhood: No One Knows How to Be Bored Anymore
Modern childhood is filled with stimulation. Screens, organised activities, toys that “do” the imagining for them, and the constant pressure to be entertained — all of it adds up to a lifestyle where many children rarely experience true downtime. Yet developmental science is increasingly clear: boredom is not only healthy for children, it’s essential. Boredom…
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The 5 Skills Children Will Need in an AI Future (and 5 they wont)— And Why Traditional Schooling Isn’t Preparing Them
The world of work is transforming faster than at any time in the last century. Over the next five years, advances in artificial intelligence will automate many of the routine tasks that have quietly propped up whole industries. Data entry, form processing, basic customer service, software development, early-stage legal drafting, and even content creation are…
It’s Just a Game… Or Is It? Why Children Not Knowing Conkers Should Make Us Pause for Thought
The other day, I brought out a basket of freshly fallen conkers at our weekly class of home educated kids, thinking we might enjoy a round or two of the game I grew up with. I expected instant recognition—excitement, even. But what I got were curious looks and genuine questions: “What are these for?” “What’s…
Should children be ready for school or schools ready for children?
Are Children Less Ready for School — Or Are Expectations Too High? In recent years, there has been growing concern among teachers, parents, and policymakers that many children are starting school without the skills they need to succeed. Reports and headlines often highlight worrying statistics — from children struggling with speech and language delays to…
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Could Your Child’s Behaviour Be Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA)? A Guide for Parents and Educators
In recent years, growing awareness around Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) has begun to challenge mainstream assumptions about autism, behaviour, and education. As a specialist tutor of children who present with PDA profiles, I see time and again how traditional models of schooling – with their emphasis on routine, compliance, and externally imposed structure – inadvertently…
Outdoor Schooling: just playtime or a necessity?
Why Outdoor Schooling Offers a Rigorous Yet Child-Centred Alternative to Traditional Education In recent years, outdoor schooling has grown in popularity as parents and educators search for alternatives to traditional classroom-based education. Often mistakenly perceived as less academically rigorous, outdoor schooling is proving to be not only equally challenging but also better aligned with children’s…
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AirTags and Child Trackers: Safety Net or Symptom of Fear?
In an age where technology offers us instant connection and location tracking, many parents are turning to devices like Apple’s AirTags or GPS watches to keep tabs on their children. Marketed as tools to provide peace of mind and protect children from harm, these gadgets are becoming increasingly common in backpacks and coat pockets. But…
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Do the Year 6 SATs still have a purpose in 2025?
As we come to the end of the week where thousands of 10 and 11-year-olds across England sit down to complete their Year 6 SATs it is time to think carefully about why this milestone in learning happens and whether it is still relevant. These national assessments in reading, grammar, punctuation, spelling, and maths aim…
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A Parent’s Guide to Helping Your Child with Anxiety
If your child shows signs of anxiety, you are not alone. In my work with hundreds of children each year through outdoor learning and forest school sessions at Ambleford, I’ve seen how common anxiety is among children of all ages. Sometimes it shows up quietly—in a child who clings to the edges of a group…
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If Traditional School Isn’t Working for Your Family, You’re Not Alone!
In a world where mainstream education often feels increasingly rigid, overstretched, and impersonal, many families are searching for something different—something that allows their children to thrive, not just survive. Flexi-schooling at Ambleford School could be the answer. Who is Flexi-Schooling For? Our flexi-school programme is designed for families who want a more meaningful, child-centred approach…
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Why Music in the Charts is Rubbish —And Why That Should Worry Us
Spend a few minutes listening to the music charts today, and you might notice something odd: where have all the bands gone? The guitar solos? The harmonies crafted in dusty rehearsal rooms? Increasingly, mainstream hits are written by teams, performed solo, and built on samples rather than instruments. This isn’t just nostalgia talking or the…
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Why I Let Children Play with Knives: The Importance of Taking Calculated Risks In A Child’s Development.
It might seem controversial at first glance, but yes – I let children as young as five use knives at our outdoor education sessions at Ambleford. Before you raise an eyebrow or two, let me explain why this practice is not only safe but crucial to children’s development. At Ambleford, we understand deeply the importance…
Your Child is Likely a Genius, but NASA Study Suggest Traditional Schooling Will Make Them Mediocre.
In the late 1960s, Dr. George Land, in collaboration with NASA, conducted a groundbreaking study to measure creativity among children. Initially developed to identify innovative engineers for NASA, the study tested 1,600 children aged 3 to 5 and revealed that an astounding 98% of them qualified as creative geniuses. However, this percentage dramatically declined as…
Are Fortnite and YouTube Damaging a Generation of Kids?
It’s a question that keeps coming up – are Fortnite and YouTube harming children’s development, or are they just harmless entertainment? As parents and educators, we often assume that these platforms are simply part of modern life, but we need to ask ourselves: what happens when kids have unrestricted access to digital worlds designed to…
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From Desk-Bound to Dirt-Driven: 5 Steps to a More Meaningful Life Outside the Office
I’m writing this article with the hope that it will inspire others to make the changes they’ve been longing for in their own lives. My intent isn’t to glorify my journey or claim that I’ve figured everything out – far from it. My life continues to be full of challenges. However, I can say that…
Our Forest School Short Promo Video
We are please to announce that our first promotional video in now live. Check it out! https://youtu.be/B7wUvsAUPEQ