Dr Kathy Weston

Dr Weston delivers a Christmas message focusing on emotional literacy, oracy and zones of regulation.  Music by SoundGalleryByDmitryTaras from Pixabay.

In this podcast, Dr Weston talks with Dr Susie Bower-Brown about the experiences of binary-trans, non-binary and gender questioning young people in UK schools. Her research uncovers various ways in which teens who identify in this way often feel invisible or discriminated against. Listen for her thoughts on how schools can best support these young people and improve their mental health outcomes.

In this interview, Dr Weston talks to Professor James O'Higgins Norman about bullying. Professor O'Higgins Norman is the UNESCO Chair on Tackling Bullying in Schools and Cyberspace at Dublin City University, where he is Director of the fantastic National Anti-Bullying Research and Resource Centre. We chat about what bullying looks like in 2022, how schools can best tackle it and the importance of reducing bystander behaviours. Professor O'Higgins Norman also lets us know about some innovative games and websites that can be used by parents, teachers and young people. A must listen for both parents and anyone who works in a school.

Professor Brackett outlines how, far from being a weakness, emotions - and our ability to feel, understand, and use them - are vital to achieving success. He describes his effective, evidence-based approach to emotional intelligence, known as RULER, which is used in thousands of schools worldwide.

In this interview, Dr Weston chats with Ella Podmore about her role as senior materials engineer at McLaren Automotive. Ella answers questions from children and young people, talking inspiringly about setting goals and how to work towards achieving them. Passionate about inspiring other girls into STEM industries, Ella also highlights some campaigns and organisations working in this field.

In this interview, Dr Weston talks with PhD student, Caoimhe Dempsey about her research into how parents feel when their children first start school. We know a lot about how to make children 'school-ready' in terms of their learning, but what about how parental attitudes and emotions impact their transition? Do parents tend to feel positively about school starting? How does it impact on their life? Tune in to find out!

In this interview, Dr Weston chats to England and Saracens rugby player, Sonia Green, otherwise known as Sonic. They discuss how to encourage sporting participation, how to balance academic pressures with sporting aspirations and the best way to deal with inevitable injuries. A must listen for all parents of young athletes and their children.

In this interview, Professor Mina Fazel talks to Dr Weston about supporting displaced children once they are in a place of refuge. Listen now to find out about the crucial importance of a sense of belonging and how the outcomes of these children are dramatically improved if they are able to form natural social connections. Teachers and school staff can learn some top tips on supporting the mental health of refugee (and in fact all) children in the classroom. Professor Fazel also points us in the direction of some helpful further resources. 

Researcher of the month, Professor David Putwain, discusses his recent paper which focuses on whether warning GCSE students of the consequences of failure (otherwise known as a 'fear appeal') is a motivating strategy in terms of their levels of engagement and achievement. He outlines the reasons why teachers use fear appeals, how this kind of approach can have very different outcomes depending on the way that individual students evaluate the message, and what this means for classroom practice. He also provides us with some great tips and tools that teachers can use to take a temperature check of their students' levels of test anxiety.

In this podcast interview, Dr Weston talks with Professor Deirdre Butler and Dr Paula Lehane about how Minecraft: Education Edition is being used in classrooms. They discuss the great potential of so called 'sandbox' games in children's learning, outline current gaps in the research evidence and provide useful tips for any teachers wanting to make the most of game-based learning.

Researcher of the Month, Dr Éadaoin Slattery, discusses her recent paper, which systematically reviews the evidence around popular sustained attention training interventions, which are widely used in schools. She talks us through what sustained attention is, why it is important and whether or not widely used interventions are likely to have a significant impact. We've probably all heard of brain training, but here Dr Slattery also talks us through some other kinds of interventions, which potentially show more promise.

In this interview, Dr Weston talks with Justin Bowen about his own family's experience of loss and what prompted him to write support books for parents, schools and children experiencing bereavement. They discuss how schools can best support children who have lost a loved one (and how settings can access Justin's fantastic and practical book, 'Be The Rainbow') and dwell on Justin's personal insights into things that helped him and his family manage through this deeply challenging time. Justin's story is an inspiring and empowering message of hope and optimism, and will help schools to see what an important role they can play in helping to heal children who have experienced the death of someone close to them.

In this interview aimed at school staff, educational consultant Victoria Franklin talks with Dr Weston about key messages from new Government Guidance on school attendance, which is being implemented as of the beginning of September 2022.

Our Researcher of the Month, Tom King, discusses his recent paper which reviews the evidence for peer-led mental health and wellbeing interventions, widely used in schools worldwide. He talks us through why they are so appealing to schools and outlines the potential benefits and risks. 

In this podcast, Dr Weston talks with Bennie Kara, deputy headteacher, author and speaker on diversity in the curriculum and school environment. Bennie shares her wealth of expertise on how schools can build an inclusive school culture, talks about the importance of language and outlines some key terminology that all educators and parents should be aware of.

In this podcast, Dr Weston talks with Dr Nikita Hayden about the experiences of young people who have siblings with intellectual or developmental disabilities. Research into the outcomes of these children is extremely mixed. Dr Hayden unpacks the complexities of this, highlighting more complex family factors that also impact on young people's outcomes. She asserts the need to target support to those young people who actually need it and discusses meaningful things that schools and families can do to help support siblings and foster good sibling relationships.

Our researcher of the month, Dr Larisa McLoughlin, talks to Dr Weston about her recent paper which examines whether or not social connectedness is a protective factor against cyberbullying's negative impact on mental health and wellbeing. They chat about what social connectedness really is, the best ways to approach conversations about cyberbullying with your children and how schools can support strong social bonds.

In this podcast, Dr Weston is joined by research scientist, Dr Natalie Brown, to discuss the importance of menstrual cycle education and its current delivery in UK schools. They discuss the everyday effects of the menstrual cycle, including its impact on school attendance, social confidence and participation in sport and physical activity, and explore the general lack of understanding around many of the issues associated with it. Dr Brown outlines the findings of a new study examining teachers' perceptions of menstrual cycle education, chats about the perceived barriers to delivering it and lets us know what her and her team intend to do to help things improve!

Our researcher of the month, Mishika Mehrotra, talks to Dr Weston about the importance of mealtime conversation between parent and child. Join us to learn more about the why mealtimes are so important, what Mishika will be investigating and how to encourage children to open up during family chat around the table. Mishika is currently pursuing a PhD at the University of Cambridge as a Gates Cambridge Scholar, and is definitely a researcher to watch out for in the future!

In this podcast, Dr Weston is joined by Laura Barrett, author of a powerful and moving new book which chronicles her experiences when, shortly after birth, her third son was diagnosed with the life-limiting genetic condition, cystic fibrosis. It is a powerful and inspiring read, imparting a strong message of hope for any parent going through a similar situation. In this interview, published to coincide with Cystic Fibrosis Week (13th-19th June), Laura describes her coping mechanisms, gives us some insight into raising a child who has cystic fibrosis (her baby has grown into a fun-loving, sport mad young boy, raring to start school in September) and provides some general advice on coping with diagnoses and long hospital stays, regardless of the specific condition.