Isabelle Finn-Kelcey
@isabellefk.bsky.social
MEd MRes Interested in narratives of neurodiversity, inclusive education, double empathy, EOTAS, neuroqueering. She/her.
Thanks for sharing your insights Sandy, and for the concept of C21st sapience. I think this work perhaps chimes with Reay (2020) on overly-pragmatic framings of education and also Biesta’s recent BERA blog critique of ‘implementation’-style approaches to ‘evidence-based’ teaching.
November 15, 2025 at 9:41 AM
Thanks for sharing your insights Sandy, and for the concept of C21st sapience. I think this work perhaps chimes with Reay (2020) on overly-pragmatic framings of education and also Biesta’s recent BERA blog critique of ‘implementation’-style approaches to ‘evidence-based’ teaching.
It must have been. Important work, however. All credit to you and to David Scott - and to UCL for confronting the past.
November 15, 2025 at 6:24 AM
It must have been. Important work, however. All credit to you and to David Scott - and to UCL for confronting the past.
Thanks! I will check out the rest of the book - the chapter on Galton’s & Burt’s legacy is super interesting.
November 14, 2025 at 9:01 AM
Thanks! I will check out the rest of the book - the chapter on Galton’s & Burt’s legacy is super interesting.
Hooray! What’s the paper?
November 14, 2025 at 8:43 AM
Hooray! What’s the paper?
Agreed. Enlightenment (eg critical consciousness) def on the table in schools as a Freirean goal imv. Does BS RP help or hinder? Imv some RP is OK, but only if a lot of whatever else you’re doing in the classroom is somewhat critically-oriented. Critiquing the BS with the CYP can work well.
November 14, 2025 at 4:57 AM
Agreed. Enlightenment (eg critical consciousness) def on the table in schools as a Freirean goal imv. Does BS RP help or hinder? Imv some RP is OK, but only if a lot of whatever else you’re doing in the classroom is somewhat critically-oriented. Critiquing the BS with the CYP can work well.
This will resonate with anyone raised on Douglas Adams’ Hitchhiker’s & Dirk Gently paradoxes re knowledge/knowing. Thanks for crunching Plato & Descartes re RP BS. (Btw - DA’s electric monk - genius!) ✨
November 13, 2025 at 8:20 AM
This will resonate with anyone raised on Douglas Adams’ Hitchhiker’s & Dirk Gently paradoxes re knowledge/knowing. Thanks for crunching Plato & Descartes re RP BS. (Btw - DA’s electric monk - genius!) ✨
Ooh - super interesting. Thanks for sharing.
November 13, 2025 at 8:01 AM
Ooh - super interesting. Thanks for sharing.
Absolutely! @grrand-team.bsky.social’s large-scale RE-STAR project addresses aspects of autistic/ADHD YP ongoing ‘adverse system experience’ in schools. Fab summary article here:
www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2025/ju...
www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2025/ju...
Neurodivergent adolescents experience twice the emotional burden at school
Negative school experiences generate twice the emotional burden in autistic and ADHD adolescents compared to their neurotypical classmates, and this is significantly correlated with depression and anx...
www.ucl.ac.uk
November 13, 2025 at 7:48 AM
Absolutely! @grrand-team.bsky.social’s large-scale RE-STAR project addresses aspects of autistic/ADHD YP ongoing ‘adverse system experience’ in schools. Fab summary article here:
www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2025/ju...
www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2025/ju...
Completely agree. The respectful & empathic emails re difficult issues that Jonathan describes do wonders, and are quite rare ime. This is hard emotional labour - possibly undervalued by eg interview panels for senior staff?
wonders.is
November 13, 2025 at 4:42 AM
Completely agree. The respectful & empathic emails re difficult issues that Jonathan describes do wonders, and are quite rare ime. This is hard emotional labour - possibly undervalued by eg interview panels for senior staff?
I guess it depends on your perspective. Ime parents/carers escalate things when their children are struggling. Schools can be a big factor in children’s struggles - esp for NDs.
November 12, 2025 at 1:56 PM
I guess it depends on your perspective. Ime parents/carers escalate things when their children are struggling. Schools can be a big factor in children’s struggles - esp for NDs.
Hi Oliver. How, as in how does our pressurising ed system lead to complaints?
November 12, 2025 at 1:00 PM
Hi Oliver. How, as in how does our pressurising ed system lead to complaints?
Your emails sound wonderful. Such important work.
November 12, 2025 at 10:56 AM
Your emails sound wonderful. Such important work.
If you read to the end you will see the link.
November 12, 2025 at 10:55 AM
If you read to the end you will see the link.
I agree. Prob even an AI-generated complaint ultimately adds to the family’s difficulties rather than resolves them - eg provokes a stressed, formal & therefore scary/escalatory response.
November 12, 2025 at 10:46 AM
I agree. Prob even an AI-generated complaint ultimately adds to the family’s difficulties rather than resolves them - eg provokes a stressed, formal & therefore scary/escalatory response.
I agree, but there are so many fams out there who struggle for many reasons - the loss of a jumper etc can feel like the proverbial straw that breaks the camel’s back. Parents/carers are expected to do a lot more school-related emotional & cog labour even than in the pre-Gove yrs - massive pressure
November 12, 2025 at 10:23 AM
I agree, but there are so many fams out there who struggle for many reasons - the loss of a jumper etc can feel like the proverbial straw that breaks the camel’s back. Parents/carers are expected to do a lot more school-related emotional & cog labour even than in the pre-Gove yrs - massive pressure
or old-school complaints as a cry for help - prob trauma-informed comms with fams a good way to go? Obvs lots of ind staff are great at this, but systems can be v poor indeed.
journals.plos.org/mentalhealth...
journals.plos.org/mentalhealth...
“Constantly overwhelmed and desperate for help”: Parents’ experiences of supporting their autistic child with mental health difficulties in the United Kingdom
Autistic children and young people are at increased risk of experiencing mental health difficulties, but often face delays or barriers to accessing support. While evidence exists regarding parents’ ex...
journals.plos.org
November 12, 2025 at 10:19 AM
or old-school complaints as a cry for help - prob trauma-informed comms with fams a good way to go? Obvs lots of ind staff are great at this, but systems can be v poor indeed.
journals.plos.org/mentalhealth...
journals.plos.org/mentalhealth...
P/C absolutely desperate for help/understanding. However, often when they try to intervene on their CYP’s behalf (eg by writing an old-school email), v little support materialises. CYP MH can decline v sharply. P/C either give up (eg due to own MH decline) or escalate. So I guess I would see AI
November 12, 2025 at 10:19 AM
P/C absolutely desperate for help/understanding. However, often when they try to intervene on their CYP’s behalf (eg by writing an old-school email), v little support materialises. CYP MH can decline v sharply. P/C either give up (eg due to own MH decline) or escalate. So I guess I would see AI
Hi Jonathan. Yes, I understand that Ben’s OP will prob be interpreted as ‘behaviour’-related whereas I see issues (incl behaviour) though a SEND lens. I think my point is that CYP have the right to an ed that meets needs, isn’t traumatic etc, but obvs many CYP do not receive this. This can make
November 12, 2025 at 10:19 AM
Hi Jonathan. Yes, I understand that Ben’s OP will prob be interpreted as ‘behaviour’-related whereas I see issues (incl behaviour) though a SEND lens. I think my point is that CYP have the right to an ed that meets needs, isn’t traumatic etc, but obvs many CYP do not receive this. This can make
Agreed. Also, mum can be off work with MH issues BECAUSE child’s SEND support needs aren’t met.
journals.plos.org/mentalhealth...
journals.plos.org/mentalhealth...
“Constantly overwhelmed and desperate for help”: Parents’ experiences of supporting their autistic child with mental health difficulties in the United Kingdom
Autistic children and young people are at increased risk of experiencing mental health difficulties, but often face delays or barriers to accessing support. While evidence exists regarding parents’ ex...
journals.plos.org
November 12, 2025 at 9:58 AM
Agreed. Also, mum can be off work with MH issues BECAUSE child’s SEND support needs aren’t met.
journals.plos.org/mentalhealth...
journals.plos.org/mentalhealth...