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Welcome To My Blog
How to Talk About Exam Results, Whatever the Outcome
Most parents think they need a completely different conversation for a good result than a disappointing one.
In my experience, that's not quite true. A brilliant result still deserves a real conversation, not just relief and a dinner out. And a disappointing one rarely needs the speech that's been rehearsed in the car on the way to collect it.
Read the article to find out what a good results conversation actually looks like, whatever the outcome.
Waiting for Exam Results: What to Do With the Days Before Results Day
Waiting for exam results can be harder on a young person than the exams themselves. There's no action available during that stretch, no way to influence the outcome, and for many young people that uncertainty shows up as irritability, disrupted sleep, and difficulty focusing rather than obvious worry.
Our latest blog piece looks at why the wait feels this way, what it can look like for neurodivergent teenagers in particular, and what actually helps.
Why Your Child Might Seem Different at Home After Boarding School
Every summer, we hear a version of the same concern from parents: "my child seems different since they've been home."
It's a pattern worth understanding rather than worrying about. In our latest article, we explore the psychology of reverse culture shock in young people returning from boarding school, including the increase in risk-taking behaviour some parents notice, the friction between siblings adjusting to shared space again, and what actually helps in those first few we
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Each week I explain how I use these strategies to develop a more positive mindset, create closer more authentic relationships, and overcome the many challenges life throws at us with compassion and grace - or at the very least with empathy and humour!
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Boarding Staff Wellbeing: Why Capability Matters as Much as Care
We hear a lot about supporting boarding staff through better rotas and protected time off. Both matter. But they miss something important: whether staff have actually been given the skills for the emotionally demanding work they do every evening. Our new article looks at why boarding staff wellbeing depends as much on capability as on rest, why supervision belongs in boarding the way it already does in clinical professions, and what schools across the UK and Europe are starti
Tamara@KeystoneCoaching
6 min read
Leadership Coaching and Supervision for Independent School Leaders: Holding Steady When the Sector Is Not
School leaders are under unprecedented pressure in 2026. Discover how leadership coaching and supervision help independent school heads lead sustainably — and why the government has just made it the professional standard.
Tamara@KeystoneCoaching
7 min read
What Exam Stress Really Does to Your Child: The Long-Term Wellbeing Risk Parents Need to Know About
New research confirms that exam stress at 15 is linked to depression and self-harm into adulthood. A positive psychology coach working with independent school families explains what to watch for — and what actually helps.
Tamara@KeystoneCoaching
7 min read
Why Forward-Thinking Independent Schools Are Adding a Positive Psychology Coach to Their Pastoral Provision
More independent schools are adding positive psychology coaches to their pastoral teams. Discover how in-school coaching complements therapy, impresses inspectors, and gives parents confidence — at no cost to the school.
Tamara@KeystoneCoaching
7 min read
Leadership Supervision in Schools: What the 2026 White Paper Means — and Why Independent Schools Shouldn't Wait
The government's 2026 Schools White Paper has put leadership supervision firmly on the agenda for headteachers. Here's what it means — and why independent schools shouldn't wait for state funding to act.
Tamara@KeystoneCoaching
6 min read
Leadership Under Pressure: Why This Time of Year Is So Hard— and How Leadership Coaching Helps
If you are a leader — in an independent school, a professional services firm, or any organisation where high performance is the baseline expectation — the spring term has a specific quality to it. The optimism of January has worn off. Deadlines are stacking up. The calendar is full. And somewhere beneath the surface of your professional competence is a quiet, persistent question: How long can I keep this up? For leaders in independent education especially, this time of year c
Tamara@KeystoneCoaching
5 min read
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