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When Coping Conceals Need: Leadership, Evidence and Sustainable Participation in Schools
When Coping Conceals Need: Leadership, Evidence and Sustainable Participation in Schools
July 2026  In schools, leaders are often required to make decisions using the evidence that is most readily available. Attainment data, behaviour records, attendance patterns, classroom observations and documented progress... Read more...
A practitioner guide to the Sustainability Model of Educational Participation
A practitioner guide to the Sustainability Model of Educational Participation
June 2026 As readers of Wheeler Education will know, I have recently published the Sustainability Model of Educational Participation in Frontiers in Education. The full open-access article, Sustaining participation in... Read more...
Sleep Difficulties in Children with Neurodevelopmental Differences
Sleep Difficulties in Children with Neurodevelopmental Differences
April 2026 Sleep as a Foundational Process in Neurodevelopment Sleep does not sit alongside development as a parallel process; it underpins it. It provides the neurological conditions necessary for regulation,... Read more...
Early Language Exposure and Development: Inequality, Interaction, and the Transformative Potential of the ShREC Approach
Early Language Exposure and Development: Inequality, Interaction, and the Transformative Potential of the ShREC Approach
March 2026  Language as the Organising System of Early Development Language in the early years does not simply develop alongside other domains; it actively organises them. It provides the structure... Read more...
Every Child Achieving and Thriving: What the New Schools White Paper Means in Practice
Every Child Achieving and Thriving: What the New Schools White Paper Means in Practice
February 2026  The publication of Every Child Achieving and Thriving sets out the government’s current vision for education in England, placing strong emphasis on both raising standards and strengthening inclusion.... Read more...
“He’s fine in school.”
“He’s fine in school.”
There are certain phrases that sound reassuring on the surface but leave a quiet sense of unease once you sit with them for a moment. “He’s fine in school” is... Read more...
SENDCos and SLT: is it really that simple?
SENDCos and SLT: is it really that simple?
SENDCos and SLT: is it really that simple? There is a familiar conversation that surfaces repeatedly in discussions about inclusion and SEND leadership. SENDCos, it is argued, should sit on... Read more...
The Power of Assessment in Understanding Specific Learning Difficulties
The Power of Assessment in Understanding Specific Learning Difficulties
Specific learning difficulties are often spoken about as if they are singular, fixed conditions. In reality, they are rarely experienced in a uniform way. Two pupils may both sit under... Read more...
Inclusion, Representation and the Stories We Tell
Inclusion, Representation and the Stories We Tell
In recent weeks, there has been renewed discussion about inclusion and representation in mainstream culture, prompted by coverage in The Guardian of Mattel launching its first autistic Barbie. While much... Read more...
The Cost of Masking in School-Aged Children
The Cost of Masking in School-Aged Children
There are children who move through school almost invisibly. They do not draw attention to themselves. They are rarely disruptive, often conscientious, and consistently described as coping. In meetings, their... Read more...
When Everyday Demands Feel Like Too Much: Understanding and Supporting Demand Avoidant Children
When Everyday Demands Feel Like Too Much: Understanding and Supporting Demand Avoidant Children
Sometimes it is not the biggest moments that unravel a child, but the smallest. A request to put on shoes. A transition away from something that feels safe. A question... Read more...
When Christmas Is Too Much: Supporting Autistic Children Through the Festive Season
When Christmas Is Too Much: Supporting Autistic Children Through the Festive Season
Christmas is often presented as a season of magic, warmth and connection. Homes are filled with lights and decorations, routines loosen, and families gather with the expectation of joy and... Read more...
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