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Adding Up the Actual Maths (Not the Magical £20 Maths) Fliss Falconer | 10 January 2026 This January has been a quiet financial wake‑up call — not a crisis, not a drama, just a very practical, “Fliss, you need to actually add up what you’re spending” moment. I started the month with a prediction of what my income and outgoings would look like. I thought I had a decent sense of where the money would go. But when I sat down and tracked every single thing I paid for, the picture

Exams often bring a wave of stress and anxiety that can affect students’ focus, motivation, and overall well-being. When pressure mounts, it becomes harder to think clearly and perform at one’s best. Mindfulness offers practical ways to manage these feelings and maintain balance during exam periods. This post explores effective mindfulness strategies students can use to support their mental health and improve exam performance. Understanding Mindfulness and Its Benefits for St

Exams can feel like a mountain looming over us, especially when it comes to GCSEs. The pressure to perform well, the endless revision, and the ticking clock can all pile up, making it hard to breathe sometimes. I’ve been there, and I know how overwhelming it can get. But here’s the thing - managing exam stress isn’t about eliminating it completely. It’s about learning how to handle it so it doesn’t handle you. Let’s explore some practical, down-to-earth stress management stra

When I first started revising for my GCSE English Literature exams, I felt like I was staring at a mountain of words, themes, and characters that refused to settle into my brain. Sound familiar? It’s a common feeling, but the good news is that with the right approach, you can turn that mountain into a series of manageable hills. Let’s explore some effective literature revision strategies that can help you not just survive but truly excel in your studies. Understanding the Te

02 January 2026 | Fliss Falconer What a Couple of Days’ Work Can Build There’s a moment every teacher recognises — that quiet, private spark when you think, If only I had the time… if only I had the tools… I could build something incredible for my students. For years, those ideas lived in notebooks, late‑night voice notes, and conversations in car parks after work. Teachers carry whole worlds of possibility in their heads: differentiated pathways, visual supports, sensory‑fri

26 December 2025 | Fliss Falconer How are you going to hand over your admin to AI in 2026? “Recording in progress…” There’s something magical about a good summary. One of the strange gifts of technology is the way it can make teaching look far more structured than it feels. A neat recap of a lesson can make me sound like the most organised, informed, degree‑holding, ten‑years‑experienced teacher in the room. It reads as though every step was carefully planned, every outcome a

If the path is going to be clearer, then we've got to point out all the markers 13 December 2025 Fliss Falconer This week, we have been busy presenting at the Attendance Network Meetings . It was a great chance to catch up with the local primary, secondary and special schools’ Attendance Champions and Officers. Some of them I have closely worked with for nearly three years, and it feels more like catching up with colleagues than acquaintances or clients. For the first time si

Supporting Families Through the Rhythm of Study 07 December 2025 Fliss Falconer A Sunday Startle This morning, Murph — the beautiful chocolate Labrador who once (twice?) broke into our house — was roaming the road again. I rubbed him down, fed him treats, and waited for his new owner. Murph inspired us to welcome Charlie into our family, and he reminded me how much unexpected encounters can unlock joy and connection. It’s the same with learning: sometimes the breakthrough co

Finding balance, freedom, and joy beyond the classroom 29 November 2025 Fliss Falconer If you’ve known me for more than five minutes, you’ll know how much I love new things. A new idea, a new venture, even a new dog-walking route… if it’s bright and shiny, I’m all for it. But after a while, the sparkle can fade. What once felt exciting starts to feel samey-samey, and I have to remind myself to look again, to rediscover the joy that first caught my attention. The exceptions, o

Tree up, lights on and music blaring - so much for which we give thanks 22 November 2025 Fliss Falconer This week took an unexpected turn when my 9‑year‑old ended up with a hockey stick to the eye. It was a complete accident, and I equally feel for the gorgeous best mate on the other end of the stick. Poor lads! Cue a Wednesday night dash to A&E as a precaution, and the relief of having people around us who came to our aid straight away. Last night brought more drama: I didn’

Sometimes, the best thing to do is to close the laptop lid 16 November 2025 Fliss Falconer Last weekend’s AI Summit left me buzzing with ideas. I came away inspired by the possibilities of agents, automation, and the chance to scale education in ways that could reach far beyond my immediate circle. It didn’t matter that I wasn’t able to take on the full package that was creative and compelling. It may have led me to making billions as I strode forward with the AI movement ahe

I walk the dog, sip my tea, and let my AI assistant do the heavy lifting. 08 November 2025 Fliss Falconer This morning, I put AI to work and set up a new website for my upcoming venture. Gave it some heavy lifting. Let it get on with the tasks. Then, I made breakfast. The boys and I walked Charlie through the misty fields, marvelling at the sunrise and planning a lovely weekend together. Back for tea, homework, blogging. Cuddles. No rushing. Peace. My assistant got to work in

From Circus to Stadium: A Reflective Relay on Vision, Hubris, and Being Prepared 06 November 2025 Fliss Falconer There was a time when my life as a teacher felt like a circus act: spinning plates, juggling deadlines, and firefighting whatever crisis appeared in front of me. The horizon rarely stretched beyond the next lesson, the next set of books to mark, the next parent evening. Vision was a luxury; survival was the skill. Now, here I am, four weeks ahead of an essay deadli

The Joys (and Leaks) of AI Assistance 12 October 2025 Fliss Falconer The Joys (and Leaks) of AI Assistance I joke that Microsoft should pay me commission for every Copilot recommendation I make but beneath the humour lies a deeper truth: AI has become my creative co-pilot, my logistical lifesaver, and occasionally, my soggy tent enabler. It makes lists. It builds ideas. It takes first attempts and polishes them up. It takes final drafts and aligns them with marking criteria.

Resilience in Motion: How Our Experience Equips Us to Support Others 05 October 2025 Fliss Falconer ‘Ch- ch- ch- changes...’ I’ve never coped well with change. The irony isn’t lost on me: my craving for novelty and variety clashes with my discomfort when change is imposed. The internal tug-of-war between initiating change and having it thrust upon me is exhausting. At 38, on my level 7 apprenticeship course, I was sitting in a classroom, waiting for a professor to arrive. I k

Slaying the Minotaur: Reclaiming the Weekend and spending time in the Elysian Fields 20 September 2025 Fliss Falconer The Power of 'Atomic Habits' I am late to the game, as James Clear's book Atomic Habits was published in 2018, and since then, it has been nominated for awards - the Goodreads Choice Awards in 2018 - and been on the New York Times Bestseller List for over 160 weeks. Despite not winning awards, it is described as a 'quiet revolution', changing habits and is th

The Weight of What Cannot be Captured 13 September 2025 Fliss Falconer Come on AI – show us what you can really do Last night, I was challenged with adapting a poster without the original version to work with. I was layering graphics and modifying them, astounded by the 'move' and 'erase' features of my phone. It did take my phone, tablet and computer to make it work though. My own shortcomings, rather than the technology, made me feel as though the final product was 'gaffa t

On circular learning, digital companionship, and the courage to keep connecting 06 September 2025 Fliss Falconer 🌀 The Spiral and the Constellation Learning is usually a circular rather than a linear process. Or at least, that's what it seems to be for me. When learning a skill, returning to check what you have understood is a fundamental part of the process: in studying English and theatre, I've learned to and then taught how to dig more deeply into texts to get a wider und

If September is for fresh starts, why not for your CV? 30 August 2025 Fliss Falconer In our house, the new year doesn’t begin in January — it begins in September. Like so many families connected to education, our calendar is set to the school year: new classrooms, new teachers, new routines. This September feels especially significant, as my youngest starts Reception. It’s a vastly different experience from when my eldest began school in the middle of the pandemic, with homes

A Tech-Lover’s Guide to Surviving Paper, Sharpies, and Emotional Honesty 23 August 2025 Fliss Falconer I'm now the other side of three days' mandatory training. Day 2 was particularly brutal - I succumbed to tiredness and emotional upheaval and 'passed' on a contribution to a group chat, stuck whether I would cause more of a scene to get up and leave or to sit still and hope that everyone would ignore my brimming eyes. However, the whole process was made more... (chooses adje