Becky Dawson talks with Dr. Sue Roffey, a leading authority on pastoral care, author, and director of Growing Great Schools Worldwide, about the essential connection between well-being and achievement in education. The discussion centres on Dr. Roffey's book, Aspire to Well-being and Learning for All, and the six ASPIRE principles: Agency, Safety, Positivity, Inclusion, Respect, and Equity, which she argues must be central to the work of educators. The episode explores the compelling idea that well-being underpins not only mental health but also engagement with learning. Dr. Roffey highlights that education is not just about cognitive development, but also the social, emotional, and self-development of every individual, emphasizing that there is no dichotomy between well-being and learning. Drawing on decades of positive psychology and well-being research , she introduces the ASPIRE principles as crucial for creating schools that are "child ready" rather than demanding children be "school ready". The conversation delves into practical examples from schools that are successfully embedding these six principles, achieving great outcomes by changing how they do things, which includes boosting staff wellbeing. Dr. Roffey also discusses the importance of parent-carer voice and the power of focusing on positive relationships and intrinsic motivation to combat the "loss of love of learning" Takeaways Implement the ASPIRE Principles: Understand and embed the six principles—Agency, Safety, Positivity, Inclusion, Respect, and Equity—as the foundation for improved learning outcomes and mental health.Prioritize Staff Wellbeing: Recognize that looking after teacher wellbeing is critical; it prevents stress-driven reactions and creates a supportive environment, as evidenced by schools offering flexible planning time and professional development.Shift from Extrinsic to Intrinsic Motivation: Cultivate a love of learning by making the curriculum relevant, meaningful, and fun, fostering curiosity, mastery, and a sense of meaning and purpose over mere external rewards.Reframe Behaviour Management: Utilize clear expectations and routines delivered with kindness and respect (reminders, not reprimands) to foster positive relationships and a culture of accountability.Empower Student Agency: View children as contributors with their own experiences and strengths, inviting their involvement in discussions, reviews, and goal-setting for learning and well-being.Engage Parent-Carers as Partners: Approach parents/carers by seeking their advice, understanding their context, and starting conversations with a positive observation about the child, fostering a non-adversarial working relationship Sharing is Caring Dr. Sue Roffey recommends her book, Creating the World We Want to Live In , which encourages a shift in focus from "me" to "we" and a commitment to longer-term thinking over short-term convenience, applying these concepts across education and society. Chapters 00:00 - Introduction: The essential link between well-being, engagement, and achievement. 01:37 - Aspire: The Six Principles: Introducing the ASPIRE framework (Agency, Safety, Positivity, Inclusion, Respect, Equity). 02:49 - Education's True Purpose: Defining education as developing the whole individual and shaping the world we want to live in. 03:49 - ASPIRE's Research Foundation: Principles rooted in Positive Psychology, well-being, healthy child development, and relationships. 05:45 - Schools Being Child Ready: The importance of schools creating an environment where children and young people can thrive. 06:58 - Loss of Love of Learning: The impact of this loss on curiosity and teacher retention. 08:49 - Agency in Practice: Examples of student agency and involvement in their own learning and reviews. 11:55 - Outcomes and High Expectations: The evidence that a well-being focus achieves, or even surpasses, national outcomes. 14:12 - Safety and Mistakes: Creating a classroom culture where mistakes are seen as a pathway to learning. 14:43 - Quality of Relationships: The critical importance of positive relationships modeled by staff for life-long well-being. 19:13 - The Power of Practice: The value of researching schools successfully implementing this integrated approach. 21:06 - Staff Wellbeing and Stress: The necessity of supporting staff to prevent stress-driven reactions and maintain high standards. 23:29 - Secondary School Implementation: Using frameworks like Circle Solutions for social-emotional learning and tackling issues like social media and misogyny. 26:55 - Growing Good Men: The need for respect to be modelled constantly throughout a young person's educational journey. 28:59 - First Steps for School Leaders: Practical advice on starting with teacher wellbeing and using the ASPIRE Culture Cards. 34:25 - Cultural Change and Retention: The long-term gains of prioritizing staff support and retaining talent. 35:25 - Behaviour Management without Punishments: Using a 'thinking room' for reflection, not punishment. 37:18 - Learning to Be and Live Together: UNESCO's four pillars of learning and the need to prioritize relationships education.
