Flourishing is everywhere in education right now, but what does it actually mean? Adam Kohlbeck talks to Andy Wolfe, founder of the new Initiative for Flourishing (IF), about wellbeing versus "well-doing", why flourishing is not the same as happiness, and how a bigger vision can help trusts and schools solve their most persistent problems. "Flourishing" has become one of the most talked-about words in education. In this episode Adam sits down with Andy Wolfe to ask what it really means and what it doesn't. Andy traces the idea back to Aristotle's eudaimonia and sets out five domains of flourishing: purpose, relationships, learning, resources and wellbeing. He draws on Professor Matt Lee's description of flourishing as the move from wellbeing to well-doing, something seen in our actions and relationships rather than in how we feel on a given day. He argues that flourishing often grows most in the hardest times, which is why it should never be treated as a stand-in for happiness. The conversation then turns to organisations. Andy explains why a school's vision only matters if people actually live it, and suggests a revealing test: ask what a teacher's partner says about the school on a Friday night. He also introduces IF, the Initiative for Flourishing, launched this autumn to help leaders use a vision for flourishing to tackle persistent challenges such as attendance, curriculum design and employability. Key takeaways Flourishing is active. It shows in what people do, not only in how they feel.It is not a proxy for happiness, and often grows through challenge.Resilience is better seen as a by-product of flourishing than as a goal in itself.A school's vision is tested by people's lived experience, not by what's on the wall or the website."Where there are few flourishing adults, there'll be few flourishing children." Timestamps 00:00 Welcome and introduction01:50 Andy's journey from professional musician to education leader04:21 What does human flourishing mean? Aristotle, eudaimonia and the five domains05:31 From wellbeing to well-doing07:32 Why flourishing is not a proxy for happiness09:55 Resilience, mistakes and learning through challenge12:22 Can organisations flourish? Accountability, metrics and purpose15:37 Vision, ethos and the "teacher's partner" test19:02 Educating the whole person: we measure what we value20:54 Introducing IF, the Initiative for Flourishing24:09 IF in practice: attendance and the OECD flourishing framework28:31 How trusts can get involved, and why flourishing adults matter30:30 Close About our guestAndy Wolfe started out as a professional musician before teaching music production and performance at a large FE college in Nottingham. He went on to be head of music and then vice principal at a Church of England school in Nottingham, and spent around ten years with the Church of England's national education team, most recently as interim chief executive of the National Society. In autumn 2026 he founded IF, the Initiative for Flourishing. He lives in Nottingham and still plays jazz piano whenever he can. Mentioned in this episode Aristotle's concept of eudaimoniaAndy's book on flourishing, co-authored with Lynn SwanerProfessor Matt Lee (Baylor University and the Harvard Human Flourishing Program)The OECD's framework for human flourishingMichael Young on powerful knowledge Get involved with IF: Connect with Andy on social media: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andy-wolfe-484569167/ This podcast is part of the Education Leaders Podcast Network. For more information, see educationleaders.co/network. Original music by Caffeinated Studios
