for parents

Here I post a variety of information, advice and other material for parents. You can reorder the table to aid your search by clicking any of the headings.

  • Seven Things Every Parent Should Know About Teachers and Their Children’s Learning

    As a teacher, parent, and author of The Mindful English Teacher, I have seen first-hand how much pressure modern education places on families, and how little space there often is for listening, creativity, and emotional understanding. I created this podcast and companion blog to open up a more compassionate conversation between parents and teachers. Speaking with Yundie Fei, a brilliant former student of mine and now an educator working closely with Chinese families, helped me reflect on how deeply similar our experiences are across cultures. We both see the anxiety, the over-scheduling, and the miscommunication; and we both believe things can change. This is for any parent who has ever worried their child is “falling behind,” questioned a teacher’s methods, or wondered how best to support learning at home. I hope it brings reassurance, insight, and perhaps even a sense of relief: you are not alone, and there is a gentler, more mindful way forward.

  • What Kind of School Parent Are You?

    🦒🦊🐆 What kind of parent are you when it comes to your child’s education? I’ve spent decades working in education, as a teacher, author, and now as Dr Francis Gilbert, Head of Education at Goldsmiths, University of London. I’ve written two books for parents about navigating schools, Parent Power and Working the System, and while they’re over a decade old, revisiting them recently reminded me how little has changed. The system is still confusing. The stakes are still high. And parents are still left feeling overwhelmed by league tables, playground gossip, and hidden admissions rules. That’s why I’ve created this quiz. It’s short, fun—and surprisingly revealing. You’ll discover your instinctive parenting style when it comes to education. Are you a Giraffe? A Fox? A Wildebeest? Each result comes with advice you can actually use. 🎯 It’s more timely than ever—because your approach as a parent really does shape your child’s experience at school. 📥 Take the quiz and download the free printable version from my website. 👉 If you’re reading this on Instagram, you’ll need to paste the link into your browser to access the full article and quiz. #Parenting #SchoolAdmissions #EducationMatters #ParentPower #FrancisGilbert #Goldsmiths

  • Five Hidden Truths About Parenting Support , and How To Find Help That Actually Works

    I wrote this blog because so many parents still aren’t getting the support they need. As the author of Parent Power and Working the System, and a long-time advocate for families, I’ve seen just how powerful parenting support can be — when it’s done well. Too often, the help that really works is hidden behind jargon, red tape, or lack of publicity. And too many families are being offered programmes that aren’t backed by evidence. Inspired by Nesta’s 2025 report Parenting Support at Scale, I’ve written a practical, no-nonsense blog to help parents navigate what’s out there — and how to find what actually works. In the blog, I break down five key findings every parent should know, from the benefits of structured programmes like Triple P and Incredible Years to free online tools like Tiny Happy People. I’ve included links to trusted websites, tips on what to ask for, and suggestions for getting tailored support. Please share this with any parents or carers who might need a bit of guidance, or who don’t know where to start. #ParentingSupport #ParentPower #MindfulParenting #TripleP #IncredibleYears #Nesta #FamilyHelp #EarlyYears

  • Four Reasons Why VAT on Private School Fees Is a Good Idea

    On LBC with Matthew Wright, I explained why VAT on private school fees is a fair and vital policy. It ends an unjust tax break, redirects funding to state schools, and encourages social integration. As a teacher, parent, and advocate for mindful education, I’ve seen how this can build a fairer system. Read more and listen in at www.francisgilbert.co.uk. #MindfulLearning #EducationPolicy #VAT #FairEducation #LBC

  • What’s the Best Education for Your Child?

    I recently recorded a very special episode of the Mindful Learning Podcast with my son, Theo. We went on a long car journey and ended up reflecting deeply on his education—from private prep school to state primary, local comprehensive to sixth form college, and beyond. He’s now a singer-songwriter and on the Civil Service Fast Stream. We talked honestly about bullying, creativity, great teachers, and why change can be a good thing. I also wrote an accompanying article exploring six key lessons I’ve learned as a parent navigating the education system. It’s one of the most personal things I’ve done—both as a father and as an educator. If you’re wondering what the “best” education really looks like, I hope it offers some helpful insights.

  • Five Things We Can Learn About Fathers and Sons from Fiction

    What can fiction teach us about the complicated relationships between fathers and sons? After reading Benjamin Wood’s haunting novel A Station on the Path to Somewhere Better, I found myself reflecting on how these bonds are portrayed in literature—and how they shape us. Wood’s book, with its 1990s road trip setting, disturbed and moved me in equal measure. It made me think of other works—Turgenev, Gosse, Hornby, Roth—that reveal the pain, longing, and inherited wounds so often passed from father to son. In my latest blog, I explore five key lessons we can take from such fiction: the transmission of trauma, the hunger for approval, the myth of paternal infallibility, the performance of masculinity, and the search for identity. These themes feel especially resonant in today’s world, where ideas of fatherhood and manhood are constantly evolving.

  • Will Labour’s policy of adding VAT to private school fees improve educational standards?

    This blog post briefly explores the benefits of reducing spending upon private education and boosting spending on public education. It includes an interview I did on LBC’s Iain Dale programme, December 2024.

  • Two reasons why school trips go wrong

    This blog explores the issues involved with school trips, considering the reasons why problems happen. It follows an interview I did about the matter on Talk TV, December 2024.

  • A vibrant green coastal marsh (in Oregon), with curving creeks joining and flowing towards the ocean.

    Four reasons there is a Connected Curriculum at Goldsmiths

    Why bring all the students at a university together to learn critical thinking and research skills?

  • Four reasons we should all learn about Green Careers (+ some top job hunting tips!)

    A recount of the Green Careers event that I co-ran (with Widening Participation, the Horniman Museum, and Lewisham’s Young People’s Climate Network) in May 2024 at Goldsmiths University.

  • ‘I need you to jump out of your seat and go plant more flowers!’

    What do primary school children in Lambeth want for their local parks? It’s February 2024, and a cold, rainy morning outside Hillmead Primary School, but inside their assembly hall, the Year 3/4 (8-9 year olds) pupils are happy and engaged. Some of their classmates are delivering speeches about what they want from their local parks […]

  • Angela Kreeger

    Angela Kreeger: Subject of the miracle of modern medicine and psychoanalysis

    It is a cold January Sunday afternoon in 2022, but Angela Kreeger’s living room feels gorgeous, and I’m eating far too many slices of a delicious almond cake.

  • cover of Out of Time

    Review of Out of Time: Poetry From the Climate Emergency

    A review of ‘Out of Time: Poetry From the Climate Emergency’

  • Diagrarting: theorising and practising new ways of writing and drawing

    To “diagrart” (my neologism combining the words diagrams, dialogue and art), one must write and draw, and believe you are creating art, no matter how crude you think your work to be.

  • My Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde Audio Book is now published: free copies available, read more here!

    A discussion about the creation of my audio book for my best selling study guide on the novel ‘The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’.

  • Making an audio book of my Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde study guide

    I’m very excited to announce that the marvellous actor and audiobook reader Richard Bunn will be reading my bestselling study guide ‘Analysis and Study Guide: Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’. The book has proved to be one of my popular books over the years and has continued to sell well. I was impressed by all […]

  • Five Ways to Revolutionise Reading in Your School

    These suggestions are based on the points raised at the Reading Revolution Conference held at Goldsmiths, University of London on Saturday 23rd September 2017. ONE: Encourage Reading for Pleasure Read for the sake of reading. Read aloud, read in groups, read in pairs, read silently. Read poems, stories, articles, blogs, relevant social media and so […]

  • Why it’s good news that sex education is being made compulsory in schools

    This blog post contains a video of me being interviewed on Channel 5 news about the introduction of new sex education guidance by the government.

  • How to choose a school: by teachers for parents

    Tis the season when schools are trying to woo potential parents at open days. How can you tell what a school is really like behind the facade? Here is our guide by those who know: the teachers. This article first appeared in The Guardian. I know from bitter experience that appearances can be deceptive. I […]