In this deeply personal episode, I’m joined by Harriet Ennis, a psychology teacher from York and this year's winner of the British Psychological Society's Pre-Tertiary Education Psychology Teacher of the Year (PEPTOTY). Harriet reached out to share her personal experience of Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA), previously referred to as school refusal. Harriet brings both professional insight and a powerful parental perspective to the conversation, as she opens up about her daughter J’s journey through this challenging experience.

EBSA describes children who are unable—not unwilling—to attend school due to overwhelming emotional or mental health difficulties. It's estimated that 1–5% of students experience EBSA, though this number may be even higher post-COVID. It's not about truancy or defiance—it's about real, often invisible, distress.

🎧 In this episode:

 * Harriet shares what EBSA looked like for her family

 * We learn about how schools can help through deeper understanding of the issues, and strong communication with parents.

 * J shares a symbolic moment: cutting her hair on Saturday 26th July 2025 as a sign of starting fresh—and fundraising for a cause close to her heart

💬 “I went into a burnout for 6 months and at first, for weeks, I couldn't face light and I spent every day in a dark room... Coping with my sensory processing differences day after day had overloaded me... But I’m getting better and better.” – J

If you would like to learn more about EBSA this article from the Psychologist magazine is a useful 5 minute read: https://www.bps.org.uk/psychologist/cant-not-wont-rethinking-school-avoidance

J is raising money for Thornberry Animal Sanctuary in Yorkshire—a nod to some fellow "hairy" friends—by cutting off her tangled hair and starting again. If you’d like to support her campaign, the JustGiving link is here [https://www.justgiving.com/page/badhairday?utm_medium=FA&utm_source=CL&fbclid=IwY2xjawLtzvFleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFFNXNSUWVoRElnS21IZnQ4AR4DOwOkfKICTtEe7ik2xZpyT-YcJsaETwVr8upAgCvn3DTzpzP_cHgf0XyTVg_aem_jbT7Xer4anfxBc2hYWpoRw].

👨‍👦If you would like further advice or support Harriet has suggest these links may be of use: https://daisychainproject.co.uk/autism-central/ (North of England) or https://www.childautism.org.uk/for-families/ (more broadly).

⚠️ A quick note: This episode was recorded under less-than-ideal internet conditions, so you may notice a few audio hiccups. I’ve done my best to smooth things out—thanks for bearing with us.

Emotionally Based School Avoidance: A Personal Story

In this episode of Psychology in the Classroom, Dr. Lauren Margulieux helps explore why failure isn't just a learning opportunity—but a biologically powerful one. Drawing on neuroscience, Lauren explains how our brains react to failure, the role of neurotransmitters like epinephrine and acetylcholine, and why moderate emotional discomfort can actually prime the brain for better memory and attention.

We discuss:

 * How to help students frame failure positively

 * Why emotional regulation is key to learning

 * Practical strategies for secondary teachers to support learning in the face of setbacks

 * The impact of daily cycles, sleep, exercise, and nutrition on focus and cognitive performance

Packed with practical tips and grounded in cutting-edge science, this episode is a must-listen for any teacher supporting adolescent learners through challenges—especially during exam season.

Resources & Links

🔗Margulieux, Lauren & Prather, James & Rahimi, Masoumeh. (2025). The Biological Benefits of Failure on Learning and Tools to Manage the Fallout. Educational Psychology Review. 37. 10.1007/s10648-025-10013-7.   https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10648-025-10013-7

🔗L. E. Margulieux, J. Prather, M. Rahimi and G. C. Uzun, "Leverage Biology to Learn Rapidly From Mistakes Without Feeling Like a Failure," in Computing in Science & Engineering, vol. 25, no. 2, pp. 44-49, March-April 2023, doi: 10.1109/MCSE.2023.3297750.,(practitioner-focused paper, 5 pages): https://doi.org/10.1109/MCSE.2023.3297750

🔗Learn more about Dr. Lauren Margulieux’s work: https://laurenmarg.com/

 

Learning from Failure: The Biological Case for Embracing Mistakes

In this episode we explores the impact of perfectionism on exam anxiety, particularly among neurodivergent individuals. Dr. Tracey Donachie, a lecturer in sports and exercise psychology, discusses the components and prevalence of perfectionism, highlighting its psychological and behavioral effects. Maciej Matejko, from the Re-Star Project, shares his perspective on perfectionism in relation to autism, while consultant Julia Gudinchet offers strategies for managing perfectionistic tendencies in individuals with ADHD and autism. The episode provides valuable insights and practical advice for educators and students to foster healthier attitudes towards achievement.

Find out more:

Dr Tracy Donachie: https://www.ncl.ac.uk/psychology/people/profile/tracydonachie.html

Julia Gudinchet, Sunflower Autism Consultancy: https://sunflowerautismconsultancy.co.uk

Pomodoro Technique: https://changingstatesofmind.libsyn.com/how-effective-is-the-pomodoro-technique

RE-STAR project (Maciej Matejko): https://www.kcl.ac.uk/research/re-star

Time Stamps:

Expert Insight on Perfectionism (00:01:15)   Dr. Tracey Donachie discusses her extensive experience with managing exam stress and perfectionism & explains two main components of perfectionism: high standards and self-criticism.

Prevalence of Perfectionism (00:02:58)   Discussion on the rising rates of socially prescribed perfectionism among students and its debilitating effects.

Good vs. Bad Perfectionism (00:06:00)   Exploration of the spectrum of perfectionism, distinguishing between striving for excellence and harmful perfectionism.

Long-Term Psychological Effects (00:07:39)   Discussion on burnout and other psychological issues linked to chronic perfectionism.

Impact Beyond Academics (00:09:31)   Perfectionism's effects on sports, body image, and interpersonal relationships are examined.

Strategies for Teachers (00:13:49)   Recommendations for teachers to help students manage perfectionism and foster a growth mindset.

Advice for Students During Exam Season (00:16:15)   Practical tips for students to combat perfectionism during high-stress exam periods. 

Understanding Autism and Perfectionism (00:19:00)   Discussion on autism and its relationship with perfectionism, featuring insights from Maciej.

Understanding Perfectionism in Neurodivergent Individuals (00:20:02)   Discussion on how perfectionism can stem from positive qualities but become problematic, especially for neurodivergent individuals.

Perfectionism as a Coping Mechanism (00:22:20)   Exploration of how perfectionism can serve as a response to social difficulties and low self-esteem.

Personal Experiences with Perfectionism (00:23:36)   Insights into the speaker's personal struggles with perfectionism and its draining effects.

Advice on Managing Perfectionism (00:29:30): Changing Relationships with Failure (00:30:09)  , Exploring Interests to Reduce Pressure (00:32:14), The Need for Recovery Time (00:34:17), Exploring Neurodiversity (00:35:15), Seeking Mental Health Support (00:38:02)  

Final Thoughts on Perfectionism (00:40:07)   Reflection on the need to help students foster a healthy relationship with failure and imperfection.

The Perils of Perfectionism: Understanding Its Impact on Mental Health in Education

Summary

In this episode Dr. Carolina Guzman Holst [https://www.psy.ox.ac.uk/people/carolina-guzman-holst] is a NIHR Research Fellow at the University of Oxford, discusses her recent paper titled Scoping review: potential harm from school-based group mental health interventions. [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40101758/] 

Where the authors ‘examine three areas: the types of potential harms and adverse events reported in school-based mental health interventions; the subgroups of children and adolescents at heightened risk; and the proposed explanations for these potential harms.’The conversation explores the rising mental health issues among young people in schools, focusing on universal interventions like mindfulness and CBT. Carolina Guzman discusses her scoping review on the potential negative effects of these interventions, emphasising the importance of understanding their impact on vulnerable groups. The discussion highlights the need for careful implementation and monitoring of mental health programs in educational settings, advocating a tailored approach rather than a one-size-fits-all solution.

Links:

Guzman-Holst C, Streckfuss Davis R, Andrews JL, Foulkes L. Scoping review: potential harm from school-based group mental health interventions. Child Adolesc Ment Health. 2025 Mar 18. doi: 10.1111/camh.12760. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40101758: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40101758/

Learn more about the Myriad Trial on a universal mindfulness intervention on the Mindfulness Mini Series: https://changingstatesofmind.com/mindfulness-miniseries-1

The link to the DfE technical report mentioned is here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/education-for-wellbeing-programme-findings

Key takeaways:

 * Mental health issues among young people are rising.

 * Universal interventions aim to help all students, regardless of need.

 * Mindfulness and CBT are common school interventions.

 * Negative effects of interventions can occur, especially in vulnerable groups.

 * High quality implementation quality is crucial for intervention success.

 * Long-term benefits of interventions are often not well-studied.

 * Schools should monitor the effects of mental health programs.

 * A hybrid approach may be more effective than universal interventions alone.

 * Teachers should consult evidence before implementing programs.

 * Tailored support is essential for students with specific needs.

Timestamps

01:45 Introduction to Mental Health in Schools

04:17 Understanding Universal Interventions

07:25 Exploring Mindfulness and CBT Interventions

09:41 Negative Effects of Universal Interventions

16:01 Identifying Vulnerable Groups

19:45 Long-term Effects and Benefits

25:07 Conclusions of the Scoping Review

27:11 Implic

First do no harm: Universal Mental Health Interventions in Schools

This month Dr Katy Burgess, Senior Lecturer in Psychology at Cardiff University, talks about her research into students’ learning - what they do and how effective they think this is - this is useful for us, as teachers, to understand how, what we are teaching them in school about learning and revision, is being interpreted and used by students. We discuss the best ways to revise but perhaps more importantly what we should be telling our students to get them to use more effective strategies. Plus additional thoughts on where we could slip retrieval practice when students don’t even notice (some good advice for parents!), forward testing effect and that we need to remember that learning involves an awful lot of forgetting before students actually remember everything they need to know.

If you'd like to learn more about Dr Katy Burgess or read her publications you can do so here:

https://profiles.cardiff.ac.uk/staff/burgesskv

T-FUN Network - https://t-fun.co.uk/

The Process of Learning is Uncomfortable

The NEurodivergent peer Support Toolkit (NEST) is a set of free resources for staff in mainstream secondary schools who wish to facilitate peer support for neurodivergent young people. The toolkit was co-created by researchers at the University of Edinburgh, neurodivergent young people and a neurodiverse group of adults who work with neurodivergent young people. The project was funded by the Salvesen Mindroom Research Centre Scientific Advisory Board.

In this episode Katie Cebula and Catherine Crompton talk about how the NEST came about, what it involves and how it could support pupils in your school.

You can find out more and download the resources here: https://salvesen-research.ed.ac.uk/our-projects/nest-neurodivergent-peer-support-toolkit

 

Peer Support for Neurodivergent pupils

This is the 7th podcast from the RE-STAR team and Professor Edmund Sonuga-Barke and Dr Georgia Pavlopoulou share the findings from work package one. This episode explores how the RE-STAR team has collected qualitative data through innovative methods that really allow the voices of young people with ADHD and Autism to be heard. They also share the findings about the upsetting experiences of young people with ADHD and Autism, what these experiences are (and if you are a teacher you might be surprised) and the intensity of those emotional experiences and as well as how these differ for neurotypical, ADHD and Autistic groups. The team is also considering the long term impact of this emotional burden on depression and anxiety. 

If you would like to hear more from the RE-STAR team please do take a listen here: https://changingstatesofmind.com/re-star-project

If you would like to read the paper the link is:  https://acamh.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jcv2.12287

RE-STAR - From Emotional Disfunction to Emotional Burden

In this week’s episode Purvi (Vi) Gandhi shares her knowledge about implementing effective and evidence based strategies to improve mental health or mental fitness in schools.

Vi has recently published a book 'A little guide for teachers: Student Mental Health' with lots of ideas of how teachers can support the mental health and fitness of the young people in schools. In this interview we discuss the language we use around mental health, why mental health is so important in school and how we can support our pupils to thrive and much more. 

If you would like to find out more about her book here is the link: uk.sagepub.com/en-gb/eur/author/purvi-gandhi [http://uk.sagepub.com/en-gb/eur/author/purvi-gandhi]

If you want to hear more podcasts on mental health from Psychology in the classroom here is the link: https://changingstatesofmind.com/mental-health-%26-wellbeing

Improving Mental Fitness in Schools with Vi Gandhi

On World Mental Health day 2024 Psychology in the Classroom discusses Mindfulness. We eschew the ‘Crystals and Muesli’ version and reframe it to ask how to be more attentive, calmer, more grounded, more aware, more responsive, less anxious. Willem Kuyken and Maggie Farrar join me to discuss, how we can make moments in our day to be mindful and how this can help us align ourselves better with our personal values. 

You can find the podcasts on the Myriad Trial into Mindfulness in schools via this link: https://changingstatesofmind.com/mindfulness-miniseries

This is the link to Willem’s website and book: https://mindfulnessforlife.uk/

This is the link to Maggie’s website and book: https://www.empoweringleadership.co.uk/

 

Reframing Mindfulness for Teachers

In this final summary interview with Prof. Dr. Suzanne Narciss, we review all our learning about failure over the last few months. There is much we can do to encourage our students to learn from errors, including interactive formative assessment and feedback strategies, prompting reflection and adaptive strategies for dealing with errors and using other people’s errors. As teachers we need to help students overcome their fear of failure by creating a positive error climate and supporting students to develop a more positive error mindset. But this is an area that is challenging to research and we still have much to learn. 

What have we learned about failure?

The show that takes psychological research and translates it for classroom teachers so they can effectively apply it to their teaching practice to help improve outcomes for their students. Interviews with leading psychologists and other experts in the field of education, as well as deep dives into educational theory and a little bit of neuromyth busting.

Lucinda Powell

Shows