Detention Diaries

Every so often, you get to sit down with someone who doesn’t just talk about education — they’ve lived it, questioned it, survived it, and then tried to make it better for everyone else.

This week on Detention Diaries, I had the pleasure of speaking with Ross McGill, the founder of Teacher Toolkit — a platform most teachers will have stumbled across at some point during a late-night Google spiral that started with “how do I survive teaching?” and ended with “ah… it’s not just me then.”

Why this conversation matters

Ross’s journey mirrors that of so many teachers across the UK: passionate beginnings, relentless workload, the emotional toll of the job, and that growing realisation that the system doesn’t always support the people holding it together.

In this conversation, we don’t shy away from the big stuff:

• Teacher workload and burnout
• The wellbeing crisis in education
• What actually helps teachers (and what definitely doesn’t)
• Why schools need honesty, not just another initiative
• How Teacher Toolkit became a space teachers genuinely trust

It’s not a sales pitch. It’s not buzzwords. It’s one teacher talking to another about the reality of the job — the bits we rarely get time to say out loud.

Teaching, but human

One of the things I really valued about this episode was Ross’s openness. There’s no pretending teaching is “fine if you just manage your time better.” There’s an acknowledgment that education is complex, emotional, and often exhausting — and that supporting teachers properly isn’t a luxury, it’s essential.

That honesty is exactly why Teacher Toolkit resonates with so many educators. It doesn’t talk at teachers — it talks with them.

🎧 Listen to the episode

👉 Podcast link:

Make it Make SENDs #6: From SEND Crisis to System Reform: Lorraine Petersen OBE on What Must Change – Detention Diaries

Keywordseducation, SEND, inclusion, teacher burnout, mental health, school leadership, education reform, SEND crisis, education crisis, teacher wellbeing, child mental health, safeguarding, policy, school improvement, inclusive practiceSummaryIn this episode of Make it Make SENDs, I sit down with Lorraine Petersen OBE — former CEO of nasen, headteacher, and one of the most respected voices in SEND and inclusive education.We explore the current state of education and ask the big question: are we facing a SEND crisis… or an education system that isn’t built to support everyone?Lorraine shares her journey through education, offering deep insight into the pressures schools are facing today — from rising SEND demand and stretched resources to teacher burnout and the growing mental health needs of both staff and students.This conversation goes beyond the headlines, unpacking what’s really happening in schools right now, and more importantly, what needs to change. Lorraine speaks with clarity and honesty about how we can build a system that is more inclusive, humane, and sustainable — for both young people and the adults supporting them.If you’re a teacher, leader, SENDCO or parent trying to navigate the complexity of modern education, this episode will leave you thinking differently about what’s possible.Key Takeaways “We don’t just have a SEND crisis — we have a system that isn’t designed for everyone.”  “You cannot separate inclusion from the wellbeing of teachers.”  “If we want better outcomes for children, we must first support the adults in the system.” Support the ShowEnjoyed the episode? Then it’s time to join the class.👉 Head to http://www.detentiondiaries.com to read the blog, sign up for the newsletter, and join our online staffroom community.Because education doesn’t end at the classroom door — and neither does the conversation.Support the showEnjoyed the episode? Then it’s time to join the class. 👉 Head to http://www.detentiondiaries.com to read the blog, sign up for the newsletter, and join our online staffroom community.Because education doesn’t end at the classroom door — and neither does the conversation.

1. Make it Make SENDs #6: From SEND Crisis to System Reform: Lorraine Petersen OBE on What Must Change 01:22:32
2. Detention Diaries #6 Alun Ebeneezer – Creating a Culture of Discipline in Schools 54:56
3. Make it Make SENDs #5 : Music and Inclusivity – is it even possible? with Kate Campbell-Green 01:31:44
4. Detention Diaries #5 – Redefining Masculinity: What does it really mean to be a man? 58:08
5. Detention Diaries #4 What Teachers Really Need: Ross McGill on Workload, Wellbeing & the Future of Schools 01:23:12

Whether you’re a classroom teacher, middle leader, senior leader, or someone who’s stepped away from teaching but still cares deeply about education — this one’s for you.

🔗 Find Ross & his work

• Teacher Toolkit website: https://www.teachertoolkit.co.uk
• Training & CPD: https://www.teachertoolkit.co.uk/training
• X (Twitter): https://x.com/TeacherToolkit

Join the Detention Diaries community

If this episode resonates — and I suspect it will — don’t just listen and move on.

👉 Subscribe to the Detention Diaries podcast so you don’t miss future conversations with teachers, leaders, and education voices who actually get it.
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Because teaching is hard enough. We might as well talk about it — honestly.