Teentalk

22/05/2026

When people are given positions of responsibility, it is their duty to be accountable for their decisions.

Bridget knew the overwhelming majority of the DfE’s followers were appalled by the recent PR stunt, and yet she has chosen to ignore that.

Is that what good leadership does?

What message is she sending to young people?

Good leaders apologise when they get stuff wrong, and say how they will do better next time.

This is because:

1. It is polite.

2. It sends a clear message that mistakes happen, but it is what we learn from them that really matters.

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Bridget Phillipson (BP) may or may not have suggested being interviewed by Gemma Collins (GC) and may or may not have set the tone of what these reels would look like.

However she is the figurehead for the Department For Education and the Minister for Education (and don't forget, she is also Minister for Women and Equality).

Therefore - publicly, this is on her and for her to respond to.

A GC "teaser" reel came out. The public said "WTAF".

At this point, something could have been changed, damage limitation could have happened.

But BP let it carry on.

More reels came out, and the anger increased - especially as GC was unwittingly being quite "ableist" in some of her comments, including telling kids “Whatever you’re learning, make sure you concentrate because you’re going to be taking it into your future career.”

GC doesn't understand that children with ADHD cannot turn on concentration - nor can many autistic brains focus in a stressful environment.

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We have seen the meme's the come backs, the stitches and an AI parody video.

My social media feeds are full of people saying "this is not cool".

So, did Bridget apologise? Admit she may have got it wrong?

Of course not.

Because she is apparently the one "leader" of the world who is immune to error.

No, she instead chose to blame (drum roll....) The Parents!

Of course she did, that is who she blames for everything.

According to her, the backlash is nothing to do with her ineptitude and the Governments continual refusal to admit that its own house is essentially on fire - oh no.
It is due to snobbery.

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I am a content creator with a meagre 10K in followers (thank you all very much for sticking with me). I am mates with other creators who range from a few hundred followers up to 50K and more.

I know that most, if not all of us, are exactly the demographic that BP is apparently championing.

We are working class. We are not driving fancy cars and taking luxurious holidays whilst showing off our bling. We ask for page subscribers and donations to help towards our train fares to meet MPs and speak at events.

And some of us have challenges that mean we may be entirely reliant on benefits.

So no Bridget. This is not about snobbery.

This is about a nation of parents being utterly insulted by the ease in which someone can take Bridget's time for a pointless PR stunt, when we, as parents, as survivors and as professionals are blocked from any meaningful conversation.

And the fact that she can create light-hearted marketing content, at a time when children are literally ending their lives due to school.

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Finally.

If this is truly about her reaching more people and encouraging children to read then she might want to start with:

- Reducing screens in school.

- Investing in school libraries (including mini outdoors ones for playtimes)

- Allow children to take their time to come to reading (instead of saying when they "should" do it)

- Spend plenty of time at school surrounded by reading material (including books, magazines, comics and graphic novels), being read to, listening to audio books and doing drama.

- UNDERSTANDING that not everyone is a "reader".
Some young people and adults will never bond with a sofa, blanket and good book - but they might enjoy other forms of storytelling, including listening to audiobooks or music.

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Assumption makes an ass out of you and me.
Enforcing learning is counterproductive.
Everyone is different.

And most importantly...

Schools need an education revolution and they need it now.

20/05/2026

Did you see the ‘GC’ on today’s DfE socials?

The Department for Education has reportedly spent £350,000 on influencer marketing since 2024.

That’s a nearly 1,500% increase since 2022.

According to reports, the DfE used 53 content creators in 2025 alone across platforms such as TikTok to promote campaigns including apprenticeships and T Levels.

At the same time, families are:
• fighting for EHCPs
• waiting years for assessments
• battling for specialist provision
• watching schools stretched beyond capacity
• and seeing support reduced because “there isn’t enough funding”

Now, to be clear! Young people absolutely should know about apprenticeships, T Levels and alternative pathways. Awareness matters.

But many people are understandably asking difficult questions about priorities when schools, SEND services and mental health support are already under enormous strain.

This forms part of a wider increase in DfE advertising spend, which reportedly rose to £49.8 million.

We know many teachers, parents and professionals will have strong feelings about this.

What do you think?

Source references:
Tes Magazine
The Guardian

20/05/2026

Interested in British sea life? 🦈 🦀🐟🐚
A FREE interactive LIVE stream Tuesday 9th June 2pm
You can register online so you don’t miss it!

19/05/2026

Today’s DfE video featuring Gemma Collins has caused understandable frustration among parents and professionals. Using a celebrity to downplay legitimate concerns about behaviour policies, SEND provision, and school safety is not an appropriate or responsible communication strategy.

Families are not ‘overreacting’ they are navigating real barriers: unmet needs, exclusions, delays in support, and policies that too often fail to protect the most vulnerable children. These issues deserve transparent dialogue and meaningful action - not PR messaging that minimises lived experience.

Parents, carers, and professionals deserve respect, honesty, and evidence‑based communication from the Department for Education. Anything less undermines trust at a time when families need it most.

11/05/2026

This is the new Relationships, S*x and Health Education statutory curriculum being delivered in all schools from 1st September 2026.

Please find some time to read it carefully, to stay fully informed on what education your child will be receiving.

10/05/2026

I just want to say hello..

Hello to all our amazing young people and their families and hello to all our lovely followers here on fb and across our other platforms.

I’m so sorry we haven’t been running the groups for a while, I’m struggling with my mental health and some life changes so I’ve had to strip back to the basics of self-care and survival.

But just like I’ve said to many of you, this too shall pass, and I know it will but right now my brain can’t quite grasp it.

Thank you for your patience and I hope you are all well. Take care, be safe.

Hayley x

08/05/2026

Thinking about a career path in construction?

Havant and South Downs College is offering this excellent opportunity from September and you can apply now! 😀

If you’re aged 16–18 and interested in a career in construction but not yet sure which trade is right for you, this hands-on course is the perfect starting point. The Level 1 Diploma in Construction Skills (Multi-skills) introduces you to a wide range of practical trades, helping you explore you...

08/05/2026

David Attenborough reaching 100 years old feels like the planet itself pausing to honour him.

For a century he has been the steady, compassionate voice reminding us that the natural world is not a backdrop but a living, breathing miracle we’re responsible for protecting.

His storytelling reshaped how generations see wildlife, turning curiosity into care and awe into action.

Today isn’t just a birthday; it’s a celebration of a man whose life’s work has expanded our sense of wonder and deepened our duty to the Earth.

Happy 100th birthday Sir David 🌎🌸🦜

Illustration: Murphys_sketches (IG)

07/05/2026

Re-sharing a post from 2023.

The school attendance charts and ‘reward’ system. Shaming students and parents.
Not to mention the discrimination against pupils with additional needs, adverse childhood experiences, medical need and young carers.

It remains hugely relevant and even more so now with the steep increase in fines.

Hands up who had a letter that featured something that looked like this at the end of term?

School attendance charts are being used across the country, with the aim to hold parents accountable for low attendance. Instead of improving attendance they're shaming children and young people and fracturing relationships. So, we have produced a guide that explains to schools how these attendance charts are being perceived by families.

Here are a few more notes to consider alongside this...

🛑 90% would be considered high in most things, yet in attendance it's considered 'low'.

🛑 Putting pressure on children to attend school when they're unwell is encouraging the spread of illness. This puts pressure on the NHS and also puts a lot of vulnerable children (or their vulnerable family members) at risk of critical/fatal illness.

🛑 These charts are a red flag, and show a school to not be inclusive in their practice (many blame Ofsted, whilst schools who don't use them say they're not necessary and they're not under pressure from Ofsted to send them out)

🛑 They encourage parents to off-roll the children, adding to the growing number of children who are being home educated. This is right for some children but not for all.

🛑 The letters being sent are a waste of human resources, paper and at a time where the cost of living is financially costing schools as much as 300% more than usual we need to preserve these resources for our childrens' actual education.

Please can we find better ways to support children to attend school? Research shows that punitive fines and punishments DO NOT WORK LONG TERM.

HERE ARE OUR LIST OF RESOURCES TO IMPROVE THIS PRACTICE

1️⃣ Watch our in-depth webinar on School Attendance Difficulties on the Sunshine Academy which will help you pin point exactly what is going wrong and how to fix it for children who struggle to attend school: www.sunshine-support.org/academy

2️⃣ Read our article on School Attendance Difficulties, a great starting point and contains a 3 step approach to helping your child: https://sunshine-support.org/school-attendance-difficulties-and-school-related-trauma/

3️⃣ Request a call from our advice team by completing the contact form here: https://www.sunshine-support.org/advice-and-support (this is available for parents and teachers alike)