The Code

New Blog in Our School Refusal Series

What Are the Next Steps for Your Child?

School refusal is on the rise.

📊 The numbers tell the story:

In 2023, 126,100 children in the UK were being home educated.

By 2024, that number had risen to 153,300.

That’s thousands more families searching for answers when school simply isn’t working.

Behind every statistic is a child — and a family — trying to find a way forward. And there are options.

👉 If school feels impossible right now, know that you’re not alone.

👉 Read my full blog here → https://tinyurl.com/4huvawhh

💛 School isn’t easy for every child.

For many, the move to secondary school, new teachers, or new routines sparks anxiety that can make the classroom feel overwhelming.

👉 Research suggests that up to 1 in 5 pupils experience high levels of school-related anxiety.
👉 And for neurodivergent children, the risk of school refusal is significantly higher — with rates of persistent absence almost double those of their peers.

These transitions can be especially tough, but the good news is that with the right support and flexibility, children can adjust and continue to thrive.

That’s why we’re bringing together two experts for this special event:

✨ Paula Barrett – CEO of The CODE Education Ltd, SEN career tutor, trained executive function coach, and educational consultant with 15 years’ experience supporting neurodivergent learners.

✨ Victoria Bagnall – teacher, author, and co-founder of Connections in Mind, specialising in executive function and neurodiversity.

Join our free webinar: School Refusal – A Parent’s Guide to Options on WEDNESDAY 15 OCTOBER at 7 pm BST

👉 Register here https://tinyurl.com/2rtc8mtp

📚 Back to school isn’t easy for every child.

For some families, back to school means daily battles, tears, and rising anxiety. School refusal is becoming more common — especially for neurodivergent children — and it can leave parents feeling isolated and unsure what to do next.

You’re not alone.

In the The CODE Education latest blog, we explore why school refusal happens and what the next steps could look like for your child.

👉 Read here: https://tinyurl.com/fwxmt6xe

Happy New Year to you all! 🌟♥️

This classic Ted talk needs to be brushed off in times like these......

Do schools kill creativity? Sir Ken Robinson makes an entertaining and profoundly moving case for creating an education system that nurtures (rather than undermines) creativity.

Love this video about how we use our brains.

What percentage of your brain do you use? - Richard E. Cytowic http://ed.ted.com/lessons/what-percentage-of-your-brain-do-you-use-richard-e-cytowic Two thirds of the population believes a myth that has been propagated fo...