Educational consultancy, presentations and workshops

My Track Record of helping in Schools

November 5th, 2021: I presented on screen for 60 minutes to Parents at the famous Godolphin School (founded 1726) in the cathedral city of Salisbury,
during which I shared my notes on themes such as…
Developing our Capacity for Courage
Channelling our most Powerful Emotions into Creating some form of Beauty
The Science & Prevention of our Serious Mistakes
The Close Study of Inspirational Lifetimes.

September 2018 and for the academic year, I was invited to help to nurture all-round well-being within the whole community that is Rugby School (founded 1567) a pre-eminent boarding school for Girls & Boys age 13 to 18. One dimension of this collaboration was my spending a full week at the School, 7am to 10pm, to help me appreciate the dynamics of everyday life for Rugby’s Staff & Students.

I began working with schools when Dr Sir Anthony Seldon invited me into work with his Senior Leadership Team at Wellington College in 2006. Since then, I’ve enjoyed 15 wonderful years of working with a wide variety of extraordinary field-leading schools; but before I share those archives below, let me mention something quite different, but related to an education in life-skills:

On the 12th September 2019 at The House of Lords and overlooking The Thames, Trailblazers Mentoring celebrated 21 years of charitable service. Way back in 1998, I was fortunate to raise £150,000 enabling me to found this charity that provides civilian Mentors for the young men & women who are in the final 6 months of their sentences in English prisons, and it helps them make a success of life outside. The House of Lords’ celebration was wonderfully hosted by Trailblazers’ redoubtable Patron during all of those 21 years, General The Lord David Ramsbotham, who once served as Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Prisons.

Winter 2020: the Head-Teacher of St Andrew’s College Dublin invited Nick to run a 60 minute zoom training on Psychological Well-Being for her Staff.

Autumn 2020: Nick spent a whole day with ACS International Schools in England presenting to Staff and Students.

Autumn 2019: Nick was invited back to The Island of Guernsey, to Elizabeth College (incorporating both a Senior, Junior and Infant School), invited by the same Head Teacher who had hosted Nick in 2017.

2018: Sao Paulo, Brazil, for the St Paul’s School International Head-Teachers Conference. Nick gives several Workshops & Keynotes.

2017: Nick continued in his third year as the Consultant Well-being Therapist to the Health & Welfare Team at Queens’ College Cambridge University, (the University’s 2nd largest College, founded 1448). As well as working one to one with Queens’ Undergraduates and Postgrads, Nick also gives presentations to Students on ‘thriving in the face of exams’, at both Queens’ and Trinity College.

March 2017: in Singapore, for Fieldwork Education, Nick gave three keynote addresses and workshops at an international educational conference for Senior Teachers.

November 2016: for the HMC Deputy-Head Teachers Annual Conference a Keynote presentation of 75 minutes on ‘How to nurture All-Round Well-being throughout the whole school community: students, staff, and parents’.

December 2016: for the Tutorial Staff of Trinity College, Cambridge University, 3-hours of training in the strategies which promote all-round well-being in high-pressure academic environments.

Previous Educational highlights…

Autumn 2015: Nick gave various major presentations of 90 minutes or more, at Bradfield College, Lord Wandsworth College, The Maynard School Exeter, Harrow School, The Royal Hospital School Ipswich, and St Paul’s Girls’ School London.

Nick has been pleased to provide (often on several occasions):

• Half-day INSETS at Downe House, Norwich School, Whitgift (Croydon), St. Mary’s Ascot, Oundle, Portsmouth Grammar, St. Albans High, Eastbourne College.
• Presentation to Students at Harrow (5 years running), Mill Hill, Whitgift (in Croydon, 5 years running), Channing, Benenden, Berkhampsted, Greshham’s, Queenswood, Heathfield St. Mary’s, Merchant Taylors, Christ’s Hospital School.
• Prep Schools insets & student presentations at Millfield, St. Anthony’s, Cranmore, Crossfields, Newland House, Newton Prep, Shrewsbury House, Hurstpierpoint Prep, HeathMount, The Dolphin School, The Merlin, Dulwich Prep London.
• Presentations tailored for staff, then students, and then their parents. For example, at Sherborne Girls’ School and also at Stamford School (autumn 2012), Nick spoke to entire 6th Form year groups, and then to hundreds of Parents to encourage their appreciation and support of the school’s well-being initiatives.
• A prize-giving speech to the whole school community: parents, staff & pupils, as Nick provided for Dulwich Prep London, for Headmaster Mr Michael Roulston OBE (June 2012); having presented a half-day inset to staff there, just a year before.

2012-2013: Consultancy to Mr Kevin McKellar, the former and much-loved Headteacher of Hendon School, a highly inclusive State Comprehensive for over 1,250 students age 11-18 in Greater London. This school was under Special Measures’ (i.e. at risk of closure); then Kevin was brought in to take the helm, and just 6 years later the school consistently won an across-the-board ‘Outstanding’ rating from Ofsted inspectors. Only 4% of schools achieved this level.

March 2013. 60 minute Keynote Speech for ‘The Society of Heads’ Annual Conference for Headteachers of leading schools. The two other keynote speakers were: the Eton College Headmaster of twelve years, Mr Tony Little; and the Deputy-Head of Human Resources for Unilever UK.

June 2012: 75 minute opening-presentation at the HMC Deputy Headteachers’ annual conference. Nick has also addressed the Woodard School Heads, BSA House Mistresses & Masters, and BSA School Nurses & Matrons.

Nick was the UK’s first ever Lecturer in Positive Psychology & The Science of Well-Being, when he taught his subject at Cambridge University, 2001-2008