Episode 05: Homework vs. Play: Rethinking After-School Priorities

What happens when homework takes priority over play, and the school system puts pressure on families in ways that don’t always fit their realities? In this episode of *Amplifying the Unseen*, Kirsty Reed dives into the lived experience of "homework versus play" drawing on 20 years of experience in children’s services and her own candid journey as a parent. She challenges the assumed benefits of homework, highlighting the judgment and shame parents often feel, and questions who homework is really for. Throughout, Kirsty Reed calls for professionals and parents alike to have more curious, less judgmental conversations about after-school life, and to notice the inequalities some children face in access to safe play. She ends with a passionate plea: Let’s shift from homework pressure to nurturing children’s interests and wellbeing through truly inclusive opportunities for play and learning. **Highlights:** 00:00 Welcome to Amplifying the Unseen with Kirsty Reed 00:31 Grieving the school run: an unexpected family journey 03:09 Home education as a last resort after system challenges 04:10 September is harder: disrupted schooling and home tutors 05:15 Finding ways to meet social needs outside of school 06:22 Reimagining childhood: play and learning outside strict academics 07:14 Knowing summer’s freedom makes September’s transition tougher 10:01 Questioning the system and the feeling of guilt versus grief 13:00 Waiting for support and the irony of a “regulated” child out of school 14:15 Missing out: school dinners, sports day, clubs and milestones 18:24 Community opinions and constant scrutiny as a home-educating parent **About Amplifying the Unseen:** Amplifying the Unseen with Kirsty is a podcast sharing honest social stories and elevating voices too often left unheard. Through conversations on social injustice, anti-racism, parenting, SEND, and inequality, Kirsty explores lived experience, advocacy, and the realities of pushing for change in systems not designed for everyone. This podcast is for those who believe listening is a radical act and that real change starts by amplifying what has been unseen. Amplifying the Unseen is also a storytelling, advocacy and leadership platform now proudly a Community Interest Company (CIC) for the people, experiences and truths that so often get overlooked, because everyone deserves to be seen, heard and included in the conversations that shape their lives. **About Kirsty Reed:** Kirsty is a voice amplifier, change catalyst, and system challenger with over 20 years’ experience driving social change rooted in advocacy, lived experience, and community leadership. She is both an expert by profession and an expert by experience, bringing these together to ensure that the voices and needs of local communities are embedded at the heart of decision-making. As a mum of four and a grandmother of four, Kirsty’s work is deeply grounded in real life. She partners with individuals, community leaders, and organisations to foster equity, inclusion, and collective action, working alongside people rather than implementing change to them. Kirsty is the Founder and Director of Amplifying the Unseen CIC and Director of Magpie Collaborative Ltd. Kirsty is highly experienced in working across all levels of organisations, providing insight, reflective space, and strategic support to develop joined-up approaches to change theory, strategic planning, and transformation. She is known for designing and delivering meaningful, engaging workshops tailored to each organisation, creating safe and courageous spaces for difficult conversations, collaboration, and innovation. Through her facilitation and advisory work, Kirsty enables teams to move beyond intention into action, driving purposeful, people-centred social impact and sustainable change. **Connect with Kirsty:** LinkedIn: Kirsty Reed Instagram: amplifying\_the\_unseen Website: www.amplifyingtheunseen.org