When the Headteacher Becomes the SEND Parent | Kate Manning on Dyslexia, Inclusion & Fixing Education

🎙️ **When the Headteacher Becomes the SEND Parent | Kate Manning on Dyslexia, Inclusion & Fixing Education** What happens when the person leading a school suddenly finds themselves fighting the education system as a parent? In this episode of **Thick No More**, I sit down with headteacher, SEND advocate and founder of Edgewood School, **Kate Manning**, for one of the most honest conversations we've had about education. Kate shares the deeply personal story of supporting her daughter Annie through dyslexia and additional learning needs, while balancing the pressures of leading a school herself. We discuss why so many parents feel lost in the SEND system, why education often measures compliance instead of capability, and why Kate believes it's time to stop trying to "fix" children and start building schools around how they actually learn. This conversation also explores AI in education, accessible technology, the future of learning, and Kate's vision for a completely different kind of school designed around inclusion rather than conformity. If you're a parent, teacher, school leader or simply believe every child deserves the opportunity to thrive, this is an episode you won't want to miss. • Life as both a headteacher and a SEND parent • Dyslexia, additional needs and the reality families face • Why so many parents struggle to access the right support • The emotional impact of raising a neurodivergent child • AI, accessibility and the future of education • Why schools should prepare children for life, not just exams • Building a truly inclusive education system • Why it's time to celebrate strengths instead of labels **Kate's message is simple but powerful:** *"It's not about fixing the child. It's about changing the system around them."* 🎙️ Follow Thick No More for more conversations challenging labels, celebrating different ways of thinking and sharing the stories that deserve to be heard. 🔗 Follow Thick No More: https://linktr.ee/nomorepod 📲 Follow Jay Giddens: https://www.instagram.com/thicknomorepod If this conversation resonates with you, please follow the podcast, leave a rating and share this episode with someone who needs to hear it. In this episode we discuss: