Maternity Leave… Gap or Gain?

Sandra Fernandez Conde, mother to four-month-old Oliver, tells us how professional development whilst on parental leave is not exclusively for teachers: as a charity-sector employee with a history in Early Years, she is using her maternity leave as an opportunity to...

On ‘Delusions of Gender.’

@FKAEnglish discusses how International Women’s Day has inspired her CPD choices this month. Last week I settled down to watch a new BBC drama ‘The Replacement.’ This, as it turned out, was not the best idea considering I am currently on maternity...

On Raising Fearless Daughters

Today I celebrated my eldest daughter’s third birthday. She is vibrant and energetic and so far (seemingly) unencumbered by the social expectations linked to her gender. She has no interest in what she wears. She likes playing with dolls as much as she does tractors...

(Whisper it) I have ambitions.

Frances Ashton (@FKAEnglish) talks ambition, confidence and Maternity Leave CPD. I want to be an Assistant Head Teacher. I’ve never actually written those words down or said them out loud to anyone other than in dinner time musings with my other half. I’ve...

The Hard Won Right of Parental Leave

It is 5:02am.  My son has just begun to sleep all the way from 8:00pm to 4:00am and for the first time in five months (let’s be honest – longer – sleeping from seven months pregnant onwards was hit and miss) we are getting between five and six hours sleep in a row,...