At Tooled Up Towers, we have what Carole Dweck would call a ‘growth mindset’; we aren’t afraid to learn, grow and persevere. That is why we reach out and seek as much collaboration as possible with like-minded individuals or organisations who, like us, are absolutely passionate about improving children’s life outcomes.

We derive inspiration from, and work with, a wide variety of individuals, including clinical psychologists, psychiatrists and school leaders. This month, we asked clinical psychologist, Dr Anna Colton, to send us some breathing exercises that parents can do with their children to lessen anxiety.

We also checked in with Dr Anna Conway Morris, a brilliantly engaging adolescent psychiatrist based in Cambridge. Our chats with Anna are always deeply interesting, educational, and packed full of food for thought. We talked about many of the questions that come our way from parents at Tooled Up, examining what the research says and how that relates to what Anna finds in her clinical practice. Check out the interview here, and don’t forget that Dr Cassie Rhodes, our own in-house researcher, carefully curates a whole set of notes for each podcast, which saves you time and ensures that all those golden nuggets are set aside for you to reflect on.

A further exciting collaboration coming to Tooled Up involves The Philosophy Foundation. We have long been fans of Peter Worley and the work that he does in schools, teaching philosophy to young children. For an introduction to his work, watch his Tedx talk on ‘Plato not Playdoh’, or listen to our recent podcast interview. Watch out for some fantastic, contextually rich, resources on how to introduce philosophical thinking into family talk, coming soon to the Tooled Up library.

Lucy Haseler, a fantastic science teacher and tutor, has co-written some resources with us, designed to drive parental engagement in primary science, including 20 questions to discuss at bathtime and questions for the car. She even helped us to curate a conversational template for dinnertime science chats with teens.

Occasionally, we receive emails from parents detailing issues that are beyond the expertise and remit of our team, but happily we enjoy wonderful relationships with clinical psychologists like Dr Pauline Riley-Hunte; a renowned expert, who offers private assessments and clinical treatments. We are grateful for all the help, guidance and transformational advice that Pauline has given Tooled Up families.

The Tooled Up community of schools continues to grow; this month we welcome Abbot’s Hill School; an outstanding school that we are truly proud to work with. It does take a village to raise children and Tooled Up is proud to support parents and educators in their efforts to do so.