Lynn How
Member of the GEC Circle of Influence
Bio:
Lynn How is an accomplished SENCO, educational consultant, and writer with over 24 years of experience in the education sector in a variety of roles including assistant head and ITT lead mentor. Passionate about inclusion, she specialises in helping schools create supportive environments for students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Lynn is also a strong advocate for staff wellbeing, offering practical advice to help SENCos, school staff and school leaders manage stress, avoid burnout, and improve work-life balance.
Through her popular blog, www.positiveyoungmind.com and active Facebook groups (The Sweary Teacher and The Sweary SENCo), Lynn shares relatable insights on topics such as mental health, leadership, and career transitions for educators. Her writing is known for being conversational, reflective, and full of practical tips drawn from personal experience.
In addition to writing, Lynn hosts webinars and provides coaching for SENCOs and school leaders, offering valuable strategies for creating inclusive, positive school cultures. Her expertise and down-to-earth approach have made her a trusted voice in education, particularly for those navigating the complexities of SEND and leadership roles.
Lynn holds an MA in Education, Fellow of the Chartered College of Teaching status (FCCT), NASENCO and NPQH. As well having her own blog, she has written for organisations including Education Support, Nexus and SEN Magazine. She is also the editor of Teacher Toolkit and works with Kindness Matters supporting kindness in school.
Lynn to date has three publishers, Bloomsbury, Jessica Kingsley and Hinton House. She has also published her first children's storybook with an SEMH theme called 'Your Rainbow'.
Areas of specialism:
SENCo and SEND trainer, SENCo and school staff wellbeing coach, educational consultant, editor of Teacher Toolkit website and blogger, writer, teacher, Mentor, mental health expert
Social channels:
Useful links:
https://positiveyoungmind.com/reasonable-adjustment/
https://positiveyoungmind.com/sencos-raising-the-profile-of-these-unsung-heros/
https://positiveyoungmind.com/the-menopause-has-got-me/
https://positiveyoungmind.com/5-ways-to-reach-out/
https://positiveyoungmind.com/lets-stop-calling-it-teacher-burnout-via-nexus/
https://positiveyoungmind.com/teacher-workload-are-you-a-self-fulfilling-prophecy/
https://positiveyoungmind.com/toxic-schools-10-key-indicators-to-aid-workplace-reflection/
GEC Circle Contributions: Strengthening the GEC Framework:
Lynn is legendary in her field, and we are thrilled to have her join the GEC! She will be sharing her expertise in the GEC Platform (update coming soon!) to help schools understand how to get SEND right for all learners. We can’t wait for our community to benefit from her invaluable knowledge and experience!
