Academic Coaching for Parents with Dr Anna York-Weaving

How do the brain’s natural rhythms shape attention, memory and learning?In this episode of Academic Coaching for Parents, I am joined by Professor Ole Jensen, Professor of Translational Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of Oxford, to explore how brain oscillations - rhythmic patterns of neural activity - underpin attention, learning and reading. We discuss how these brain rhythms help to coordinate attention, what happens when these processes become disrupted and how this research can help parents and educators better understand attention difficulties, learning challenges and differences in how children engage with learning.🎙️ In this episode, we discuss:✅ How brain oscillations contribute to attention, memory and information processing✅ How oscillatory activity supports reading and visual exploration✅ How brain oscillations change across development and differ between children and adults✅ What research shows about disrupted modulation of brain oscillations in ADHD✅ How theories of neural communication explain coordinated brain function during learningWhether you are curious about how learning works in the brain or interested in evidence-based perspectives on education, this episode offers a research-informed exploration of the neuroscience behind learning.Professor Ole Jensen: https://www.psy.ox.ac.uk/people/ole-jensenhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/ole-jensen-53b69014/📩 Enjoyed this episode? Share it with another parent or educator, and don’t forget to subscribe for more conversations on academic success and student wellbeing.👉 Interested in personalised academic coaching? Book a free 30-minute consultation via my website: https://www.york-weaving-education.co.uk/

Have you ever wondered why some of your child’s biggest learning moments happen in conversation - when they are explaining an idea, asking questions or debating something with friends?In this episode, I am joined by Professor Andrew Tolmie, Chair of Psychology and Human Development at UCL’s Institute of Education and Deputy Director of the UCL–Birkbeck Centre for Educational Neuroscience.Professor Tolmie is a developmental psychologist whose research explores how children’s thinking and reasoning develop through social interaction - how attention, dialogue and collaboration shape learning.Together, we unpack what it really means to learn together: how talk and shared attention support understanding, why some children benefit more from group learning than others and how teachers and parents can help children think more deeply and independently.🎙️ In this episode, you will learn: ✅ What shared attention means and why it’s a foundation for effective learning and focus✅ How productive dialogue helps children reason, reflect and build deeper understanding✅ Why social interaction and peer collaboration are essential for developing thinking and problem-solving skills✅ What research reveals about spaced learning, reflection and avoiding cognitive overload✅ Practical ways to nurture focus, curiosity and meaningful discussion at home and in the classroomWhether your child is in primary or secondary school, this conversation offers research-based insights into how attention, dialogue and shared learning experiences shape understanding.🔗 Links & ResourcesProf Andrew Tolmie https://profiles.ucl.ac.uk/48122-andrew-tolmiehttps://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-tolmie-1ab21522/?originalSubdomain=ukhttp://www.educationalneuroscience.org.uk/about-us/cen-research-group-2/prof-andrew-tolmie/ 📩 Enjoyed this episode? Share it with another parent or educator, and don’t forget to subscribe for more conversations on learning, motivation and student wellbeing.👉 Interested in personalised academic coaching? Book a free 30-minute consultation via my website: https://www.york-weaving-education.co.uk/

Is your child drifting through the school week - rushing homework at the last minute, staying up too late and never quite finding balance?In this episode of Academic Coaching for Parents, I share how to design your child’s ideal week: a simple, flexible framework that helps them know what to do and more importantly when. Not a rigid timetable, but a rhythm that reduces stress, supports focus and builds healthy habits for the school year ahead.🎧 In this episode, you’ll discover:✅ Why predictable routines help children feel secure and reduce procrastination✅ How to structure after-school time: breaks, homework, dinner and evening wind-downs✅ The surprising link between family mealtimes, connection and academic outcomes✅ Why phones should be set aside in the evening to protect rest and focus✅ A simple starting point: protecting one anchor routine (like homework start time or bedtime) before building the restWhether your child is just settling into secondary school or preparing for exams, this episode will give you practical strategies to bring structure, balance and calm into the week.🔗 Links & Resources📩 Enjoyed this episode? Share it with another parent or educator and subscribe for more practical strategies.👉 Book a free 30-minute consultation to explore how academic coaching can transform your child’s learning: https://www.york-weaving-education.co.uk/

Why does your child’s learning sometimes surge ahead, only to stall or even dip the next year? And what’s really happening in the brain during these uneven stages of growth?In this episode of Academic Coaching for Parents, I’m joined by Professor Rogier Kievit, Professor of Developmental Neuroscience at the Donders Institute, Radboud University Medical Center. Rogier’s groundbreaking research reveals how children’s and teenagers’ brains develop, why cognitive growth doesn’t follow a straight line and what this means for learning and academic success.🎧 In this conversation, you’ll learn:✅ Why children’s learning often comes in spurts and plateaus, and what’s really happening in the brain when progress seems to stall.✅ How vocabulary, reasoning and numerical skills reinforce one another through a process called mutualistic coupling.✅ The role of white matter and cortical changes in shaping how adolescents learn and think.✅ Why adolescence is such a distinctive, and sometimes challenging, period for executive function, motivation and decision-making.✅ How lifestyle factors like sleep, physical activity and social experiences influence brain development.✅ The Watershed Model of intelligence: how brain structure, executive functions and reasoning abilities connect like streams flowing into a river.Whether you’re supporting a child through secondary school, preparing for exams or simply trying to understand the ups and downs of adolescence, this conversation will give you science-backed insights into how the brain develops - and how you can nurture your child’s learning along the way.🔗 Links & ResourcesProfessor Rogier Kievithttps://www.mps-ucl-centre.mpg.de/people/rogier-kievithttps://oecs.mit.edu/pub/lcfp611b/release/2?readingCollection=9dd2a47dhttps://lifespancognitivedynamics.com/people.html📩 If you found this episode helpful, share it with another parent or educator, and subscribe for more science-based conversations on learning and student success.👉 Interested in personalised academic coaching with me? Book a free 30-minute consultation via my website: https://www.york-weaving-education.co.uk/

Why do teenagers sometimes struggle to plan ahead, stay focused or see things from someone else’s point of view? And how can parents support them through these changes?In this episode of Academic Coaching for Parents, I’m joined by Professor Iroise Dumontheil, Professor of Psychology and ARC Future Fellow at the University of Melbourne. Her groundbreaking research explores how the adolescent brain develops - from executive function and working memory to metacognition, social cognition and peer influence, and what this means for learning and education.🎧 In this conversation, you’ll learn:✅ What executive function is, how it develops in adolescence and why it matters for school success✅ Why metacognition - “thinking about thinking” - is a key ability that shapes how teenagers learn and grow✅ Why maths and science concepts can feel “counterintuitive,” and how the Stop and Think approach helps students master them✅ How being watched by peers affects teenagers’ performance at school and behaviour✅ How teenagers develop empathy and perspective-taking, and how parents can nurture this growth at homeThis episode is packed with insights from neuroscience to help you understand the teenage brain and practical ways to support your child’s learning, confidence, and wellbeing.🔗 Links & ResourcesProfessor Iroise Dumontheil https://cbcd.bbk.ac.uk/people/affiliated/iroise-dumontheilhttps://findanexpert.unimelb.edu.au/profile/1059318-iroise-dumontheilhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/iroise-dumontheil-3301362a4/?originalSubdomain=auhttps://sites.google.com/site/idcnlab/?pli=1https://unlocke.org/📩 If you found this episode helpful, share it with another parent or educator, and subscribe for more science-based conversations on learning and student success.👉 Interested in personalised academic coaching with me? Book a free 30-minute consultation via my website: https://www.york-weaving-education.co.uk/

What if stimulating the brain could help unlock learning, especially for children who struggle the most?In this episode of Academic Coaching for Parents, I’m joined by Professor Roi Cohen Kadosh, Head of the School of Psychology at the University of Surrey and a world-leading cognitive neuroscientist. His pioneering research explores how safe, non-invasive brain stimulation can boost learning, particularly in mathematics and why students who often fall behind may benefit the most.🎧 In this episode, we discuss:✅ What non-invasive brain stimulation actually is and how it works in safe research settings✅ Why children who start off weaker often show the biggest improvements when stimulation is combined with training✅ How changes in brain chemistry shape learning ✅ How neuroscience research helps explain maths anxiety, learning differences and the “Matthew effect” in education✅ What parents can do at home to support their child’s learning more effectivelyThis episode reveals how neuroscience is reshaping the way we understand education, and what that means for parents and teachers supporting students every day.🔗 Links & ResourcesProfessor Roi Koden Kadosh Profileshttps://www.surrey.ac.uk/people/roi-cohen-kadoshhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roi_Cohen_Kadoshhttps://www.psy.ox.ac.uk/people/roi-cohenkadoshhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/roi-cohen-kadosh-22a29a195/?originalSubdomain=ukCognite Neurotechnology - https://www.cogniteneuro.com/👉 Interested in personalised academic coaching with me? Book a free 30-minute consultation via my website:https://www.york-weaving-education.co.uk📩 Enjoyed this episode? Share it with another parent, and don’t forget to subscribe for more conversations on learning, study skills and student wellbeing.

As the new academic year begins, many parents are asking themselves: does my child need a tutor?For years, tutoring has been the “go-to” solution when students underperform. But here’s the truth: tutoring often falls short. It repeats the same content children already hear in school, without ever addressing the real reasons behind academic underperformance.In this episode, I’m sharing why tutoring alone is outdated and how academic coaching transforms learning by teaching children how to actually study, a skill rarely taught, instead of just repeating the same content over and over again.🎧 In this episode, you’ll learn:✅ Why tutoring is an outdated model that focuses on content, not the real causes of academic underperformance✅ Why school struggles are rarely about missing knowledge and what’s usually going on instead✅ Why studying is a skill that schools don’t teach, and how mastering it changes everything✅ How academic coaching looks at the whole child, motivation, focus, balance, stress, study strategies and helps them turn it all around✅ Practical ways academic coaching helps students perform better, enjoy studying and feel confident they are using the right methodsTutoring can only go so far. Academic coaching gives children lifelong skills they can carry into school, exams, university and beyond.Whether your child is stepping into a new school year or preparing for major exams, this episode will show how academic coaching can transform not just grades, but motivation, confidence and their academic journey.🔗 Links & Resources👉 Interested in personalised academic coaching? Book a free 30-minute consultation via my website:https://www.york-weaving-education.co.uk📩 Enjoyed this episode? Share it with another parent, and don’t forget to subscribe for more conversations on learning, study skills, and student wellbeing.

⭐ What if the secrets to thriving in school were the same as performing under pressure in elite sport?In this episode, I’m joined by chartered psychologist and co-author of The Science of Learning, Bradley Busch. Bradley shares powerful insights from his work across education and elite sport, helping us understand how the brain learns best, what truly drives motivation and why academic resilience matters more than ever.Together, we unpack evidence-based strategies parents can use to help their child manage stress, improve focus and build executive function skills like planning and self-regulation, especially during the demanding secondary school years.🎙️ In this episode, you’ll learn:✅ What cognitive load theory tells us about learning and overwhelm✅ How sports psychology techniques can help students handle exam pressure✅ Why motivation isn't just about willpower and how to support it at home✅ The building blocks of academic resilience (and how to strengthen them) ✅ How and when to praise effectively and why it matters for long-term motivation✅ Why a “high challenge, high support” environment helps students become more resilientBradley also shares exciting developments in cognitive science and offers practical advice for any parent who wants to better support their child’s learning, confidence and wellbeing.🔗 Links & Resources:Bradley Busch LinkedIn Profile https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradley-busch/Inner Drive Website https://www.innerdrive.co.uk/📚 Bradley’s book The Science of Learning is available on most major bookselling platforms📩 Enjoyed this episode? Please share it with another parent or educator, and don’t forget to subscribe for more conversations on academic success and student wellbeing.👉 Interested in personalised academic coaching? Book a free 30-minute consultation via my website: https://www.york-weaving-education.co.uk