Ep241. ft. Paul Collin - The School Culture Crisis: Why Attendance, Discipline & Trust Are Breaking Down (Part 1)

What if poor attendance, worsening behavior, and teacher burnout are not separate problems—but symptoms of the same broken school culture? And what if rebuilding a school starts with something as simple—and as difficult—as making people feel that they belong? In Part 1 of this powerful conversation, Mike sits down with educational leader, coach, and former headteacher Paul Collin to examine what is really happening inside schools struggling with attendance, discipline, trust, staff pressure, and disengagement. With 28 years in education, Paul brings a leadership perspective grounded in real school environments not leadership theory disconnected from reality. Together, they explore why some education systems become obsessed with test scores while neglecting school culture, why students begin emotionally checking out of education, and why data alone cannot explain what is happening behind the numbers. One of the most striking examples in this episode shows how a school improved attendance by changing something incredibly simple: leaders began standing at the entrance, greeting students personally, learning their names, and intentionally creating a better first experience of school...