How to Inspire Children to Love Learning Again | The Boardroom

from The Boardroom with Richard Farleigh · host Richard Farleigh

What happens when the traditional education system fails a child? In this episode of The Boardroom, Richard Farleigh sits down with Stephen Simpson, founder of Forest Schooling UK — a radically different approach to education designed for children who’ve been excluded, misunderstood, or left behind. Instead of rigid classrooms and strict curriculums, Stephen’s schools focus on trust, emotional regulation, and child-led learning — all set in nature. From adopting a child with behavioural challenges to building a full-time school backed by the Department for Education, Stephen’s journey is as powerful as the results he’s seeing. This is more than education... it’s transformation. Richard also writes a free weekly newsletter about business, investing and entrepreneurship. You can read it here: https://richardfarleigh.substack.com. 📲 Follow Richard Farleigh: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/richardfarleigh/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-farleigh-7a0a1616/ TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@richardfarleighhq 🔔 Subscribe for weekly conversations on entrepreneurship, investing, strategy, and the real side of business. CHAPTERS 00:00 – Introduction 00:20 – Meet Stephen Simpson & Forest Schooling UK 01:30 – What Is a Forest School? 03:00 – The Children Traditional Schools Can’t Help 03:45 – A Typical Day: Trust Before Teaching 05:20 – Why Their “3 Rs” Are Different 05:45 – The Personal Story That Started It All 08:20 – Turning a Small Club Into a School 10:10 – Opening a Full-Time Forest School 11:10 – Ofsted, Paperwork & Legitimacy 12:00 – Non-Profit Model & Business Reality 13:00 – The Hidden Challenge of Growth 14:20 – Funding, Land & Building the School 15:25 – Measuring Success Without Exams 16:20 – Why GCSEs Aren’t the Priority 17:30 – The Problem With Memorisation in Schools 18:30 – Why Imagination Matters More Than Ever 19:00 – Kids Who Don’t Know How to Play 20:00 – Confidence, Personality & Social Skills 21:20 – Trauma, Care System & Childhood Impact 24:15 – The Power of One Teacher 26:00 – Why This Work Matters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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