This is not so much Part 2 of our tribute to Juliet Robertson, but more of a separate podcast in its own right.

We found that Mark Paterson had so much to contribute to our first episode, that we never managed to fit it all in, so we invited him back!

Mark is the curator at Aberdeen’s Cruikshank Botanical Garden, and you can hear the story of how he and Juliet met and how they worked so perfectly as a team. Between them they have made it a real centre of learning.

On this episode Mark is joined by Mandy Tulloch, an outdoor learning specialist in Aberdeenshire who runs Mud Pie Adventures, weekly nature classes for 2 to 5-year-olds and works in four primary schools in Aberdeen, using their grounds to support children’s development and learning.

Given that background we focus on outdoor learning, but, inevitably, we range more widely. It is another warm, lively conversation that really adds to our earlier tribute to Juliet.

Find out more about some of the things we mention here:

Mud Pie Adventures: https://www.mudpieadventures.co.uk/

Cruikshank Botanical Garden: https://www.abdn.ac.uk/about/campus/old-aberdeen/cruickshank-botanic-garden/

Juliet Robertson, awarded honorary degree by Queen Margaret University: https://www.qmu.ac.uk/news-and-events/news/2024/20240702-outdoor-learning-trailblazer-juliet-robertson-awarded-honorary-degree-by-queen-margaret-university/

Part one of an exceptional edition of the Crown House EduTalk Podcast

One that marks the amazing contribution of Juliet Robertson, one of the most effective and successful authors with whom we have ever been associated.

Juliet wrote three books for us. Dirty Teaching and Messy Maths are both outdoor learning titles which have seen tremendous success and capture much of the wider work that Juliet did to promote outdoor education

Blood Lines our first poetry publication was a significant departure, both for Juliet and for us. It is a collection of poems describing her experience of living with terminal cancer

We believe that all of these books are remarkable, but we know that Juliet’s contribution to education went far beyond the printed word. She was a teacher, a headteacher, a trainer, a mentor and campaigner. Her website https://creativestarlearning.co.uk/ was a groundbreaking source of advice, resources and support and is now managed on her behalf

Juliet’s death in December unleashed an outpouring of admiration, appreciation, love and grief and we wanted to honour that with our own tribute to her life in education as a friend, colleague and supporter

It took two podcasts to even begin to capture who Juliet was

This first one features Ian Gilbert, founder of Independent Thinking. Juliet was an associate with Independent Thinking and part of the family of consultants that Ian values enormously. It also includes Dr Cathy Francis from the University of Aberdeen who knew Juliet from her time in teaching and who sees her as a seminal influence on education in Scotland and beyond. Finally, we have contributions from Juliet’s husband, Mark Paterson who brings a wonderfully deep personal element to the conversation. We are grateful to all who took time to share their memories and anecdotes

This is an episode full of joy, a genuine and moving celebration of an amazing educator and lovely person, please listen and then enjoy these links:

The Last word: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m002pqgs

The Out of Doors Podcast: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002k306

The Juliet Robertson Interview with David Cameron: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eH4lshDoUWE

The Taking Action with Juliet Robertson: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1uEnoyCz3mvuahdMhMCD6x?go=1&sp_cid=7cb39b058bbdaa10b9bfa681609d9317&utm_source=embed_player_p&utm_medium=desktop&nd=1&dlsi=94e1eada5c1a46c6

We’re already on episode 5 of the Crown House EduTalk podcast, and this is our very first, not to mention “Unfinished Business – the Life and Legacy of Sir Tim Brighouse” (something David Cameron never misses a chance to plug!).

To make up for it, we have an outstanding guest addressing some of today’s most pressing education issues.

Graham Chatterley brings a wealth of experience as a teacher, school leader, and supporter of disadvantaged children and young people. He draws on his book Changing Perceptions and his work with his company of the same name to discuss behaviour, relationships, attendance, and motivation.

What also sets Graham apart is his perspective as a parent of a child with significant additional support needs. He understands SEND from both sides, offering remarkable insights into diagnosis, over-diagnosis, and school-parent relationships.

This episode is full of thought-provoking ideas and practical advice—truly not to be missed.