My name is Joe and I am an education geek. I love thinking, reading and writing about education. Education changed my life and is my life. I love talking about education with anyone who wants to know more.

I started teaching and working in schools at the age of 21 – living and working on a remote island in Japan as part of the JET Programme. After another two year stint working in Shanghai I returned to the UK and trained to teach through Teach First. I was placed in a large academy in Hull, qualified as a teacher and completed my Masters in Education at the University of Manchester. I then moved to East London to a start-up Free School. I worked in this school for eight years, first as a head of department and then on the Senior Leadership Team. I am currently working for a Multi-Academy Trust designing teacher training courses. 

My partner has also been a teacher her whole career and we met working in the same school!

I have recently become a dad. Like you, my partner and I are keen for our son to have a great school experience.

However, one thing I have noticed since becoming a dad – and being inducted into the world of parents – is we have a clearer view of the type of education we want for our son, why we want this type of education and what to look for in schools. 

We understand the differences between all of the different school options and the pros and cons of each. It is not only that we know more details about schools, it is that we know how to find out the information we need to make an informed choice about our son’s education.

I want you to have this information too.