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You can lead a horse to water, but can you make it learn? Showing compassion as schools reopen.

Updated: Jun 29, 2021

With schools reopening and learning returning to the classroom, there is much talk about a ‘catch up’ curriculum with the possibility of an extended school day and summer schools being discussed. Within this blog, we approach the current situation through a trauma-informed lens and consider the importance of incorporating compassion within the classroom.


Much like the old proverb ‘you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink’, it’s important to remember that you can lead a child to the classroom, but you can’t make them learn. Whilst we often picture traumatic events to include one-off incidents like car crashes and ho