Authors

Jean Gross

Jean Gross CBE is an independent consultant who has led national initiatives aimed at improving the learning, attainment and wellbeing of disadvantaged children and those with special educational needs.

A former teacher and educational psychologist, Jean was awarded a CBE in 2011 for services to education.

Gross is also a best-selling author who writes about children’s issues, including books such as Beating Bureaucracy in Special Educational Needs and Improving Behaviour and Wellbeing in Primary Schools.

All articles by Jean Gross

How can schools measure ‘belonging’?

There’s a growing focus on increasing pupils’ sense of ‘belonging’ in schools, but to succeed we need to find ways to ‘operationalise’ the concept, writes Jean Gross

General

2 February 2026

How to create autism-friendly classrooms that benefit everyone

From simple changes to school decor to self-regulation training, inclusive practices can have a huge impact without breaking the bank

Specialist Sector

2 March 2025

The attendance crisis: are pupils voting with their feet?

School climate and curriculum are contributing to the attendance crisis, suggests Jean Gross – and it’s time to do something about it

General

4 January 2024

The attendance crisis: are pupils voting with their feet?

SEND: a label worth having?

With more and more pupils identified as having special educational needs, Jean Gross argues that ‘SEND’ is an increasingly useless label – and that it’s time for an alternative

Specialist Sector

28 December 2023

How do schools help the ‘unseen children’?

For years, policymakers have been talking about improving outcomes for disadvantaged white boys – a large proportion of the ‘forgotten third’ who fail maths and English – but so far little has changed. Based on her extensive experience of working with pupils in poverty, education psychologist and author Jean Gross offers her insight into what we need to do to raise attainment in the group

General

19 November 2021

3 wellbeing myths schools must avoid to help pupils

Wellbeing is higher on the agenda than ever before so it is vital schools are adopting practices that have real impact, which a new report suggests may not always be the case

21 July 2021