Authors

Thomas Michael

Thomas Michael is a safeguarding and welfare officer in a secondary school.

All articles by Thomas Michael
What teachers need to know about ‘looksmaxxing’
Safeguarding lead Thomas Michael explains the terms to listen out for that indicate boys may be consuming harmful manosphere content on social media
General
29 June 2026
Action figure getting botox
Should schools still be posting images of students online?
The rise of AI means it’s now easier than ever for online images to be misused, leaving schools in a precarious position when it comes to their presence on social media, warns safeguarding lead Thomas Michael
General
9 February 2026
Woman with mobile phone
The rise of nihilistic violent extremist groups: what schools need to know
Online groups such as 764 try to coerce young people into harming themselves and operate on popular social media platforms, warns safeguarding lead Thomas Michael
General
12 January 2026
Girl scared looking at phone
What does the latest Prevent data mean for schools?
More young people are being referred to the UK’s counter-terrorism programme, and this has implications for school safeguarding, says Thomas Michael
Secondary
10 December 2025
St George's flag on lampost
AI ‘girlfriend’ apps: what teachers need to know
AI apps that simulate romantic relationships present a number of hidden dangers, says safeguarding lead Thomas Michael, who explains what schools can do to help protect students
Secondary
27 October 2025
Ani - ai girlfriend
How to answer questions about controversial topics
Politicised debates around events like the assassination of Charlie Kirk can prompt difficult questions in class. Safeguarding lead Thomas Michael sets out how teachers should respond
Secondary
23 September 2025
Glass question mark