If you’re reading the book, booking me to speak, or quietly cheering from the sidelines – thank you. You’re part of the story.
#yearinreview #2026 #keynotespeaker #femalekeynotespeaker #everydayheroes
🎁 Somewhere in between, I made my own Kintaugi bowl, appeared on Strictly Come Dancing (audience only!), and crocheted three blankets, two jackets and an octopus.
So that was 2025.
Being 10% braver. Deepening community. Finding unexpected joy 🌱
🎉 I hosted my first international retreat in Morocco, recorded 101 episodes of Spill the Spirituality, and mentored care-experienced young people to find their voice – one of the greatest honours of my year.
And yes… I found Mrs Cook. If you know, you know.
🍿 The documentary Re-Story Your Life found its way into the world and started winning awards in UK, Miami, LA and Cannes! I’ve since been filming mini-docs showcasing schools, Trust and education organisations who amplify the messages in my book.
❤️ Because of You, This Is Me stopped being “my book” and became our conversation – published, launched, reprinted within five months, shortlisted for its first award, and read, recorded and released on Audible.
🇺🇸 With a brilliant American team at Outspoken Agency, I do more gigs in the US and was invited to give the opening keynote at the prestigious IASB. Conference
🎓 I was also awarded two honorary doctorates for services to education and public life. Still feels surreal.
📚 From education conferences to Specsavers, VIP book launches, and Festival of Education moments, with audiences ranging from multi-academy trusts to sales teams and female entrepreneurs.
🎤 This year I “got about a bit”, as my dear old Nan would say, speaking at 90 events across the UK, France, Spain, Norway and the USA.
⚽️ Five arenas, six football stadiums… still no grasp of the offside rule.
2025 – a year I won’t forget in a hurry 💛
Every December invites reflection. Here’s mine – human first, slightly chaotic, and yes, involving a crocheted octopus.
Image is me with the incredible Luke Rodgers BEM check out his work!
My words won’t do it justice, so if you want to find out the importance of teachers, staff in schools, and the culture and ethos you create around relationships and belonging, and the impact it can have on a young person's life …… go go go, this is a must!!!"
Every teacher and senior leader in a school should read this. It’s raw, witty, deeply sad, but oh so thought-provoking.
"I finished your book, Dr Jaz Ampaw-Farr, a few days ago and have been thinking what to write …. And I honestly have so many thoughts, feelings, want to shout at systems, laugh, cry and everything in between.
Everyone should read this.
I want to see a revolution in our eductaion system where students and staff can both flourish! If you feel the same, grab my book from Amazon or why not take me on a jog - it's now available to download from Audible!
I'm a bit of a fan-girl of Virtual School Head Donna Chapman, so to read this on her LinkedIn profile was a red-letter moment!
You truly are an inspiration.'
All of our new starters will be getting a copy of this book. We can all have training, but this book unlocks immediate empathy and understanding. Invaluable.
Thank you, Jaz, for sharing and for being so brave and for overcoming such a challenging childhood.
This beautifully written book is a story, a life lesson, a study in understanding, an inspiration in what people can overcome and a guide to how the people who look after children can make small but powerful differences.
and then this book. A book that shares the story of an abusive and neglected childhood and the everyday heroes who can make such a huge difference.
A huge thank you to Carmel Jane Saulbrey for this review of my book.
'Because Of You, This Is Me' is on its first re-print and is also now available on Audible - read by yours truly!
"Powerful. My journey in the children's care sector has been both humbling and fascinating...
Let’s grow humans, not just students.
Because at the end of the day — it’s not them and us.
They are us.
I wrote Because of You, This Is Me as a thank-you note to the teachers who saved my life — but it’s also a mirror.
Every educator has that same power.
You don’t have to rescue every child — just refuse to give up.
The ripple effect lasts a lifetime.
💛 Let’s flourish together.
If they win, we all win.
💡 In this age of AI, machines can replicate knowledge — so our job is to nurture what machines can’t:
Creativity. Courage. Connection.
That’s the Human Revolution we can all get behind.
All crew. No passengers.
It’s time for a 100-year education plan — one that transcends politics and belongs to people: educators, parents, students — the humans at the heart of it all.
Let’s face it, these kids will be the ones doing our hip replacements and writing the code that keeps the lights on.
Those five people — my Everyday Heroes — are why I’m here today.
🔥 We’re educating children in a system built for a world that no longer exists, to prepare them for one we can’t yet imagine.
At its core, it’s about creating a life you don’t need to regularly escape from.
That line hits hard. I grew up in chaos — abuse, neglect, hunger, fear — yet five ordinary teachers reached through the noise and changed everything.
They were human first and professional second.
💭 It asks the glorious question:
How do children, young people and the adults who teach them truly flourish?
Flourishing isn’t test scores or inspection frameworks — it’s living well as humans.
Developing wisdom. Purpose. Belonging. Joy.
Their publication Flourishing Together: A Collective Vision for Education made me want to stand on a chair and cheer 🙌
It says what so many of us have felt in our bones for years:
Education is about human flourishing, not just academic success.
🌱 It’s Time for a Human Revolution in Education
I’m back at the ICC today speaking at the Confederation of School Trusts — that’s 1000 everyday heroes ready for a human revolution in UK education!
