15/06/2026
Watching Bertie put on his Austin Friars uniform for the last time hit me harder than I expected. It wasn’t his final GCSE exam that got me, but everything that uniform has come to represent.
I won’t be posting on results day because, honestly, the outcome is largely irrelevant to me.
After the first lockdown, we made the difficult decision to move schools because of the lack of SEND support we were experiencing in the state system. Bertie is dyslexic, and despite private assessments, endless EHCP battles and trying to advocate for him, what broke my heart wasn’t his academic struggles. It was watching his spark disappear. A little boy who loved learning was losing confidence in himself.
We weren’t looking for perfection. We just wanted our son to be understood and supported.
Bertie went for a trial day at Austin Friars and came out announcing he was staying. Slightly awkward considering the campsite was closed, we’d invested everything into the business, and I had absolutely no idea how we were going to pay for it.
I still remember Mr G saying, “How the f**k are we going to pay that, Rebecca?”
Needless to say, the hair extensions and fake eyelashes didn’t survive the school fees.
But sometimes, as parents, you just know.
At the same time, we were building Camping at Cardewlees. People often arrive on site expecting a team behind the scenes, only to realise it’s still just me and Johnny cleaning the toilets, pulling pints behind the bar, cutting the grass, changing beds and driving around in our questionable fleet of sh*tcars.
What many people don’t realise is that every booking they’ve ever made with us has helped make this possible.
Our greatest achievement has never been the campsite. It has always been our children.
We chose to invest everything we had into their education. Not because we believe private education is a right or a privilege, but because for some children with SEND needs, it can become an absolute necessity. This is just our experience, and I know there are incredible people working within the state sector, but after years of fighting for support, I honestly lost hope in a system that too often leaves families exhausted and children falling through the cracks.
So if you’ve ever stayed with us, bought a coffee from the café, had a pint in the bar or booked one of our pitches, thank you. You probably don’t realise the part you’ve played in our family’s story, but you have made a difference to all of our lives and certainly to our children’s futures.
From that point on, I watched Bertie flourish. His love of learning returned. His confidence came back. Most importantly, he started believing in himself again.
At 16, he knows who he is. He understands how he learns, advocates for himself, and doesn’t let dyslexia define him. Is he going to be top of every class? Probably not. And honestly, who cares?
This journey has never been about grades. It’s been about raising a happy, resilient young man who enjoys school. In six years, I’ve never had to fight to get him through the gates.
No school journey is perfect, but throughout ours, Bertie has been supported brilliantly by staff, and as parents, we’ve felt supported too. Friday morning school breakfasts, teachers who became friends, and knowing there were people who genuinely had his back have meant more than they’ll ever know.
Austin Friars has given Bertie incredible opportunities. He’s travelled to San Gimignano, been skiing, thrown himself into hockey, rugby and sports days, kept Stafford House’s winning streak alive, and been supported to pursue his passion for refereeing.
He’s also apparently hosted half of Year 11 at our house over the years!
Perhaps the greatest sign of how far he’s come is that he now has the confidence to choose a different path for sixth form. Not because he doesn’t love Austin Friars, but because I genuinely think it completed its job two years early.
He’s ready. Ready to challenge himself, play more rugby, and embrace whatever comes next.
Bertie, I couldn’t be prouder of you. Your GCSE results will never define your worth. The kind, funny, determined and resilient young man you’ve become is your greatest achievement.
Although I do still laugh at you coming out of your maths exam completely baffled by triangles. 😂
Thank you, Austin Friars, for helping him believe in himself again and helping to raise him into the boy he is.
And if there are any parents reading this who are struggling within the state education system, fighting for SEND support, or simply feeling lost about what to do next, please reach out. I’m not an expert, but I am someone who has walked that path and I’m always happy to share our experience if it helps another family.
Now, onto the next chapter at Barnard Castle School ❤️
