There’s a Genius in Every Child: Rethinking Education, Confidence & Life Skills with Aatif Hassan, Duke’s Education

What if the child who struggles in school today is actually sitting on their greatest strength?

In this powerful episode of The School Run, Jane sits down with education leader and founder of Dukes Education, Aatif, to explore what education gets right… and what it’s still missing.

From being expelled at 13 to building a global education group, this is a story of resilience, belief, and the power of the right teacher at the right time.

Together, Jane and Aatif dive into:

• ​ Why ADHD and dyslexia can be superpowers
• ​ The life-changing impact of one great teacher
• ​ What a truly great school feels like
• ​ Why confidence is the foundation of everything
• ​ The missing pieces in education:

👉 emotional literacy

👉 financial literacy

👉 digital wisdom

• ​ How the military shaped leadership, resilience and decision-making
• ​ Why failure might be the most important thing we teach children
• ​ The importance of human connection in an AI-driven world

You’ll also hear:

• ​ Why children should have a voice in shaping education
• ​ The concept of a “bounce quotient” (and why it matters more than IQ)
• ​ What Aatif would say to his younger self
• ​ And the one simple habit every child should build early: reading

​@dukes_education

Linkedin ………. dukes-education

Dukes Education is the largest premium education group in the UK and one of the fastest-growing families of schools in Europe. Dukes Education was founded by Aatif Hassan in 2015 to give young people an outstanding start in life.

The Dukes family now has 63 education brands and over 80 settings, across 11 countries, supporting more than 24,000 pupils and nearly 5,000 staff. Dukes also operates a number of leading summer short courses, university and medical school consultancies, immersive career experience providers, and one-to-one student support offerings, creating a cradle-to-career suite of services.

💬 Jane’s Reflection:

“This episode reminded me that every child has something incredible to share we just need to create the space for it to be seen.”

🎧 Whether you’re a parent, educator, or someone passionate about helping young people thrive, this conversation will leave you thinking differently about what success really looks like.

Podcasts for us are all about learning and sharing, of course free to listen to.

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Links: For information on Jane’s company Little Voices head to http://www.littlevoices.org.uk⁠⁠

@littlevoiceslimited

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Disclaimer: All views expressed in this podcast are of the participants themselves. The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this podcast are for general information only and any reliance on the information provided in this podcast is done at your own risk. We are just a mum and daughter, sharing their thoughts and chatting with guests that we really respect and sharing our personal stories and insights. Please seek professional advice if you need it.

This episode is edited by Mike Roberts of Making Digital Real