STAA Summer Event 2025 - Sat 16th August - In Person (Perth)

When the child’s world is interrupted by the teacher, a rupture is created in which the child has the opportunity to turn up as their true self in relation to the world. But when education is shaped by rigid systems, many of us come to a painful realisation: we were never "good enough" to begin with. The very process designed to help us grow often leaves us wounded instead. Over generations, these wounds have become woven into the fabric of our culture and they become normalised, rewarded and even perpetuated to uphold dominant narratives. But as individuals who have experienced this firsthand, what role do we play in sustaining this cycle? And as Transactional Analysts, how can we rewrite the narrative to help ourselves and others tend these educational wounds?

In this workshop, you’ll be invited to explore your personal learning script and the unconscious beliefs formed through education exploring how they may have shaped your transitions through life. What key messages have you absorbed along the way that may have shaped your identity? How have they influenced you as an adult learner, practitioner, or trainer? Through a blend of new and existing models, we will deepen our awareness of how education has shaped our identity and consider strategies for supporting ourselves and others during moments of transition in order to create a more empowering path forward.

Cat Cornthwaite is an Educational Transactional Analyst based in High Peak, Derbyshire, with a passion for exploring alternative narratives in education. With extensive experience in mainstream secondary education, she has worked both in the classroom and beyond, supporting the professional development of teachers across the UK and internationally.

Her work extends into campaigns for systemic change in UK education, advocating for more relational and transformative approaches to teaching and learning. A key area of her work is how Transactional Analysis can enhance the relational aspects of education, improving both student-teacher dynamics and professional development.

Within the TA community, she provides individual and small-group tutoring, offering support on content revision and academic writing for those working towards TA accreditation. Additionally, she contributes to research and writing projects, exploring developments in Educational TA theory and its applications.

Useful information on how to find us

Perth station is a 12 minute walk to our venue, or a 4 minute drive, there is a taxi rank at the station.

The entrance for our event is around the back of the cathedral- accesed from Atholl Street.

Parking is available nearby at several locations- some are cash only so be aware of this.