Eating Together, Learning Together – Dr Clare Bailey Mosley Returns to Bryanston

Old Bryanstonian Dr Clare Bailey Mosley stepped back onto the Bryanston campus this week for a day of nostalgia, practical insight, and a call to put family mealtimes back at the heart of daily life. Between meetings with the pastoral care team, the catering department, pupil leaders from the Food Committee, and the Heads of School, including the Wellbeing Prefect, Dr Bailey Mosley toured her former boarding house, Greenleaves, and sat down in the BryRadio studio for an interview with Mr Berton.

Reflecting on her school days, Dr Mosley was candid about the challenges she faced. “I have ADHD, so I found learning quite a challenge at Bryanston until my tutor taught me how to learn better,” she said. “He suggested active learning to stop me switching off and staring out of the window. My reports often said I could do better and should keep the party spirit out of the classroom. I was quite an exuberant pupil.” That early nudge toward finding a learning style that worked for her proved foundational.

After leaving Bryanston, Dr Mosley attended medical school and went on to practise as a GP for 30 years. She raised four children and developed a longstanding interest in parenting skills. Later, she worked alongside her late husband, Dr Michael Mosley, a doctor, journalist and broadcaster best known for his science programmes for the BBC and for his work on diets and healthy eating.

“He coined the 5:2 idea – eat normally for five days a week and cut back on two – and we collaborated on books and resources,” she noted. In recent years she moved further into publishing, helping readers translate nutritional science into practical routines. Their son, Jack Mosley, also a doctor has now “taken up the baton,” most recently with his book Food Noise, which challenges the ‘wild west’ of using weight-loss drugs without adequate support. “The message is always to have a healthy lifestyle programme,” Dr Mosley emphasised.

She pointed to The Fast 800 approach as one such framework, prioritising sufficient protein and fibre to support fat loss while protecting muscle mass and overall health. “It’s not just about losing weight,” she said. “It’s about staying well.”

Dr Mosley and Dr Jack delivered a joint talk that dovetailed with her latest book, Eating Together: A Recipe for healthier, happier Families. The premise is simple. Regular shared meals strengthen bodies, minds, and relationships.

“If you get the family bit right and eat good food together, you see fewer issues on many fronts. Less obesity, better academic outcomes and vocab, fewer eating disorders, and better mental health,” she explained. “Parents model how their children respond to nutrition and how we eat.”

The book features 70 easy, delicious recipes but, as she stresses, it’s about much more than what’s on the plate. Modern family schedules pull people in different directions; mealtimes stitch them back together. One of her favourite table tools from her own busy household is wonderfully low-tech. “If everyone’s talking at once, pass an orange around. You speak only when you’re holding the orange. Keep it positive and warm. Mealtimes aren’t the moment to tackle conflict.”

Since her husband’s tragic death last year, Dr Mosley has had to re-imagine her own mealtime rituals. “The irony is I’ve written this book, and now I often eat alone,” she said gently. “So every Friday I invite friends who happen to be around to pop in for supper. I find ways to connect, and I’m lucky to have two very close friends who are also bereaved – we often drop in on each other. Food is very bonding. We forget that we must celebrate more over food. It’s the greatest way to bring people together.”

What stood out most on her return was Bryanston’s holistic, thoughtful approach to food and wellbeing. “It’s been so inspiring to come back and see how sophisticated the approach to nutrition is at Bryanston,” she said. “A lot of thought goes into it, and it shows. Well done to the team here – they’ve nailed it.”

As for what’s next, she’s embracing a rare season of openness. “At the moment I’m floating a bit. I have a fantastic family and a network of amazing friends who’ve been very supportive. I’m going with the flow,” she says.

You can listen to the full interview with Dr Mosley and BryRadio here.