This week we talk to Will Millard, Head of Engagement at The Centre for Education and Youth about his research into assessment. In particular we discuss how schools can redress the balance so classroom teachers can focus on the activities that are most valuable for teaching and learning.
Will shares his experiences of how attitudes to assessment are shifting and gives some practical examples of how schools can test pupils understanding, while balancing teacher workload. He also talks about some examples of the different approaches to assessment he saw on a recent research trip to British Columbia.
This week we talk to Alan Eathorne, Headteacher, Husbands Bosworth CofE Primary School, and Stef Edwards, Trust Leader, Learn Academy Trust about how they have worked to build a collaborative culture and develop research informed practice.
We discuss how the trust has built relationships, capacity and ways of working across a group of 10 primary schools.
This podcast has been created in partnership with The Teacher Development Trust and is part of a series of interviews with school leaders who are working to develop great teaching.
This week we talk to Kate Atkins, Headteacher, Rosendale Primary and Research school and CEO Great North Wood Education Trust about how they have successfully used evidence informed practice at their school.
We discuss what it means to be a Research School and how to bridge the gap between academics and the classroom. Kate shares her advice on how to start involving staff in research and implementing new ideas. We also talk about the various approaches to teaching and learning they use at Rosendale including mixed attainment grouping and ReflectED the Metacognition programme they have developed.
You can find out more about the work of the Rosendale Research school on their website.
This week we talk to Anna Trethewey, Executive Director at The Centre for Education and Youth about flexible working.
We consider the differences between part-time working and flexible working, the culture needed for it to be successful and the increasingly important role flexible working could play in teacher retention. We also explore the role tech can have in helping schools to arrange timetabling and deliver staff CPD more flexibly and how schools can go about trialling some of these innovative working practices.
This week we talk to Mike Glanville, Director of Safeguarding Services and Martin Baker, CEO of MyConcern about trends they are observing in safeguarding. We also explore the challenges of fulfilling the role of DSL in the face of increased complexity and scrutiny.
Mike and Martin, both former senior police officers and school governors, offer some practical advice about working with external agencies, how governors can support a school’s approach and share their thoughts about future changes to safeguarding policy and practice.
This week we talk to Dr Sam Baars, Director of Research at The Centre for Education and Youth about their report “Inside the black box: How high-performing schools create a positive culture.”
We discuss how during the study of several schools researchers got ‘under the hood’ of school culture, and uncovered some big trends around the impact of consistency, use of data, governance and parental engagement on shaping a positive culture. Sam also offers some suggestions on how school leaders can evaluate their own school culture.
This week we talk to Toby Baker, Programme Manager – Education, at Nesta about their work to close the gap between the creators of technology and the users in schools.
We discuss the use of EdTech in schools and how schools can participate in Nesta’s EdTech Innovation Test-bed project. For further details click here.
This week we talk to Mandy Coalter, CEO of Talent Architects and Former Director of People at United Learning.
We discuss the role HR can play in making your school a great place to work and employees’ changing expectations of the workplace. Mandy also shares some practical tips about recruitment, retention and flexible working.
This week we talk to Tiffany Beck, Senior Consultant at PLMR and Chair of Trustees for Maritime Academy Trust.
We discuss Tiffany’s career in governance and her own experiences of founding and building a trust, as well as exploring some of the challenges governors face in their roles.
This week we talk to Nicola West Jones, Head of Market Research at The Key about our recent report, “Trust expansion: overcoming growing pains.”
We learn more about trust leaders’ motivations, priorities and plans for growth as well as exploring the challenges and benefits associated with trusts taking on more schools.
To read the full report click here.
This week we speak to Dr Emma Kell, Educator and author of “How to Survive in Teaching without Imploding, Exploding or Walking Away” and Bethany Eadie Content Producer at The Key about the challenges facing the teaching profession.
We talk about what prompted Emma to write her book and she shares observations from her research and campaigning.
This week we speak to Karen Wespiesser. Director of Operations at The Driver Youth Trust and Founder of #UKEdResChat, and Ruth Gafson, Content Editor at the Key, about some of the challenges facing school leaders when trying to provide a high quality education for all pupils.
We talk about what makes a school inclusive, teacher training, the role of the SENCO and what governors can do to hold their schools to account.
We spoke to Natasha Devon, writer, speaker and mental health campaigner about her work in schools and as a campaigner. We talk about the mental health issues faced by pupils and school staff today, as well as Natasha’s advice on what a school can do to take action on mental health.
Also, in the news this week: The grace period Ofsted promised to schools to develop their curriculum plans will not include the way primary schools teach the three Rs, KS2 interim results indicate girls widen the gender gap and more…
We speak to Jackie Bailey, Project Manager at WRAP and Recycle Now about what more school leaders can do to help promote recycling in schools.
Also, in the news this week: outstanding schools will no longer be exempt from routine Ofsted inspections, a rise in teacher starting salaries and more…
We speak to Laura McInerney, Co-founder of Teacher Tapp, former editor of Schools Week and Guardian Education columnist about her polling app and the top concerns of teachers today
Also, in the news this week: a leaked document has revealed potential Tory plans for schools, legal challenges over changes to the teacher pension scheme and more…
We speak to Kaley Foran, Lead Content Editor at The Key about how schools can deal with negative comments posted by parents on social media
Also, in the news this week: 2019 GCSE results stay ‘stable,’ less than one in five teachers think Ofsted is reliable and more…
We speak to David Weston, CEO of The Teacher Development Trust about how schools make improvements to teaching and learning and develop their staff.
Also, in the news this week: the number of girls taking science A-levels has overtaken boys for the first time ever, more pupils gaining top A* grades in English and maths and a record number of students expected to take up places on degrees through clearing.
We speak to Bethany Eadie, former primary school teacher and current Content Producer at The Key to discuss the introduction of the Year 4 multiplication tables check and the reception baseline assessment.
Also, in the news this week: schools serving the most disadvantaged children are set to miss out under Boris Johnson’s pledge to “level up” funding, a secret document revealing governor fear for schools chaos after a no-deal Brexit and more…
We speak to Richard Harley, CEO of ScholarPack about cloud technology in schools and the future of management information systems.
Also, in the news this week – Boris Johnson repeats his pledge to increase school funding, poor pupils lag 18 months behind their peers and more…