Key Voices

“The pandemic has given us the confidence to change, potentially in quite a quick way, to be creative in what we do and to focus on the most important things which, at the end of the day, are the children, the families and the staff.”    This week we talk to senior leaders at TEAM Education Trust: Sarah Baker, CEO, Alison Bingham, Director of Development, Rachel Watson, Associate Principal and Director of Education and Achievement, and Alan Brown, Principal, Model Village Primary.  We look back at the year gone since the start of the pandemic, think about the difference working together as a trust has made to them and hear about the plans they have currently underway to further develop their work on a wellbeing charter.    We talk about:  Their reflections on the previous year How the central team provided capacity to the schools The Trust’s approach to remote learning and how it has evolved over the course of the year The success of TEAM’s emphasis on parental involvement, including doing detailed in

“Nobody has asked me about how I, as an individual person, am feeling about the whole pandemic... because I am the headteacher and that is my job and that is what I do… I am the face of the school and that’s how I have to present. I don’t tend to share my opinion and feelings on a personal level, they tend to be more on a professional level because actually, it is not about me It’s about the children, the families and the staff.    This week we speak to Kate Owbridge, Executive Headteacher at Ashdown Primary School. She shares with us some of the lessons she has learned across 4 very different headships. Kate also includes some practical tips about engaging with school communities and school improvement. We briefly discuss engaging parents with remote learning, catch up and the challenges of leading a school community as they all return to school. We end with Kate enthusiastically explaining why she absolutely loves the work she does.    We talk about: The different schools Kate has led during her career

This week we talk to Cheryl Campbell, Business, Finance and Operations Director at Thomas Tallis School, Founder of ABBLed (Association BAME Business Leaders in Education) and Stephen Morales, CEO at ISBL, about the recently released ‘Exploring Ethnicity: School Business Leadership in England’ report.  We acknowledge that the report found very limited BAME representation in the school business profession and look at practical ways it can be increased. We also think about the lack of visibility of the school business profession and the ways in which that could be addressed. We talk about:  Cheryl’s journey into school business leadership  Why she created ABBLed and how it works with ISBL  The need for parity of esteem for school business leaders alongside leaders of teaching and learning  How to attract talent into the school business profession, including the importance of different routes in and wider access to training and qualifications Why it is important for BAME individuals to tell their storie

“It’s been brutal. I’ve never experienced anything like this in my career in terms of the intensity, speed of thought, emotional demands, holding a community together as best you can, while not really knowing the answers to the questions you are being asked. But at the same time, what’s been really clear is the strength of the community we work within and work for.”   This week we talk to Simon Knight, Joint Headteacher at Frank Wise School and National SEND Leader at Whole School SEND. We talk about his route into special school leadership and his experiences of running the school during the pandemic. We also talk more broadly about the structural inequality that impacts the lives and life chances of young people with special educational needs. We discuss how the education sector, other government departments and society as a whole, have much more work to do to make sure everyone has a place in society where they can contribute and feel valued.    We talk about:  What he loves about working with childre

  “The pandemic has shone so many lights on possibilities for how we could really harness flexible working. Historically, the infrastructure and organisational structures that we had within education were so deeply ingrained, that nobody dared challenge them… It’s thrown everything up into the air and has said, there is no aspect of our work... that we can’t explore doing in a different way.”   This week we talk to Emma Turner, author and Research & CPD Lead, about her book Let’s talk about Flex.  We hear about Emma’s experiences of working flexibly and how schools can benefit from offering their staff opportunities to work differently. We also bust some common myths along the way.  We consider how remote learning during the pandemic could actually accelerate the adoption of flexible working in education, a sector that still lags behind others when it comes to the number of people accessing flexible working.    We talk about:  The different ways in which Emma has worked flexibly during her career W

This week, in our 100th episode of the podcast,  we talk to Loic Menzies, CEO, Centre for Education and Youth (CFEY). We look back on Loic’s time creating and building the organisation as work begins around appointing his successor. We think about what has changed and shifted in education during the 12 years he has been running CFEY and look ahead to the forthcoming publication of his book “Young People on the Margins: Priorities for Action in Education and Youth”. We also consider what is needed to make sure all children and young people get the best start in life.    We talk about:  How the CFEY began and how it has developed over time What a “think and action tank” actually does and the impact their work has had  What has changed in education over the past 12 years  The focus of their work on young people on the margins  How Loic feels the wider services that used to support schools have been stripped away, leaving a “hollowed out” system The way that integrated action is needed to fully understand and add

This week we talk to Adam Arnell, Director, Oxfordshire Teaching Schools Alliance, Patrick Garton, Director Oxfordshire Teacher Training and Robbie Haddock, Associate Teacher. We discuss how their teacher training and CPD have had to adapt to provide a compelling remote offer. We consider the ways in which teachers training this year have benefited as well as some of the challenges they have faced. We look forward to the introduction of the Early Career Framework and think about how schools might want to prepare for it.   We talk about:  How Oxford Teaching Schools Alliance have developed to provide remote CPD  What it is like to be an associate teacher this year including how remote tools and practices can actually allow you to focus on and hone specific aspects of practice, in a way that can be more difficult in a traditional classroom setting  How being an associate teacher this year means there are a wealth of online CPD and networking opportunities that you can tap into How working with children in their

“However hard it’s been, and it has been very difficult most of the time, schools never stopped, not once, to put themselves first. At every moment they have done their civic duty. I think they are exceptional. I think they are a national treasure.”    This week we talk to Leora Cruddas, CEO of The Confederation of School Trusts (CST), about her views on the role of trusts in the education system and how CST has been supporting its members during COVID-19.  We think about the various ways in which schools in trusts have potentially fared better over the past year and consider some of the longer-term consequences of the pandemic.    We talk about:  Leora’s career journey and what motivates her  Why CST exists and how it supports its members  Why schools benefit from being part of a strong and sustainable trust and how schools in trusts have in many cases fared better during COVID-19  Some of the myths around multi-academy trusts, and the negative impact of some media reporting on cases of poor practice in trus

This week we talk to Karen Wespieser MBE, Chief Operating Officer at Parent Ping and Teacher Tapp. Karen talks about the Parent Ping app, why it matters to collect survey information from parents and some of the findings to date. We also hear a little bit about Teacher Tapp’s growing international work.    We discuss: The Parent Ping model and the benefits of daily polling especially during a period of such rapid change  Why it matters in policymaking and education to have parents’ voices heard  What they are uncovering about how different types of parents feel about things, particularly how parents, who are also teachers, behave The learnings about parental communication emerging from the pandemic  Some of their more lighthearted findings Teacher Tapp’s international work   You can find out more about Parent Ping and how to sign up here.  The blogs we mention in this week’s podcast can be found here.

This week we talk to Professor Adam Boddison, CEO of nasen about his new book The Governance Handbook for SEND and Inclusion: Schools that work for all learners. We consider what every governor needs to know about SEND, the legislation schools need to comply with and how they can understand the quality of provision for children with SEND in their school.    We talk about:  Why it is important for all governors to know about their school’s responsibilities around SEND  What every governor needs to know about SEND The difference between the Social and Medical models of SEND Ways to learn more about the size and make-up of a school’s SEND cohort How governors might prepare and complete an effective SEND review of governance in their school  The importance of a strategic approach to SEND, what that looks like and why getting it right for children with SEND is actually good for all pupils  How you can use data, including budget information, to understand how inclusive your school is   The most meaningful ways to p

This week we talk to Josie Rayner-Wells, National RSHE advisor, about the new Relationships and Sex Education (RSE)  requirements that came into effect in September 2020 but that schools still might be working to respond to. Josie gives very practical advice about how to consult parents, pupils and staff on RSE and move their provision on. Reassuringly she explains how schools that feel stuck in their progress on parental consultation can use remote methods to their advantage and take some more creative and potentially fruitful approaches.   We talk about:  Josie’s hugely varied experience working and training on RSE Why new guidance and legislation is necessary  The important focus on relationships and health in the new guidance Why consultation is a “need-to-do”, not a “nice-to-do”  Practical ways to address concerns staff might have about teaching sensitive material and how to make sure staff understand how the school’s policy supports them  How to do effective remote parental consultation and why it is im

This week we spoke to Sarah Baker, CEO, Leanne Noone, Chief Financial Officer, Alison Bingham, Director of Development and Rachel Watson, Director of Education and Achievement at the TEAM Education Trust about their experiences of launching in June 2020. We recorded this episode in December, 6 months into their first year as a trust. We will be returning to them at Easter and in the Summer as they share what they have been learning on their journey. We talk about:  Why they decided to set up their own trust rather than join an existing one  The values and vision of the trust  How their planning developed from the original idea in 2017 through to launch and how the leadership team kept the faith despite various challenges they faced How they have worked together and bonded as a team particularly through COVID-19 The practical ways they support schools, both in their trust and beyond the specialisms they have as a trust  How they engaged parents around the trust launch  Maintaining staff buy-in throughout the p

This week I give a quick rundown of episodes this term and send my best wishes to everyone listening to the podcast for 2021.    If you’ve only recently discovered Key Voices, this will provide you with a handy snapshot of some recent episodes to get you started.    A huge thank you to all our wonderful guests for finding the time to talk so honestly with us during this year like no other and thank you very much for listening.    Information about all of our Key Voices episodes can be found here and they are available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other major platforms.

This week we talk to Dr. Helen Kelly, retired school principal, researcher and writer. Helen tells us about the 20 years she spent teaching and leading in international schools and the importance of school leader wellbeing as a strategic issue for governing boards.  Helen explains the impact stress has had on her physical health and her decision to retire early, while also sharing the findings of her international research into school leadership.    We talk about:  Helen’s career prior to teaching and her work in international schools The changing nature of school leadership and how stressed many school leaders today are The particular challenges of leading a large diverse school community as the head of an international school,  many of whom are living away from home  How boards can make an impact on leader wellbeing and handle it strategically, plus some practical things they can do to support their  leaders more effectively  Why it is so important for headteachers to prioritise themselves and how they can

“It is hard work but it is so worth it.”    This week I talk to Jo Jukes, Trust Curriculum Research Lead at The Education Alliance Academy Trust.  Jo tells me about her 20 years in teaching and how adopting an evidence-informed approach to teaching has made a difference to her. She candidly describes a time she felt less happy and confident professionally and what that was like.  We also talk about trust leadership, performance management and remote learning. We end with  Jo sharing her thoughts about why teaching is such a brilliant profession.    We discuss:  Jo’s career and the different leadership roles she has had  What it is like to perform a trust-wide role and how she has been supporting trust colleagues with research during COVID-19  How she learnt more about applying evidence to her practice A time when she felt her teaching style was at odds with the commonly held idea of Ofsted “outstanding” and how that made her feel Her blog about why applying business theory to performance management doesn’t wo

“There are the leaders that make you aspire and the leaders that make you perspire.”   This week I talk to Desmond Deehan, CEO, Odyssey Trust for Education. The trust is an unusual collaboration between a girls grammar school and a local secondary modern. Desmond has taught in a wide range of schools and his leadership style is heavily influenced by thinking creatively and trying new things.    We discuss: Desmond’s background and career in teaching and the ideas that have influenced him  How participating in a BBC 2 documentary kick-started the collaboration between Townley Grammar and Erith school, that eventually became the Odyssey Trust for Education  Working with each schools’ community to tackle any opposition to grammar schools and academy trusts The schools’ experiences of COVID-19 and how beneficial they found it to be working as a trust How he has personally found the transition from Head to CEO  Desmond’s plans for the future   “Before you can be understood you have to learn to understand.”   “We n

This week we talk to social media educator Rubbi Bhogal-Wood. Rubbi explains her approach to working with young people to help them navigate social media with clarity, intention and purpose. We reflect on why it can be hard for teachers and parents to support young people when we have our own issues with social media and the tech evolves so rapidly.    Rubbi shares some of the insights she has gathered from her conversations with pupils about how and why they use social media. She expresses concern that some children don’t feel they can talk to trusted adults about what they are seeing online. She stresses that teachers and parents have all the right instincts to help young people but would often benefit from arming themselves with some more knowledge of the platforms.    We also consider whether children are having different experiences on social media in the current situation, where almost all of our interactions now take place online.  Finally, we think about the ways in which parents, pupils and schools c

This week we talk to Adrian Bethune and Dr Emma Kell about their new book A Little Guide for Teachers: Teacher Wellbeing and Self-care.  They share their ideas about how to put learning about wellbeing into practical action including having difficult conversations with yourself and other people. We consider the different aspects of wellbeing and the need for everyone to take a personalised approach.    We talk about why individual action is important because system-wide change happens slowly and ultimately, individuals make up the system they work in. We also discuss how important it is for school leaders to role model healthy behaviours if they want to truly support staff with their own wellbeing. We close with Emma and Adrian’s tips for keeping morale high during the long winter term, and some positive hopes for the future. 

This week we talk to Pete Crockett,  Retired Headteacher and Governor and  Linda Unternahrer, Senior Content Editor at The Key about a number of topics to do with governance. We discuss how governors can balance both support and challenge during COVID-19 and what holding senior leadership teams to account looks like at other times.  We also think about ways in which how governors can support senior leaders with difficult issues, yet ultimately avoid getting too involved in operational decision making.    We consider how governance is changing, in some ways for the better, in this period of enforced remote governance.  Pete shares his thoughts on what makes a great chair, and we discuss practical ways boards can increase their diversity, including recruitment and how accessible they make governance to new joiners.    We close by thinking about priorities for boards in the short term, including headteacher wellbeing and looking after themselves.    You can read Pete’s blog 7 C’s for Chairs of Governors here  Pe

This week we talk to Mary Myatt, Education Thinker and Writer about her book Back on Track: Fewer Things, Greater Depth. Mary explains why she wrote the book and she shares her thoughts about how best to help children catch-up lost learning.  We then dig deeper into her ideas about curriculum and teaching. We focus particularly on understanding why subjects are being taught, the importance of teaching concepts thoroughly and using high-quality texts and materials. She also expresses concern about some practices, particularly around administration, assessment and tracking that divert teachers attention away from focussing on pupils’ learning.    We go on to talk about how to build trust in schools and how leaders can meaningfully consult with teams.  Mary also explains how governors might be able to hold the headteacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils with less “data” in front of them.  We close by wondering what external assessment might look like in this academic year