The Kitchen Table

What does it really mean for schools to lead beyond their own gates, and can education help build a more socially just society? In this episode of The Kitchen Table, we are joined by Leora Cruddas, founding chief executive of the Confederation of School Trusts and author of New Domains of Educational Leadership. Leora shares how being born in apartheid South Africa and teaching English in an NGO-f...

What does it truly mean to find connection in an increasingly fragmented and isolating world? In this episode of The Kitchen Table, we are joined by Kim Samuel, author of On Belonging: Finding Connection in an Age of Isolation and founder of the Belonging Forum. Kim is a leading global voice in the movement to understand and address social isolation. We explore why belonging is not just a soft asp...

When a school welcomes a young person through its doors, creating a true sense of belonging means meeting them exactly where they are. In this episode of The Kitchen Table, we are joined by Bennie Kara - educator, author, speaker, curriculum specialist, and former deputy headteacher. Bennie began her career in the inaugural Teach First cohort in 2003 and has taught across London and the Midlands....

What if the secret to academic rigour isn't just a strict curriculum, but a classroom where every child genuinely feels they belong? In this episode of The Kitchen Table, we sit down with Jon Hutchinson, Director of Curriculum and Teacher Development at the Reach Foundation and author of Building Belonging. Jon shares his journey from focusing purely on instructional rigour to realising that even...

What happens to human beings when they stop feeling that they belong, matter, or have agency over their lives? In this episode of The Kitchen Table, we are joined by Jackson Ogunyemi, better known as Action Jackson. Jackson is an international keynote speaker, educator, mentor, author, and the self-described UK ambassador for happiness. We explore his journey from falling into depression to reclai...

What does it truly take to build a school culture where academic excellence is non-negotiable, and how do you hold the line when the world pushes back? In this episode of The Kitchen Table, we sit down with Peter Hughes, CEO of the Mossbourne Federation and author of Outstanding School Leadership . Known for transforming educational outcomes in areas of high deprivation, Peter shares his uncomprom...

What if the true measure of social mobility isn't about escaping your community, but having the agency to thrive within it? In this episode of The Kitchen Table, Phil and Danielle sit down for a conversation exploring the powerful concept of "cultural agency." Moving beyond the traditional, often limiting view of social mobility as a ladder of escape, they discuss how we can reframe our educationa...

What does it really mean for human beings and the communities we build to flourish? In this episode of The Kitchen Table, we are joined by Andy Wolfe, Chief Education Officer for the Church of England and Interim Chief Executive of the National Society for Education. Andy oversees national work across developing leaders, shaping policy, and growing faith, while also authoring key resources includi...

If the ultimate goal of education is to help students thrive, why do we spend so little time talking about the psychological safety of the adults leading them? In this episode of The Kitchen Table, we sit down with Laura McPhee, Director of Education for University Schools Trust and a passionate advocate for social justice in education. With twenty years of experience and a proven track record of...

Connection, attachment and belonging - the real foundations of great education. In this episode of The Kitchen Table, we are joined by Lisa May Thornley, SEND & Safeguarding Advisor at Zen Educate. A qualified teacher, SENCo, and Drama Therapist with extensive experience supporting vulnerable children and families, Lisa shares her journey and powerful insights on why relationships and purpose...

In this episode of The Kitchen Table, we sit down with Kamal Ahmed - journalist, editor, and now a senior leader at Fortune to explore his journey as the son of a Sudanese father and English mother. Kamal reflects on his book The Life and Times of a Very British Man, sharing honest stories from his childhood in West London, navigating race, class, difference, and the quiet (and not-so-quiet) exper...

This was one of those conversations that really made us stop and think. In this episode of The Kitchen Table, we sit down with Haili Hughes to explore belonging in education, not as a simple idea, but as something complex, personal, and often uncomfortable. We get into her journey, from feeling like an outsider growing up to shaping a career around mentoring, teacher development, and retention. Th...

There has been increasing reflection on what belonging really looks like in education, not just as a concept, but as something intentionally designed into the everyday experience of schools. In this episode of The Kitchen Table, Aidan Severs, an education consultant and former deputy head with over 20 years in teaching and leadership, shares what it truly takes to build a curriculum for belonging...

When we talk about belonging in education, are we truly living it or just writing it into policy documents? In this episode of The Kitchen Table, we sit down with Dr Ilene Winokur to explore what belonging actually looks like in practice, from classrooms in Kuwait to refugee communities in Kenya. Ilene has lived in Kuwait since 1984 and has spent more than 35 years working at the intersection of e...

Mo and I have been circling this debate for a long time. I talk about belonging. He talks about mattering. And if we’re honest, we’ve both walked away from conversations thinking, I like him, but he’s wrong. So today at The Kitchen Table, it’s just the two of us finally putting it on record. This is not just a word game. It’s about what we actually want students and teachers to experience in our s...

This is exactly why we created The Kitchen Table. In this episode, we sit down with Dr Lisa Cherry to explore what it really means to care for the people who care, in schools and services that are holding more than ever before. From trauma-informed practice to leadership vulnerability, from exclusion to belonging, this conversation is honest, searching and deeply human. Lisa shares how her own can...

We love starting conversations that blend personal stories with big ideas in education, and Henrik's journey is a perfect example. In this episode of The Kitchen Table, we sit down with Henrik Appert - founder and CEO of  Magma Math , an internationally recognised and award-winning maths learning platform. We hear about his move to England at seven without speaking the language, finding belon...

Pull up a chair - this is where research meets relationships, and we explore what belonging, mattering, and pursuing social justice really look like in education. In this first episode of The Kitchen Table, we share our stories: from growing up, feeling forgotten and the power teachers have to change everything. We unpack why belonging isn't just a buzzword - it's the foundation for thriving commu...

Welcome to The Kitchen Table, with Phil, Mohamed, and Danielle. A space where research meets relationships, and where we slow things down to talk about what really matters. This is where you’ll get to know us - our journeys through education, the questions we’re still wrestling with, and why belonging, mattering, and social justice sit at the heart of the work we do. We’ll also be joined by friend...