Classroom Connect

Step into a lively podcast conversation where Nicky Smith walks Ian and Andrew through the moments where a teacher turns raw numbers into real change. From the first glance at RAG-coloured mastery maps to the small, decisive interventions that follow, this episode traces how a classroom dashboard becomes a guidebook for everyday teaching choices. Nicki shares practical scenarios which showcases ho...

Classroom Connect welcomes special guest Nicki Smith, our Insight Manager, to reveal the story behind the numbers. In conversation with Ian and Andrew, Nikki walks us through how the teacher’s homepage becomes a map of progress, motivation and success—how badges, stars and the 'green zone' tell a child’s learning story. We explore the View Effort page and watches a class unfold: who is on target,...

Join Ian and Andrew as they discuss how to turn the everyday screen into a launchpad for curiosity. What starts as a sound-off video - looping as children enter the classroom - becomes a conversation starter, a memory hook, and the spark for deeper investigations. Listen as they reveal how video is more than footage: it’s a text packed with visuals, narration, and cues that teachers can mine to as...

Ian and Andrew are lucky to work with lots of different schools in diverse settings with widely varying needs and experiences. In this episode they discuss how case studies created to share these experiences can be used by colleagues to make in difference in their own schools. Please email us with your questions, ideas or suggestions at classroomconnect@discoveryed.com   

Ian and Andrew discuss some of the effective ways digital can help children  to engage and make connections to prior learning quickly. Please email us with your questions, ideas or suggestions at classroomconnect@discoveryed.com   

In this episode Ian and Andrew discuss how collaborative conversations with teachers have a real impact on practice by making connections between digital resources and practical pedagogy. Please email us with your questions, ideas or suggestions at classroomconnect@discoveryed.com   

Here at Discovery Education we are privileged to be able to connect to classrooms around the world both virtually and in person. In this episode Ian and Andrew share some of their learning derived from working with schools from all corners of the world. They discuss how we can all learn from one another's insights and unique perspectives. Every school is different and yet we all have so much in co...

Ian makes most of his school PD visits on his bike - covering hundreds of miles as he does so! Join Ian and Andrew as they reflect on ideas and insights they have been gathering as they visit schools across the UK. This is the true heart of our Classroom Connect approach - connecting you to teachers in other classrooms and to us here at Discovery Education.  Want us to visit your school? Reach out...

We all know that sharing ideas really helps us all to grow as teachers. In this episode Ian and Andrew discuss how this can work across schools and at a wider level by developing a partnership approach to professional development.  Ian and Andrew share experiences of how, as they travel the country delivering PD, they can gather and share amazing ideas developed by teachers in varied contexts with...

We all know that holiday times and breaks from school routines can have an impact on children's learning. Learning loss can occur quite quickly when children are away from the day to day classroom environment, especially after holidays. In this episode, Ian and Andrew discuss ways in which digital resources can help bring children back into the routines of learning, especially how they can help us...

Immersive technology, such as augmented reality, can utilise the senses to create learning experiences that were previously inconceivable. How about exploring a Mayan Temple in your school grounds, or walking around a spaceship which has a crash landed in the playground, or comparing a life size shark to a plesiosaur in the school hall, or walking through a street during the Blitz?  All of these c...

School Improvement Plans are essential to whole school development, Ian and Andrew discuss how we can use and adapt digital tools to support all aspects of school improvement. Key to this is being clear about how digital resources, when used effectively, can be adapted to suit your needs and serve the goal you are trying to achieve. Digital tools can be a fundamental part but of a SIP but rarely,...

In this special, extended episode Ian and Andrew meet our News and Topical Producer Ben Isaacs to explore how we can make news accessible and meaningful to children. He gives us some fascinating insights into how we actually make the news, including the decisions behind what to include and importantly how to make this appropriate for children, whilst not shying away from complex or challenging iss...

School Breakfast Clubs not only provide the chance for children to have a nutritious start to the school day can be a great way for children to access additional learning support. Just like a hearty breakfast the chance to build confidence through motivating digital learning tasks can help children make a great start to the day. Ian and Andrew discuss ways we can provide opportunities for children...

In this episode Ian and Andrew discuss ways in digital resources can be used to support children with different levels of educational needs. We can provide flexible options where layers of support can be peeled back or added quickly and efficiently to provide juts the right level of scaffolding at the right time. How do you use digital to address different levels of educational need? Which resourc...

As an early career teacher it is important to explore ways to build your own style and pedagogical approach, digital resources can provide lots of options. Not only can they provide models as starting points but often they can be adapted to suit your own needs, both of which can be really valuable in terms of professional growth. How has digital supported your development? Please email us with you...

In this episode Ian and Andrew discuss how when we work with pupils - for example by delivering model lessons - we can provide opportunities for professional development for teachers. These sorts of interactions can provide the chance for a teacher to step back and see how an approach can work with their children in their school. Do reach out to us if you think that this sort of approach would ben...

In this episode Ian and and Andrew discuss the importance and impact of the 4Cs both in the classroom and in children's lives and futures beyond.   They explore opportunities for developing collaboration, communication, creativity and critical thinking. They also consider how it can be really helpful for children to recognise their growth in these areas and to become more conscious of them in lear...

Join Ian and Andrew for this special episode with guest Maddy Austin, where they discuss the use of digital resources at home, supported by parents and carers. Former teacher Maddy is a Product Lead in our direct to consumer (D2C) team, here she works closely with families to ensure they get the best out of digital resources in a home setting. Maddy shares with Ian and Andrew some of the ways we c...

At Discovery Education our advisory team work across the country in regions, developing a deep understanding of the schools we work with. In this special episode Ian and Andrew spend some time with David Trendell former teacher and senior leader who is now one of our team of school advisors, focusing on schools in our East region They discuss some of the ideas, opportunities and activities being p...

At Discovery Education our advisory team work across the country in regions, developing a deep understanding of the schools we work with. In this special episode Ian and Andrew spend some time with Alex and Curtis school advisors for the West region and both former teachers. They discuss some of the ideas, opportunities and activities being provided by Discovery Education both locally and national...

Meet Jack Taylor, Senior Software Engineer at Discovery Education. In this special episode, Jack discusses with Ian and Andrew the ways he designs and builds software solutions for the classroom. This episode also raises real world parallels with the design processes that Jack and his colleagues go through when creating solutions and the kinds of approaches we can take in the classroom. The group...

There are a wealth of different digital tools and platforms available to teachers, many of which can work effectively as a standalone resource, however combining different tools can enhance their impact and allow for richer, deeper learning experiences. In this episode Ian and Andrew discuss some of the ways tools with different purposes can be combined to create more impactful lessons. How for ex...

Plenary sessions provide a great opportunity for children to reflect on their learning, to consolidate understanding, apply new knowledge and address misconceptions. Digital tools and resources can provide lots of flexible ways to enhance these crucial parts of the learning process. In this episode Ian and Andrew share their ideas for how digital resources can be used effectively at the end of a l...

In terms of professional development, the days of waiting for a course to be offered and teachers booking time out of school have long gone - now we as teachers we can access professional development in multi-modal hybrid formats. Webinars are one such method - but how can we make the best use of them and when are they most effective? In this episode Ian and Andrew discuss how webinars can be effe...