Edu Insights

Why are we still trying to solve a 21st-century teacher recruitment crisis with 20th-century solutions? In this episode, Professor Rob Klassen from the University of Oxford argues that the problem isn't just structural - it's psychological. Young people don't choose teaching because they don't really know what teaching is. And the tools we use to tell them about it aren't working. Rob shares the t...

Dr James Hall, Associate Professor of Psychology of Education at the University of Southampton and Deputy Director of the UK National Centre for Research Methods,. In this conversation, James takes us through his academic journey, unpacks the terminology around early childhood education and care, discusses the state of the nation in terms of early years provision, and why the Heckmann curve has ha...

What does genuine inclusion look like in practice? Dr Nigel Matthias, Headteacher of Kings Academy Lord Wilson, takes us inside a specialist SEMH school that's redefining what's possible for students with social, emotional, and mental health needs. After 20 years in mainstream education, Nige made the leap to specialist provision and discovered a different way of working. In 2025, his school achie...

How do we truly hear the voices of young autistic children? Professor Sarah Parsons shares the story behind 'I Am' Digital Stories, that places autistic children and young people at the centre of conversations about their education and support. Sarah explains how these videos transform transitions and allow practitioners to meet the young person authentically through their own voices, interests, a...

School placements are a key moment in teacher training, but they can be particularly challenging for some neurodivergent beginner teachers. Kate Freeth and Lucy Hoyes share their project using digital stories to help neurodivergent beginner teachers, and by extension, all beginner teachers, have more successful placements in schools on their PGCE. Lucy Hoyes is the Co-Director of Initial Teacher E...

What does it really take for beginning teachers to be classroom-ready? Rachele Newman shares findings from her research revealing a gap between how mentors and trainee teachers on an ITE programme understand classroom readiness. While mentors focus on technical proficiency and compliance with school systems, trainees look for professional autonomy and the confidence to make their own decisions. We...

Does it matter which Ofsted inspector walks through the school door? As Ofsted's new framework rolls out, this episode digs into inspector reliability, the differences between HMIs and freelance inspectors, and why transparency could be key to rebuilding trust in the system. Professor Christian Bokhove shares findings from of a Nuffield funded project where 60,000+ inspection reports were analysed...