Edufuturists

What if the one thing standing between a child and a lifetime of struggle is simply which adult happened to notice them today? Turning down a pro wrestling contract to study Shakespeare isn't the usual route into running a multi-academy trust but nothing about Stephen Steinhaus's journey has followed the usual route, and that's exactly why this conversation is so good. Stephen is co-fo...

What if the most important people in your school or college never set foot in a classroom? In this milestone 350th episode of the Edufuturists podcast, we sit down with Chris Loveday for a conversation years in the making - one that reframes who really drives an education organisation. Chris Loveday is Deputy Principal for Digital, Data and Funding at City of Portsmouth College, and the author of...

In this episode of the Edufuturists podcast, Ben and Steve sit down with Shahneila Saeed for an extended version of a conversation that began at the Brilliant Festival. They dig into why play-based learning is rigorous pedagogy, how computing can be taught without a single computer, and what the games industry can teach the classroom about preparing young people for the world as it actually is. Sh...

In this episode, Ben and Steve sit down with Professor Sara de Freitas for an extended conversation following their meeting at the Brilliant Festival in Liverpool. It's a wide-ranging discussion about immersive learning, the bloated curriculum, serious games, assessment reform, and why the UK's response to AI in education has been so fractured. Sara is one of the few people to have led at...

In this episode of the Edufuturists podcast, it's just Ben and Steve in the studio for The Big Review Part 15, looking back over seven recent conversations and pulling out the threads that connect them. From leadership and wellbeing to AI, integrity and creativity, this is a fast tour through the ideas that defined the last review period, with plenty of prompts to send you back to the full epi...

In this episode, Steve and Ben sit down with Fredrik Haren - the Creativity Explorer - for a conversation that's been months in the making. It's a wide-ranging, thought-provoking dive into what creativity really is, where it comes from, and why our assumptions about it might be completely wrong. Fredrik Haren has spent 25 years studying human creativity across the globe, visiting 15 to 35...

In this episode, we sit down with Annie Chechitelli, Chief Product Officer at Turnitin, to unpack one of education's most urgent tensions: how do you preserve genuine learning in an age where AI can write a passable essay in seconds? We go beyond the detector-versus-cheater framing to ask what assessment, academic integrity, and the role of the teacher actually need to look like now. Annie Che...

Are we teaching young people to consume technology - or to change the world with it? In this episode, Ben and Steve sit down with Natalie Moore, CEO of Apps for Good, to explore what it really means to put young people in the driving seat of their own learning - and their own futures. From a council estate in East London to the London 2012 Olympics, and now leading one of the UK's most impactf...

What if the biggest barrier to student success isn't curriculum, funding, or leadership - it's that we're burning out the very people holding it all together? In this episode, we sit down with Charlie Burley - The Teachers' Health Coach - to get real about the burnout crisis hiding in plain sight across our schools. Charlie shares the moment his own breakdown became his calling, an...

What if the real risk of AI in schools isn't that it cheats - it's that it quietly switches off the parts of our brains we need most? In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Rob Wessman, VP of Ethics and Safety at School AI, to dig into one of the most important questions in education right now: are we building AI tools that develop young people, or tools that do the developing for them? With a back...

What if AI could think more like a human - and what would that mean for education, teams, and leadership? In this episode, Ben and Steve sit down with Kathryn Jablokow, Dean of Engineering at Manhattan University, to explore one of the most fascinating ideas in AI right now: cognitive diversity. With 34 years in engineering education and groundbreaking research into how AI agents can mimic differe...

This podcast episode is a brilliant conversation with Patrick Cozier, who shares his extensive experience in education leadership. The conversation goes into the challenges of decision-making, managing external pressures, leading with humanity, and the impact of paranoia in leadership. We also dig into the importance of consultation and feedback in decision-making, the CALM framework, authentic le...

In this episode of the podcast, we reflect on another rich run of recent conversations from across the series in Review #14.We revisit key ideas from episodes featuring Nici Foote, Rita Bateson, Iain MacRitchie, Dr Emily Musil, Dr Robin Harwick, Danielle Finlay, and a wide range of voices captured at BETT. Across the discussion, a number of themes begin to emerge clearly: the value of messy learni...

In this episode of the Edufuturists podcast, we are joined by Danielle Finlay, former headteacher, senior leader and now Head of Operations, Client Delivery and Change Management at Progress Teaching. Danielle reflects on her journey through education leadership, her deep commitment to pedagogy, and the difficult decision to step away from headship in order to prioritise family life without steppi...

In this episode of the Edufuturists podcast, we are joined by Dr Robin Harwick, educator, research scientist and founder of the Pearl Remote Democratic High School in central Mexico. Robin shares her journey into education, her frustration with the long gap between research and classroom practice, and why she felt compelled to build a school that puts democracy, inclusion and student agency at its...

In this episode of the Edufuturists podcast, we are joined by Dr Emily Musil from the Milken Institute to explore how education, philanthropy and technological change are colliding in powerful ways. Emily shares her journey through higher education, EdTech and global learning projects, before unpacking her current work helping philanthropists and institutions invest in the future of education. The...

In this episode of the podcast, we have mashed together all of our interviews from Bett 2026. We aren't going to lie...putting this together has been a nightmare and we almost didn't put it out. We lost footage, some of the audio tracks haven't transcribed and it's not really our best work. But, we thought it's important we don't always have to be polished AND the audio con...

In this episode of the podcast, we get into a deep conversation with Dr. Iain MacRitchie about the transformative power of mentoring in education. We discuss the importance of building relationships, the role of failure in learning, and the need for a supportive education system that prioritises human connection. Iain shares his journey from business to social impact, emphasising the significance...

In this episode of the podcast, we chat with our friend from over the short pond in Ireland, Rita Bateson, an expert in AI and education and founder of Eblana Learning. We explore Rita's journey in the educational landscape, the impact of AI on teaching and learning, and the importance of balancing AI literacy with human-centred approaches. The conversation delves into the challenges and oppor...

In this episode of the podcast, we are joined by the brilliant Nici Foote to discuss the importance of joy in learning, the challenges faced by neurodiverse students, and the need for personalised education. Nici shares her journey in education, emphasising the significance of creating engaging and inclusive learning environments. The conversation explores the role of play, the messiness of learni...

In this special episode celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Edufuturists podcast, we reflect on a decade of conversations, insights, and growth in the field of education. We discuss the evolution of the podcast, the importance of community, and the future of learning, emphasising the need for personalised and inclusive education. The episode also reviews recent episodes, highlighting key takea...

In this episode of the podcast, we welcome Alex More, an educational consultant with a rich background in teaching and leadership. The conversation explores Alex's transition from classroom teaching to consultancy, the complexities of continuing professional development (CPD), and the challenges of implementing innovative methodologies in education. We discuss the importance of STEM education,...

In this episode of the podcast, we are joined by creator of Lights On Learning, Julia Black who is a BAFTA and Grierson nominated documentary director, social entrepreneur and Master Neurocoach. Julia hosts an online global community for parents who are supporting learning in their own homes. Julia also discusses her new book, Lights On Learning. Find out more about Julia's work at lightsonuni...

In this special episode of the podcast, we have a wonderful concoction from Brilliant Festival in Liverpool. We did some short interviews with some of the speakers and also presented our first thoughts around the Pick 'n' Mix Education we have been writing about for our upcoming book. The Brilliant Festival saw more than 1,500 educators from across the north, a region that has traditionall...

In this episode of the podcast, we get to chat Hugh Viney, the founder and CEO of Minerva Virtual Academy (MVA), winner of an award at Uprising 2025 and the fastest growing school in the UK. We explore the innovative approach of MVA, which offers a hybrid model of education designed to cater to students who do not thrive in traditional school settings. Hugh shares the founding story of MVA, the ch...