Heads & Tales

In the wake of the UK government's much-debated VAT in private schools policy, our next Heads & Tales guest needs no introduction.  Julie Robinson  is the CEO of the  Independent Schools Council  and one of the most recognisable figures in the independent sector – an articulate, tenacious and steadfast advocate for private education in the UK that is currently in the throes of a High Court leg...

Fresh from his Forbes 30 Under 30 feature, Zubair Junjunia joins Heads & Tales to talk about founding ZNotes at 16, building a global student-led learning movement and why the future of education lies in equity, community and a bit of fiction.

Next up is Chris Balme; educator, author and passionate advocate for reimagining middle school education. As the founding principal of Hakuba International School and former head of a progressive middle school, Chris brings a wealth of experience in shaping learning environments that nurture curiosity, purpose and self-discovery.

Our next guest on  Heads & Tales  is Dr. Blake Spahn, co-founder and Chancellor of Dwight Global Online School. With a PhD from Oxford and a deep-rooted passion for education, Dr. Spahn shares his insights into the evolution of online learning, the importance of global-minded education and how technology is reshaping the academic landscape.

The fiftieth episode: what an honour it as been for us to even briefly tap into the wisdom and stories of 50 Heads & Tales guests, all of whom have played their part in shaping the education sector around the world. And what better way to celebrate this global outreach than to introduce our latest guest  Alan Williamson , CEO of UAE education powerhouse  Taaleem .

Next up in the Heads & Tales hot seat is Will le Fleming, the soon-to-be founding master of Thomas's College, a new co-ed secondary school in London that opens its doors this coming September. Will has worn many hats throughout his career, including as a journalist, museum educator and published author (look out for his book, Central Reservation) before his present tenure as head at The Abbey...

In the latest episode of Heads & Tales, Henry Faber is joined by Lindsey MacDonald, who heads up Magic Breakfast – a charity tackling one of the most overlooked barriers to education: hunger. Every morning, far too many children arrive at school without a proper meal, and Lindsey's mission is a simple one: to make sure that no child in the UK is too hungry to learn.

Next up on Heads & Tales is Matt OBE, headteacher of Ark Global Academy, on his journey from footballer to advocate of equal opportunities in education.

In this episode of Heads & Tales , Henry Faber is joined by Tom Campbell, the CEO of E-ACT, a trust overseeing 38 schools and 25,000 pupils. With over 20 years of experience in educational leadership, Tom’s career spans from leading a school in special measures at the tender age of 29 to implementing transformative cultural strategies in schools across the UK. A passionate advocate for innovat...

In the latest episode of Heads & Tales, Henry Faber is joined by Emma McCrea, Head of Curriculum at Oak National Academy. Emma is a powerhouse in the education sector, recognised for dedication to evidence-informed teaching and transformative curriculum design.

Our next guest on Heads & Tales needs no introduction to our education-inclined followers. Dr Mary Bousted is one of few who can honestly say they have reshaped the history of their industry, having dedicated her life to championing the rights, voices and professionalism of educators. As the former joint General Secretary of the  National Education Union , Mary spearheaded the largest and most...

Our guest this week is Dr Fiona Aubrey Smith, named in 2024 as one of the Top 5 Visionary Women in Education. Fiona is the founder of PedTech and Director of One Life Learning and she works closely with schools and trusts, professional learning providers and EdTech companies. 

Next up on Heads & Tales, we’re thrilled to welcome Mohammed Abdallah. Known for his work empowering young people and families, he spent over a decade leading pioneering inclusive practice at Dunraven School.

Next up on Heads & Tales is Bill Watkin CBE. After cutting his teeth as a foreign language teacher in some of the country's most challenging schools, Bill now oversees the education of over half a million 16 to 19-year-olds as CEO of the Sixth Form Colleges Association. Earlier this year, in a car packed with relatives and some other obscure objects (tune in for the full story), he arrived at...

Amongst many other educational feathers in his cap, Barnaby Lenon is the ex-head of Harrow, Professor of Education at the University of Buckingham  and founding Chair of the London Academy of Excellence.

Katy Granville-Chapman wears many guises. Amongst many other titles and feathers in her cap, she is the Deputy Head Teacher at Wellington College, co-founder of Global Social Leaders and associate fellow of The Oxford Character Project. She joined Walter Kerr on Heads & Tales to discuss what has been a fascinating and diverse journey to where she is now, from aspiring Olympian and Iraq veteran...

We're back with a brilliant new episode featuring Sam Hart, Headmaster at Giggleswick. Take a listen to find out why he's not passing VAT on to parents.

A true champion of the development of young people, next up in the Heads & Tales hot seat is Jonathan Harper FRSA. Once a reluctant leader, Jonathan is now the CEO of Future Foundations, an award-winning, global enterprise that develops training programmes and experiences for the next generation.

Next up on Heads & Tales, we are excited to welcome Liz Robinson, the CEO of Big Education. Liz brings with her a wealth of experience and expertise from the UK education sector.

This week we are delighted to have Su Wijeratne, Head of Latymer Upper School, on Heads & Tales as she dives into the cornerstones of her career in education.

If you follow the state of education in the news, you're probably familiar with  Aatif Hassan  and his burgeoning enterprise,  Dukes Education . Since founding it in 2015, Atif has grown the company to be one of the largest education groups in Europe, looking after some of the finest independent institutions, from nurseries to colleges. In this latest episode of Heads & Tales, he joins Oppidan...

On this week's episode, we are joined by Louisa Mitchell. Louisa is CEO of AllChild, formerly West London Zone, whose mission is to ensure every child has the opportunity to flourish.

Next up on Heads & Tales is Jodh Dhesi, CEO of The King Edward VI Foundation, a family of schools in Birmingham including one in particular that Jodh has a soft spot for.

Anne-Marie Canning MBE 's story is a truly inspiring one. From early days at a struggling school in Doncaster to studying and working at leading universities, she is now the CEO of  The Brilliant Club , an award-winning charity that supports underserved students to access leading universities. Charismatic and a natural-born raconteur, Anne-Marie's episode is not one to be missed.

They say never meet your heroes, but Walter Kerr didn't listen. A maverick by his own admission and pioneer of brand storytelling, David Hieatt is the founder of Hiut Denim Co and The Do Lectures, and our latest guest on Heads & Tales.