SecEd Podcast

This episode is the second in a four-part Back to School series offering advice to schools as the autumn term begins. In this episode, we consider how schools can support the good mental health and wellbeing of their teachers who are returning after the Covid-19 lockdown. We also offer tips to school staff themselves on keeping mentally healthy. Topics include bereavement, talking about mental hea...

This episode is the first in a four-part Back to School series offering advice to schools as the autumn term begins. In this episode we consider how to support the good wellbeing and mental health of students returning to school after the Covid-19 lockdown. Experts including Dr Pooky Knightsmith consider some of the issues that school staff can expect to see in the coming weeks. We also offer advi...

One in 10 secondary teachers leave the profession every year. In this SecEd Podcast, we look at the latest research into the school workforce and we discuss practical strategies to support teacher retention and recruitment in secondary schools. On retention, we tackle issues including workload, flexible and part-time working, supporting early career teachers, CPD & autonomy, and pay & conditions....

In this episode, we look at what makes an effective digital strategy in schools. What does a digital strategy look like? Why is it important? What purpose does it serve? Who creates it? What form does it take? Lots of practical advice and reflections with themes including whole-school technology strategy, deployment, procurement, budgets and planning, issues relating to teaching and pedagogy, the...

In this SecEd Podcast we speak to three experts about how we can support vulnerable students post-lockdown as they return to our schools. Our focus includes looked after children, previously looked after children, those with mental health challenges, disadvantaged pupils, and those with SEND. The podcast offers a range of practical advice, with themes including the challenges at-risk students may...

Many educators see a role for both skills and knowledge in the curriculum – but the national debate continues to pitch one against the other. In this podcast, Pete Henshaw chats with Jez Bennett and Chris Holmwood from the 5 Dimensions Trust in Milton Keynes about how schools can embrace both skills and knowledge education and what this might look like. We look at what Ofsted has to say on the mat...

In this SecEd Podcast, Matt Bromley interviews assistant headteacher, Zoe Evans, about her work on embedding literacy, numeracy and digital competency skills across the curriculum at her school in Colwyn Bay, North Wales. Zoes takes us through the process she followed including the creation of a 'skills team' and the identification of the common skills that students need to use in most subject dis...

In this SecEd Podcast, produced in partnership with Access 1st, producers of the SEN-HUB CPD service , we discuss practical ideas and approaches to support teachers to be confident and effective in their practice. We consider what a confident teacher looks like, themes of CPD and wider school support, school culture and collegiate working, school leadership, staff wellbeing and mental health among...

In this SecEd Podcast, Matt Bromley interviews former headteacher, David Birch, about his work as part of the Forgotten Third Commission, which looked into how to improve the prospects of students who do not achieve at least a Grade 4 pass in GCSE English and maths. The fact that this represents about a third of 16-year-olds year-in, year-out is not an accident but the product of the system of com...

This SecEd Podcast offers a range of practical, research-based advice on what an effective CPD programme in schools might look like and how we can evaluate our CPD to ensure it is effective and has impact for our students. We also consider support staff, subject-specific CPD vs pedagogy-led CPD, and teacher autonomy when it comes to leading their own CPD. SecEd editor Pete Henshaw speaks with Mari...

In this two-part SecEd Podcast, we speak with expert Matt Bromley, a former teacher and school leader, SecEd editorial board member, and author, about curriculum design. Based on his new book, School and College Curriculum Design, Matt takes us through his six steps for effective and coherent curriculum design, focusing on Ofsted's new inspection requirements as well as general best practice princ...

In this two-part SecEd Podcast, we speak with expert Matt Bromley, a former teacher and school leader, SecEd editorial board member, and author, about curriculum design. Based on his new book, School and College Curriculum Design, Matt takes us through his six steps for effective and coherent curriculum design, focusing on Ofsted's new inspection requirements as well as general best practice princ...