Teachers Talk Radio

Join Beejesh and Claire to discuss if Gareth Southgate really does know best about how boys and girls learn.

This week on The Late Show with Tim Smale, Tim is joined by Darren Goode, Assistant Principal for Inclusion, for a conversation about belonging in schools. England now has one of the lowest rates of pupil belonging in the world, and the link between belonging and achievement is hard to ignore. Tim and Darren ask why it is still treated as the soft stuff when the evidence says it is anything but, t...

We talk how to make meaning out of stress. Join me!

In this show, Darren explores the psychology of being observed as a teacher. Drawing on research by Ali et al., he examines why lesson observations can provoke stress and anxiety, how being watched changes classroom practice, and what the evidence tells us about the impact of observations on teacher performance and wellbeing.

Why do so many girls disengage from sport during their school years and what can schools do to change that? In this special Teachers Talk Radio show in partnership with the Football Association (FA), hosts Tom Rogers and Rae Whitehouse are joined by Stacey Mullock, Head of Development at The FA, and secondary teacher Helen Tonks to explore the barriers still holding girls back in sport and school...

Lee will be joined by Tom and Keiran, teachers in an SEMH school for boys. They will be considering behaviour policies in schools, how to find a sensible balance whilst keeping expectations high.

A teacher who “pulled a sickie” to attend a stag do in Portugal, lied about illness, and later ripped pages from his passport to cover his tracks has avoided a teaching ban - but should he have? This week on Points of View, we ask what this case says about trust, professionalism and pressure in teaching. We’ll also debate flexible working in education. Should schools be more open to flexible leave...

In this thoughtful and practical discussion, Toby and Jo Hrabi will consider the pressures neurodiverse learners may face in busy educational environments, from sensory overload and anxiety to organisation, communication and confidence. They will also reflect on the wellbeing of teachers and support staff, asking how educators can create inclusive, calm and responsive classrooms while also protect...

We talk stress and self-esteem. Are the two linked? Can one get better without the other? Let's talk it out...

Yannick and Tony conclude their discussion on the perceived increase in demand of the profession on teachers . They draw on surveys of UK teachers as well as their combined 50+ years of experience, to make a final, balanced conclusion. Is teaching really getting harder?

In this show, Darren explores the relationship between parental self-efficacy and student exam stress. How much does a parent's confidence in supporting their child's education influence how that child experiences assessment and exam pressure? Drawing on psychological and educational research, Darren examines the evidence linking parental beliefs, family support, academic resilience, and student w...

Carl asks why so many young people are economically inactive according to the Milburn report. He explores whether schools or teachers are to blame or whether it is in fact the system they operate in that has caused the problem. He also suggests what might be done to make things better.

Tim Smale talks to Rachel Johnson, chief executive of PiXL and author of Connected: Focusing on `Me` and `We`. Her big idea is simple: to thrive, young people need to be connected both to themselves and to others, yet we rarely teach them how to do either. Tim and Rachel explore what connection really means in schools, why belonging matters more than we admit, and whether much of what we call a be...

Suspensions for racist, homophobic, transphobic and ableist abuse in schools have risen sharply but what’s really behind the trend? On this week’s Points of View, we explore the reasons behind rising reports, especially a new BBC one, of prejudicial abuse in schools. Are social media, divisive politics and online influencers shaping attitudes among young people? Have funding cuts to pastoral and a...

Teachers are exhausted, overwhelmed and, in many cases, walking away from the profession. But what is really behind the rise in teacher burnout? Is it workload, poor behaviour, endless accountability and SEND pressures or something deeper in the culture of education itself? In this Points of View, we ask why so many teachers are struggling to sustain the job, whether school leaders and governments...

Christopher talks with computer science academic and university teacher Dr Jeremy Straub about the recent history of Artificial Intelligence; its impact on our educational institutions; and the ways in which it might reshape and redefine our notions of education, research and training in the near future.

We talk how to de-stress in the classroom. Join us!

Darren explores whether better task design can reduce cheating in schools and assessments. Drawing on the research of Wenzel and Reinhard (2020), he examines how the structure and design of tasks can influence student honesty, motivation, and decision-making during tests and classroom assessments. From authenticity and challenge to accountability and engagement, this show looks at the evidence beh...

Yannick and Tony reflect on the changes in the profession with reference to 10 key areas, and give an opinion for each on whether they have got better or worse. At the end of the show, the hosts will compare notes and consider survey results across the UK in order to make a final conclusion: Is teaching getting harder?

What does it mean to teach with your heart truly in it? This week on The Late Show, Tim Smale and Khanh-Duc Kuttig are joined by the amazing Christian Mba, vice principal, middle leadership developer, and author of Teach Like Your Heart Is On Fire. Together they explore the questions at the heart of Christian's book: why you became a teacher, whether knowing your purpose changes what happens in th...

Nearly one million young people in the UK are currently out of education and work. Alan Milburn’s explosive new report warns of an "economic catastrophe" driven by lockdown scars, social media rewiring, and a broken welfare system. In this show, join JP, Rae, Carl and Jo as they ask the tough questions. Are schools doing enough to build resilience? Has technology created an anxious generation that...

Darren explores the relationship between test anxiety and school avoidance, examining how anxiety around exams and assessment can contribute to absenteeism, emotionally based school avoidance, and disengagement from learning. Drawing on current educational and psychological research, he discusses the warning signs teachers and parents should recognise, the impact of exam stress on student wellbein...

In March, Index on Censorship reported on a school in Greater Manchester that had pulled 200 books from the school library shelves after the Head raised an issue with one book. With huge parental pressure in the US to censor young people’s access to certain literature, particularly that relating to race, gender and sexuality, is the UK following suit in this worrying trend? In a world where our yo...

Louise Pickering meets with Vivienne Porritt OBE to discuss: The concept of masculinity The impact of social media on boys and men The research/evidence behind the concerns How misogyny and sexism manifest in schools How schools can design effective systems and establish a healthy culture that safeguards girls and women

In this special Teachers Talk Radio show, brought to you in partnership with Hachette Learning, hosts Tom Rogers and Sarah Wilkinson Crute are joined by bestselling author Kate Jones to explore her Feedback Resource Guide. Following on from her work on feedback, Kate’s new guide offers over fifty evidence-informed, classroom-ready strategies designed to make feedback more effective, efficient and...