The School Podcast

Are low expectations holding our schools and young people back? In this episode of The School Podcast, we explore some of the biggest challenges facing education today, from behaviour, discipline and school standards to leadership, academy trusts and the future of our education system. We discuss why high expectations matter, how schools can tackle internal truancy and poor behaviour, and why cons...

When the rules finally changed, Mandy failed the RAF aptitude tests twice. Even when she was eventually given an opportunity, she was told they would see how far she got before she failed. But Mandy refused to give up. Over a remarkable 17-year RAF career, she went on to fly the Tornado GR4 and serve on operational missions over Iraq. In this fascinating conversation, we explore: ✈️ Breaking barri...

Should schools have more freedom to make decisions? Do teachers really need formal qualifications to be brilliant at their jobs? And is the government making life harder for headteachers? In this throwback episode of The School Podcast, we revisit a fascinating conversation with one of the UK's most outspoken headteachers, often described as the Britain’s strictest headmistress, Katharine Bir...

What really happened when Edward Colston's statue was pulled down in Bristol, and why didn't the city's mayor remove it himself? In this powerful conversation on The School Podcast, former Mayor of Bristol Marvin Rees reflects on one of the most controversial moments in the city's history. As the first directly elected mayor of Black African heritage in a major European city, M...

At what age do children begin to recognise inequality, discrimination and differences in their backgrounds? And are we doing enough to prepare children for life beyond the classroom? In this episode of The School Podcast, Cameron Parker sits down with Stuart Woodburn to explore the importance of character education, leadership and personal development in primary schools. From the influence of earl...

What can the world's best coaches teach us about learning, motivation and performing under pressure? In this episode of The School Podcast, Cameron Parker sits down with world-renowned performance coach, author and former teacher Dr Dave Alred, the man who helped coach England to their historic 2003 Rugby World Cup victory and worked closely with legendary players including Jonny Wilkinson. F...

What does it really take to become an Olympian? And at what cost? In this episode of The School Podcast, Cameron Parker explores the sacrifices, challenges and realities of chasing Olympic dreams, alongside an Olympic diver and his mum, who is also a teacher. From missing lessons to balancing GCSEs with elite-level training, this conversation raises some important questions about ambition, educati...

In this episode of The School Podcast, Cameron sits down with Rachel Johnson, CEO of PiXL, for a powerful conversation about leadership, loss, legacy and what it really means to make people feel like they matter. Rachel shares her journey from teaching in alternative provision to leading PiXL, including the influence of her father, Sir John Rowling, and the extraordinary story of taking over the o...

Executive Headteacher Tom Hague joins Cameron Parker for a brilliant conversation about school improvement, attendance, behaviour and building a culture where young people actually want to be in school. Tom explains why schools need to move with urgency, why the best curriculum means very little if students aren't there to receive it, and why improving outcomes requires schools to think both...

Education consultant, author and former teacher Tricia Taylor joins Cameron Parker for a fascinating conversation about how students actually learn, what great teaching looks like and why compliance should never be mistaken for learning. Tricia shares her journey from teaching in Brooklyn, New York, to moving to London and working with schools across the UK, USA and internationally. She explains h...

Adrian McLean joins Cameron Parker on The School Podcast for an honest and thought-provoking conversation about race, education and the dangers of avoiding difficult conversations. Adrian reflects on a controversial “Whites vs Blacks” football match and explains why the situation was a problem, but also why simply banning things does not always address the real issue underneath. He discusses the i...

Paul Hannaford joins Cameron Parker for an incredibly powerful conversation about addiction, school exclusion, gangs, prison and how he completely turned his life around to now help children and young people make better choices. He talks honestly about the reality of addiction, carrying a knife, the consequences of the choices he made and the moments where he came incredibly close to losing his li...

Stephen Steinhaus joins Cameron Parker for an open and thought provoking conversation about permanent exclusion, behaviour, high standards and alternative provision. Stephen shares his perspective on the human cost of permanently excluding a young person, why schools must be able to honestly say they have done everything they can, and why exclusion can sometimes provide a young person with a new o...

Olympic medalist and Team GB diver Anthony Harding joins Cameron Parker alongside his mum, a maths teacher with almost 30 years in education, for a fascinating conversation about school, sport and what it really takes to reach the highest level. Anthony shares the journey from discovering diving as a young child to standing on an Olympic podium, including the years of sacrifice, relentless trainin...

Katharine Birbalsingh is often described as Britain’s strictest headmistress, but is what she’s doing actually wrong? Headteacher David Karim joins Cameron Parker to discuss the controversy surrounding Katharine, Michaela Community School and the wider debate around strict behaviour, high expectations and standards in schools. David shares his perspective as a successful headteacher, questioning w...

Successful Headteacher David Karim joins the UK's top Motivational Speaker for Secondary Schools Cameron Parker for a powerful and honest conversation about leadership, behaviour, high expectations and the realities facing schools today. From leaving school with few qualifications and working job after job, to entering university at 26 and eventually becoming a headteacher, David shares how h...

What happens when a student swears at you, refuses an instruction or completely pushes you away? In this throwback episode of The School Podcast, Amjad Ali and Cameron Parker explore behaviour, relationships, expectations and why teachers must remember who the adult is in difficult situations. The conversation looks at why poor behaviour should never become personal, the importance of resetting re...

Sian Lord joins the UK's #1 motivational speaker for secondary schools Cameron Parker for a powerful and deeply personal conversation about the life-changing accident that resulted in the loss of her leg and the journey that followed. Sian takes Cameron back to the day of the accident, sharing what she remembers from those first moments, the people who rushed to save her life, and the moment...

Former headteacher and leadership coach Diana Osagie joins Cameron Parker for a powerful and honest conversation about leadership, pressure, vulnerability and why nobody should try to navigate life alone. Drawing on her experience leading schools and coaching headteachers, Diana discusses the hidden loneliness of leadership, why so many leaders struggle to ask for help and the dangers of feeling l...

Former headteacher, executive leader and founder of Develop2Teach, Paul Collin joins Cameron Parker for a powerful conversation on what it really takes to improve schools and why there are no shortcuts when it comes to lasting change. Drawing on more than 25 years in education and over a decade as a headteacher and executive leader, Paul shares his honest thoughts on school improvement, leadership...

Are schools excluding too many children, or are there times when permanent exclusion is necessary? In this throwback conversation, Wayne Norrie shares an honest and balanced perspective on exclusions, alternative provision, SEND and the growing pressure facing schools. We discuss why schools work so hard to avoid exclusion, but also why serious behaviour towards staff cannot simply be accepted. Wa...

Former headteacher, author of Punk Leadership, and Executive Trust Leader Keziah Featherstone joins Cameron Parker for one of the most honest and thought-provoking conversations yet on The School Podcast. With over 30 years in education, Keziah challenges some of the biggest debates facing schools today, from strict behaviour systems and uniform policies to inclusion, belonging, leadership and why...

What if the question we ask a young person could completely change the outcome? In this powerful throwback episode of The School Podcast, Sir David Carter joins Cameron Parker to explore one of the biggest challenges facing education today: school attendance. Drawing on decades of experience in education, Sir David shares practical insights into attendance, behaviour, vulnerable students, social m...

Lord Marvin Rees OBE joins Cameron Parker for one of the most honest and thought-provoking conversations ever recorded on The School Podcast. From growing up in Easton, Bristol, as a mixed-race child in a working-class family, to becoming the first elected Mayor of Bristol and later joining the House of Lords, Marvin shares the experiences, challenges and people that shaped his journey. The conver...

In this episode of The School Podcast, Cameron Parker sits down with headteacher Stuart Woodburn to explore one of the biggest questions in education today: are schools doing enough to prepare children for life beyond the classroom? From an unexpected journey into teaching in South Africa to leading a primary school in Wiltshire, Stuart shares how character development, resilience, leadership and...