The School Should Be Podcast

This month we are joined by the brilliant Adam Kohlbeck: Director of Teacher Quality at Chiltern Learning Trust, author, podcaster and speaker, and Chris Passey: Headteacher at Kimichi School, SENDCo, author, podcaster and speaker. Both Adam and Chris are co-founders of the education thinktank, EduPulse and this time have come together to author their brilliant book: Succeeding as a Deputy Head (D...

Very excited to be joined by Headteachers Robert Labatto and Sarah Seleznyov, who have co-authored a brilliant book: A Practical Guide to Big Education. This book is full of practical and research informed information, tools and support for teachers and leaders to create primary and secondary school settings that embrace education for the 21st and 22nd century: a system that leads with head, heart...

Emma Sheppard is the Founder of The MTPT Project, the UK’s charity for parent-teachers.  A former English teacher and Lead Practitioner, she is now an ICF ACC qualified coach, and runs The MTPT Project full time since.  The UK’s expert on the motherhood penalty in education, Emma co-authored the 2024  Missing Mothers  report with The New Britain Project, outlining the importance of working mothers...

We are back! And super excited to be back with the brilliant, Naomi Evans, co-founder and Head of Education at Everyday Racism . Everyday Racism is a platform and organisation that provides anti-racism education for schools and organisations, worldwide. With over 20 years' experience in teaching and senior leadership, Naomi joins the School Should Be podcast for a candid discussion about how t...

Professor Damien Page , Deputy Vice Chancellor, and soon to be Vice Chancellor, at Buckinghamshire New University, joins the School Should Be Podcast to share how schools, teachers and educators across communities can work together to support working class students pursue and sustain a career in Higher Education (HE). About a year ago, Damien shared his thoughts on LinkedIn about navigating the wo...

In this episode, I am joined by the Sadia Siddiqui to talk about how schools and teachers can use inclusive language in the classroom and sustainably nurture a classroom and school culture that is safe for all students. One of my favourite episodes to date, we talk about inclusivity across the curriculum, difficult conversations in the classroom, using compassion and knowledge to build a culture o...

In this episode, I speak to the brilliant, Anita Grant , Assistant Chief Officer for Trust and Legitimacy at Sussex Police all about why students should consider a career in the police force. We talk about Anita's own journey into the police force (from a background in education and Sure Start settings), her relationship and thoughts about the police growing up and why policing is an attractiv...

Sufian Sadiq , Director of Talent and Teaching School at Chiltern Learning Trust joins the School Should Be podcast to talk about the importance of teaching and living in the community and how to ensure community engagement and targeted interventions are effective and successful for marginalised and underresourced students. This is such an engaging podcast and so valuable for anyone looking to eng...

This was a difficult episode to title. Effectively it is two friends, two educators, one Muslim and one Jewish, coming together in a safe space to talk about how we are feeling amidst the rise of Islamophobia, antisemitism, the war on Gaza, the awful pictures and videos we are seeing day in and day out on social media and the utter feeling of helplessness watching an entire people suffer beyond be...

In this episode of the BHS takeover, Jasmine, Ellie and Kareena talk all things GCSEs, from choosing your options, to what different GCSEs entail, along with workload, revision and managing expectations in years 10 and 11. A must listen for students choosing their options or students who have just started their GCSE courses. *if you are a student and you are concerned about your wellbeing and ment...

Jasmine, Ellie and Kareena are back to answer your questions with their tips and thoughts on navigating friendships and peer pressure at secondary school. Listen in as they share their reassuring thoughts and wisdom on something we all think about on day one of year 7: friendship. *if you are a student and you are concerned about your wellbeing and mental health, please get in touch with your teac...

Jasmine, Ellie and Kareena, Sixth Form Students at Beaconsfield High School have taken over the School Should Be episode to help students navigate revision and wellbeing! Sharing their thoughts, advice and wisdom after successfully completing their GCSEs and now on their A level journey, they reached out to students in years 7-10 to ask what questions and concerns do they have about their wellbein...

The last few months have been challenging beyond belief and navigating conversations about Gaza, Israel and Palestine have been particularly challenging for schools. What we are seeing on social media and the news is nothing ever of us thought we would bear witness too, and the global and political climate is causing an overwhelming sense of anxiety, grief and uncertainty. As ever, young people ne...

David Church, former senior leader, LGBT+ Education Consultant and Director of QueerEd , joins me, 20 years on from the repeal of Section 28 , to talk about how teachers can create safe environments for LGBT+ students and all students to have difficult conversations amidst a growing concerns about media narratives, social media and the overwhelming impact these can have on schools. David tells me...

Natasha Devon MBE, is an author, presenter and campaigner and campaigner for mental health, student wellbeing, gender equality, diversity and inclusion. Natasha has been working with schools and within education for over 15 years, providing workshops, presentations, support and advice about mental health and wellbeing for young people; in 2015 she was awarded an MBE for her services to young peopl...

Bennie Kara , former Deputy Headteacher in the UK, Co-founder of DiverseEd an award-nominated diversity, inclusion and equity training and development consultancy talks to me about moving beyond book lists and how schools can diversify their curriculums. Bennie speaks to me about diversity within the context of whole-school culture and as an integral process to supporting every student and member...

This episode is a special one, one where I sit down with my grandad (Nanaba) and learn as much as I can about his story. He was born in Kisumu, Kenya in 1935, went to school in Nairobi and Mbale and he has never visited the country where his own parents were born: India. He took a trip to a newly formed Pakistan before marriage in 1960 and then he left behind his life in Africa to build a life in...

Edgar is a year 13 student at Dr Challoner's Grammar School. I met with Edgar, along with his fellow students, to talk about Andrew Tate, masculinity and the impact these conversations and current context of masculinity is having on young men. In this episode, Edgar joins me to discuss, candidly, the experiences of young men at school and his own very thoughtful reflections, experiences and re...

End Sexism in Schools are a grassroots organisation made up of individuals from up and down the UK, and as far afield as New Zealand, united by a shared vision of ending sexism in UK schools. The campaign began with founder, Debbie Brazil's experiences with her son’s school brought home the real need for change — both in the curriculum and in school culture. After garnering initial support from me...

Shuaib Khan is a teacher, author, podcaster and proud brother to his late brother Kasim Khan. Shuaib is a teacher of 6 years, specialising in RE and sociology, and has been a dedicated teacher and role model in his local community. Shuaib's tweets are lyrical, nuggets of wisdom and he has amassed a social media following of over 6000. In this episode, Shuaib talks to me candidly about how we c...

Jan and Jennifer are co-founders of Captains and Poets: a groundbreaking Kindergarten – Grade 12 Social Emotional Learning (SEL) program that students will take with them their entire lives. It is a research-based program that has been built by a passionate team of educators, parents, SEL and equity consultants to help young people reach their full potential.  Jan and Jen explain what Captains and...

Dr Whitney Bevan is a lecturer in Construction Management at Robert Gordon University . Whitney's research and teaching focuses on sustainable energy, wellness and socio-economic development within the construction industry. As a leading expert in her field, Whitney wants to encourage more young people, especially young women, into the field of construction. It is so much more than hard hats a...

Aleha is a year 12 student, who has a hidden disability. Her disability is called panhypopituitarism, a disability that impacts the functionality of the pituitary gland. For her Extended Qualification Project, an additional research project A level students can do when in Sixth Form or college, Aleha is focusing on the relationship between Hidden Disabilities and mental health. As part of her proj...

Onyinye Udokporo is an entrepreneur, Neurodiversity consultant and LinkedIn creator. A magnificently eclectic career so far, Onyinye works to enable and support the use of education as tool to ensure young people, private and public organisations can enable success and achievement for all. Her company, Enrich Learning makes education equitable and accessible for young people. She has written paper...

Kalina Silverman is the Creator and Founder of Big Talk: a groundbreaking movement, which is increasing human connection, communication, empathy, and kindness, one conversation at a time. What was at one point a conversation with a friend at university, Big Talk is now a global movement, company, and game providing resources, workshops and so much more, which aims to cut through the small talk so...