The We Lead Well Podcast

In this episode of the podcast, I chatted with Lead Happiness Consultant, Dave ‘Billy Elliot’ Keeling.  Dave grew up in a pit village in Nottinghamshire and was tap dancing three times a week by the age of ten. Never one to shy away from challenge and risk, he then moved into the world of acting and trained at the prestigious London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. Dave has worked extensively in...

In this episode, I talked with David Harking of 8 Billionideas. David is the Founder and CEO of this EdTech and services company and is on a mission to give every student the skills and belief to change the world. Centred around five pillars, 8billionideas focuses on teaching entrepreneurship, career education, wellbeing, health and performance, as well as life skills to students of all ages. In 2...

Michelle Hague is the Founder of HEYD. She is an accomplished and inspirational school leader with a track record of developing high-performing cultures, systems, and strategies to enhance academic standards. With experience as a Rapid School Improvement Partner, Head of School Development, Head of an outstanding school, Teaching School Alliance, Interim Head, Ofsted Inspector (Early Years), and c...

SuperKind is an award-winning, free platform for schools to bring social action and philanthropy into the classroom.  Their website and free resources can help you to create the next generation of change-makers in the easiest and most engaging way. Superkind's Co-founder Keren Mitchell joined us for this episode to tell us about the ways in which Superkind are supporting schools to help children e...

In this episode of the show I'm joined by the brilliant John Cosgrove. After almost 40 years’ teaching John retired in the summer of 2019.  He still contributes significantly to the world of education and has so much to share and teach about the importance of compassion in leadership.   John is a firm believer in inclusion, having taught pupils of all ages from 3 – 18 in Cornwall, London, Lancashi...

In this episode of the podcast it was a pleasure and a privilege to interview the CEO of Big Education, Liz Robinson. Liz’s motivation comes from a profound belief that schools can play a transformative role in children’s lives, but also in shaping whole communities. Social justice and wider change underpin her views that school simply must be about the whole child, the whole family and the whole...

In this episode, I talk to Jenny Bowers, supervisor and safeguarding expert and CEO of Purplemoon.  Jenny has worked in numerous leadership roles in which she has been responsible for safeguarding and SEN.  Her expertise has been developed over many years and she shares this with us in the episode.  If you're responsible for safeguarding or you want to be a safeguarding lead or senior leader, this...

Kate has been in primary teaching since 1993, and leadership since 1997. She first became a head in 2004, and has now been head in three schools, an executive head in a fourth, and supported two others in an interim capacity, both Church and Community schools, across four different LAs, and three Dioceses. From inner city Lambeth and Southwark to the London suburbs, and the market towns and villag...

Ruth is an MCC (Master) level coach with over 10,000 hours of coaching experience with a wide variety of clients.  She left her role as a high school deputy headteacher and set up Optimus Coach Academy where she trains people to become professional coaches alongside running her own private coaching practice.  Ruth is a twice best-selling author and podcaster and an expert in Positive Psychology an...

Stephanie Shaldas is a Deputy Headteacher in a secondary school in South East London with 20 years experience in education. She is a French and Spanish teacher who has been Head of Department, Head of Year and an Assistant Headteacher in a variety of schools across Essex and East London. In her current role, she is responsible for all things inclusion and pastoral care as well as diversity and equ...

In this episode, I talked to Emma Sheppard who founded The Maternity Teacher Paternity Teacher (MTPT) Project, the UK's charity for parent-teachers, whilst on maternity leave with her son in 2016. Having trained through Teach First as an English teacher in 2010, she continued to teach in the British International School, Ho Chi Minh, acting as Head of House, before returning to the UK as Lead Prac...

In this episode, I speak with Catrina Lowri the founder of Neuroteachers. Catrina is a neurodivergent teacher with dyslexia and bipolar condition. She has over 20 years experience as a SENCO and special needs teacher. Catrina is passionate about improving outcomes for children, young people, and adults with Autism and neurodiversity. She works with schools, colleges, nurseries, parents and busines...

With over 12 years of experience in educational leadership positions in the UK and overseas, Stephanie is committed to fostering a whole-school approach to the development of process over performance, in order for students and staff to thrive. Through her work on mindset and metacognition in her early career she has embedded this into her classroom practice and leadership approach to ensure that a...

After four years in Retail Management, Ben graduated from Birmingham City University with a first-class honours degree in Primary Education. With a background in retail management and a deep passion for education, Ben has since held various roles, including learning mentor, unqualified teacher, class teacher, and middle leader. Ben is passionate about delivering an engaging and well-rounded curric...

Catherine Hulme is an accomplished educator, leadership coach, and the CEO of Leadership Edge, an organisation dedicated to transforming education through coaching. With over two decades of experience in the field, Catherine is passionate about empowering students and educators to reach their full potential. Catherine works tirelessly to promote the power of pure coaching in schools. She firmly be...

Patrick Ottley-O’Connor is a coach and education guru. He was a teacher for more than 34 years, including 27 years as a senior leader, and 17 years as a headteacher. Patrick coaches many aspiring, new and experienced headteachers and CEOs, particularly those facing significant challenge both in the UK and internationally. He leads and facilitates a variety of leadership programmes, ranging from mi...

In this episode of the podcast, I chatted to Alan Taylor, the headteacher at Newton College, part of the International Schools Partnership in Alicante.  If you're wondering what it might be like to lead in an international school, or you're just interested to learn more about the experience of international leadership, this is the episode for you!  Born and raised in Manchester in the UK, Alan fir...

For this episode, I chatted to Neil Jurd all about leadership. Neil is a former army officer and RMA Sandhurst instructor. He served in several operational theatres, including the Former Republic of Yugoslavia, Sierra Leone, Iraq and Yemen. Since leaving the army he has worked in leadership development and coaching for more than a decade, a passion which has now developed into a small but busy tra...

On this week's episode, I chatted to John Magee AKA The Kindness Coach and Founder of Kindness Matters.  John has been teaching kindness and wellbeing to school children and teachers since 2010. His motivation and passion for education began after the credit crunch of 2008, when he lost my family business, his marriage broke down and he battled bankruptcy and consequently deep depression. John was...

This week on the show, I chatted to Atyia and Rebecca who were participants on the very first cohort of the Women Lead Well group coaching programme.  We talked about some of the challenges facing women in leadership and how the group coaching programme has helped both of them to develop both personally and professionally.  If you're wondering whether the group coaching programme is for you, or if...

Cleo de Jong is a deputy head at a high school in North London and mum of 2.  I first heard Cleo on the Diverse Educators podcast talking about her experience of being a senior leader and mum and the challenges she had faced.  This resonated with me and made me feel quite angry that things haven't moved forward that much since I was first pregnant 20 years ago.  The good news is that Cleo now work...

The findings from the 2022 Teacher Wellbeing Index were released on Friday and they are shocking!  They are evidence that we are heading towards a catastrophe in the education sector.  The number of staff in schools suffering from mental health issues is too high.  The findings also suggest that there are too many toxic schools in which staff wellbeing and morale are at rock bottom and a staggerin...

Kate Smith works with the Heads Up network for headteachers.  She is a coach and all round amazing human!  She describes herself as an ethical and values-driven coach and leader who believes in the power of humanity; her core values are authenticity, connection and love! In this week's show, Kate and I have a conversation about the challenges of school leadership, intentional wellbeing and how you...

Helen was the deputy head at a school in Essex and was one of the first participants on the Women Lead Well group coaching programme.  In this episode, Helen and I talk about leading as a woman, and as a human being.  We also talk about how coaching, both one to one and group, have helped Helen's growth and development as a leader and led her to the point at which she has been able to leave her ro...

Ben Solly is the Principal at Uppingham Community College in Rutland.  He joined us on the podcast for the second time and we talked about how he role models wellbeing as a leader and how he has created a culture of trust in his school.  It has been an absolute pleasure to have Ben join us on the show.  He's a shining example of what a headteacher can be. @WeLeadWellPodc1 www.progressivemasculinit...