Ep 15 - Inclusion to Belonging: Moving Beyond the Buzzwords, with Craig Duggan

Ep 15 - Inclusion to Belonging: Moving Beyond the Buzzwords, with Craig Duggan

In this episode I sat down with inclusion expert Craig Duggan (‘Executive Director of Inclusive Learning and Additional Learning Support’ at Middlesbrough College Group) and discussed how inclusion isn’t just about access or provision, it’s about a genuine commitment to keeping every learner in the system, even when that makes things more complex. I asked him the following: 1. The word ‘inclusion’ is everywhere at the moment: White Paper, OFSTED, strategy documents - but it risks becoming a buzzword. From your perspective, what does genuine inclusive learning actually mean in practice? 2. You’ve recently written an article for FE Week where you argue that when inclusion is done properly, it can actually make things like attendance, progress and safeguarding data look more complex (or even worse in the short term) - because more vulnerable learners are being retained rather than pushed out. Can you unpack that tension for us, and why leaders need to be ready for it? 3. If we walked into a school or college where inclusion is truly embedded and not just stated, what would we see, and what would it feel like for the learners there? 4. In your article for FE week you talked about learners historically being ‘managed out’ of systems. For leaders and teachers listening across all phases, what are the key shifts - in both systems and day-to-day practice, that are needed to genuinely keep learners in, together with helping them thrive? 5. How would you define a real sense of belonging for a child or young person, and why is it so fundamental to their development, behaviour and learning? 6. If belonging is something we want to build, how do we actually know if it’s there, or if it isn’t? What are the signs that a learner genuinely feels they belong, and what are the warning signs that they don’t? 7. In a system still driven by accountability and performance, how do leaders stay true to the fact that belonging should be a moral commitment to all our learners, especially when it’s difficult or uncomfortable?

Ep 14 - Thinking About Thinking: How Metacognition Transforms Learning, with Nathan Burns

In this episode I sat down with metacognitive thinking expert Nathan Burns. Over the 45 minute episode we covered the following questions: 1. Nathan, could you start by telling us a little about your journey into education and what first drew you to the field of metacognition? 2. Metacognition is a term many educators have heard, but not everyone feels confident explaining it. How would you define metacognition in simple terms, and could you share some concrete classroom examples to bring it to life? 3. Metacognition is often cited as one of the highest-impact strategies in education, particularly within the EEF Toolkit with an estimated impact of +8 months. Why do you think metacognition is so powerful, and what is it about this approach that leads to such strong outcomes? 4. What are some of the common misconceptions teachers and leaders have about metacognition — and where do schools sometimes go wrong when trying to implement it? 5. For classroom teachers across different phases, what are some practical strategies they can begin using immediately to embed metacognitive thinking into everyday teaching and learning? 6. Beyond individual classrooms, how can schools and leaders create the conditions for metacognition to become part of whole-school culture rather than a standalone initiative? 7. Finally, if teachers and leaders took one key idea away from our conversation today to reflect on in their own practice, what would you want it to be?

Ep 13 - AI in Action: Tools and Strategies for Schools, with Al Kinglsey MBE (part 2)

This is the 2nd part of a two part episode with Al Kinglsey MBE. In this part of the episode, we discuss: 1. People often say they ‘use ChatGPT’ or that they ‘just Google it,’ but the reality is that there’s a huge range of AI tools out there - a bit like people saying they have a Hoover when really they own a Dyson. How important is it for teachers and leaders to understand the different types of AI, and not just the ones that have become household names? 2. Why does prompting matter so much? And what makes a good prompt versus a weak one? * What simple structure should teachers use when talking to AI? 3. How are Schools and colleges using AI to become more efficient? * How are teachers using AI to reduce planning time? * How can it support differentiation and accessibility without just dumbing things down? * What about feedback and report writing? Where does it genuinely help? * What can senior leaders use it for day to day? * How can leaders use AI to streamline admin? * How can it be used to streamline information for governors? 4. What are the most impressive uses of AI you’ve seen in the classrooms of schools or colleges? * Examples that improved learning, not just novelty? * Where has it genuinely changed teaching practice? 5. Where are you seeing trusts use AI strategically to become more effective? * How can AI support school improvement, data analysis or communication? 6. Which categories of tools should educators explore first? * Are there a few platforms you’d recommend people trial? * What should teachers look for when evaluating new tools? * Free vs paid - what’s worth it? * What red flags should schools avoid? 7. I’ve got 3 quick fire questions for you to finish with: * One workflow tip every teacher should try? * One leadership move that makes a big difference? * One myth about AI in schools you’d love to kill off? 8. And finally, what excites you most about where this is heading?

Ep 12 - AI and the next ‘Internet Moment’ for schools, with Al Kingsley MBE (part 1)

This is a 2 part episode with Al Kinglsey MBE. - In this part of the episode we discuss: 1. People compare AI as we see it now, to the early days of the internet. Do you agree with that analogy? And if this really is like “day one of the internet”, what does the potential fast paced nature of technological progress in the next few years mean for schools and colleges? * What are the risks for schools that ignore this or move too slowly? * Conversely, what are the dangers of rushing in without thinking? 2. How do you strike that balance between curiosity and caution? * Schools don’t want to feel left behind, but equally they don’t want to be pushing boundaries towards dangerous and unknown territories. 3. What’s already here that educators haven’t clocked yet? 4. What are the biggest ethical questions education needs to wrestle with? * What does responsible adoption actually look like? 5. People struggle to grasp exponential change. How is AI a good example of that? * What’s something that felt impossible two years ago that’s now routine? * How quickly is it being baked into everyday software? 6. How does AI challenge what we currently mean by “independent work”? * What happens to homework, coursework and essays? * Does AI force us to rethink assessment models? 7. Could AI widen gaps or help close them? * What’s at stake for disadvantaged pupils? 8. If we fast-forward five years, what will classrooms actually look like? And what will teachers still be doing that machines can’t? * What skills will matter more than ever? * What becomes more important in teachers’ roles? * What do you think we’ll laugh about that currently scares us? * What should worry us? 9. What’s the one assumption about education that AI is about to break? * What excites you most right now? * What’s one question every school should be asking itself? 10. What prediction about AI would sound ridiculous now but might be normal in five years?

Ep 11 - Writing for Pleasure: Rekindling Joy Across the Curriculum, with Simon Blower

In this episode I sit down with Simon Blower (Co-founder of Pobble) and we discuss: 1. What first made you so passionate about writing? And what did you notice about pupils who did enjoy writing compared to those who didn’t? 2. We talk a lot about “reading for pleasure”, but what does “writing for pleasure” mean to you? And why does enjoyment matter so much in writing? 3. Why do so many pupils decide early on that they’re “not a writer”? and what mistakes do adults sometimes make when trying to motivate reluctant writers? 4. You often talk about experiences being the spark. Why are experiences such a powerful starting point? 5. How can subject teachers use their own disciplines as writing catalysts? 6. What differences do you see in attitudes to writing at different ages? And where do schools unintentionally squeeze the joy out as pupils get older? 7. Why does writing matter so much beyond exams? 8. What would you want every teacher, whatever their subject or phase, to rethink about writing