JUST FOR KIDS LAW exists to help children and young people overcome all the difficulties they face, from problems at school and issues with immigration status to trouble with the police. They work with and for young people to ensure their legal rights are respected and promoted, and their voices heard and valued. Last time, Lynsie Monroe spoke to three Just For Kids Law team members: * Chief Executive Officer, Enver Solomon* Natalie Bichard, Youth Advocate* Alex...

JUST FOR KIDS LAW exists to help children and young people overcome all the difficulties they face, from problems at school and issues with immigration status to trouble with the police. They work with and for young people to ensure their legal rights are respected and promoted, and their voices heard and valued. Aika Stephenson and Shauneen Lambe established Just for Kids Law in 2006. Shauneen, a barrister and an attorney, had previously acted for death row defendants...

Kiran began her career in inner-city London, as an English teacher in schools serving the most deprived postcodes in the country.  After five years on the frontline, Kiran left to work in education policy, searching for solutions to the rising number of vulnerable children who fall through the gaps.  Kiran was working at Social Mobility Commission when she conceived the idea for The Difference.  She has led its work full-time since January 2017. Kiran is driven by her own family...

Former footballing star, Kris Boyd This week, a new presenter to the Pivotal Podcast, Cathy Duncan, spoke to the Scottish former football star, Kris Boyd. After a very successful career, Kris now works to help improve the mental health of those in need. Kris grew up in the South Ayrshire village of Tarbolton and started his senior football career with Kilmarnock. He transferred to Rangers in January 2006, and was their top goalscorer in each of his seasons at Ibrox. He is the...

Serena Clark, formerly of Ark Global Academy This week, Lynsie Monro speaks to Harrow International School Hong Kong‘s Deputy Head of Lower School (Pupil Wellbeing), Serena Clark. Serena is an award winning mentor and the recipient of outstanding leadership judgements from Ofsted in 2014 and 2018. With extensive experience of delivering the highest professional standards of educational and parochial care, she has been a Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead since 2015 with...

Adrian Bethune Mark Bocker picks the brains of Wellness champion, Adrian Bethune this week. Adrian Bethune is a Healthy Body and Mind Leader and Teacher at a primary school in Hertfordshire. He was awarded a ‘Happy Hero’ medal at the House of Lords on the UN International Day of Happiness in 2013, and has been on stage with the Dalai Lama and Lord Richard Layard in 2015 talking about teaching happiness in his school. He is passionate about children’s mental health and...

This week, Mark Bocker speaks to Shahana Knight, Childhood Trauma and Mental Health Specialist. Shahana is the Founder and Director of TPC therapy Ltd. A mental health service for children and young people. She manages a large team of play therapists who work with vulnerable children in schools, adoption, fostering and homicide across the UK. She is the founder of the ‘Therapeutic Schools Programme’ through which she works with schools across England to put children’s wellbeing...

Lynsie MonroPrincipal Trainer This week, new presenter Lynsie Monro speaks to Dr Harry Hope about how he has led his Primary School through the opening stages of the Coronvirus emergency. It’s a fascinating interview and Harry shares a huge amount about his approaches and stresses what he thinks is most important for everyone to remember at times like these. Harry earned his medical degree and worked as a Junior Doctor before following his true passion, education. He...

This week, Huw talks to the amazing Baby J about the alternative provision in Derby he runs called Baby People. We use the term ‘inspirational’ a lot but Baby J is definitely an inspiration to the many young people who have benefited from what he has achieved. Baby J is an established record producer who has been working in the industry for over a decade. Artists he has worked with include Amy Winehouse, Mark Ronson, Skinnyman, Jamelia and Plan B. Alongside his production work...

This is a compilation episode with clips from the following episodes: Sarah Wild on girls and autism…it’s not just a boy thing – PP159 Autistic? Genius! with Tom Bowes – PP192 Do we know enough about Inclusion? Tara Elie speaks to Emma Brown – PP204 Emma Brown is back! Listener Questions on Autism – 210 Kevin and Mark Bocker introduce the clips and stress the importance of understanding Autism. You can listen to the full episodes referred to...

Dame Benita Refson DBE Benita is Founder of Place2Be and a qualified counsellor. Benita was CEO for 20 years until 2014 when she stepped down and was appointed life time President and continues to support the organisation enthusiastically through her role as President. Benita received an OBE for Services to Children and Families in 2007; was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Law from the University of East London in 2009; in 2014 was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from the...

Professor Rachel Lofthouse Rachel Lofthouse is Professor of Teacher Education in the Carnegie School of Education. She has a specific research interest in professional learning, exploring how teachers learn and how they can be supported to put that learning into practice.  Rachel joined Leeds Beckett University in July 2017, and has established the Research and Practice Centre ‘CollectivED: The Mentoring and Coaching Hub’. Rachel is a teaching educator and researcher. She...

Gavin is a truly motivational speaker. His inspiration for what he does comes from where he started out his career—primary school teaching. He is a firm believer that we as adults can be every bit as inspired by young children as they can by us grown-ups. Gavin transports his audience back to when they were just 5 years of age, a time when we feared nothing and embraced everything. You will laugh, you will cry, you will feel and you will never eat broccoli in the same way again! Over...

This week, Tara was invited onto Voice of Islam Radio to take part in a programme about the link between exclusions and crime, including knife crime. About Voice of Islam Voice of Islam Radio Voice of Islam Radio is a new Digital DAB 24hr radio station which offers news, views, discussion and insight on Islam’s Perspectives on the world today. It is a new channel that will inform, engage and give you a chance to express your views on a range of topics. Broadcasting...

This week, Mark talks to Kirstie Mackey from Barclays Life Skills which provides: Tool tips and learning resources for you to help yourself or to support you in the development of others For students, educators and parents, the scheme provides City and Guilds approved activities and resources covering a huge range of work/life topics. https://barclayslifeskills.com/ contains an enormous range of help for student and Mark has very positive memories of working...

This week, Tara speaks to three guests about Maths in the classroom and how technology can help or hinder learning. Dr Christian Salas (below centre) is a Maths Lecturer from Waltham Forest College, Stephen Farmer (below left), is Headteacher at Cranbrook Education Campus and Dan Sandhu (below right), is from Sparx Maths. The conversation goes into depth about the Sparx Maths system and its benefits to schools like Stephen’s and Christian presents a slightly different point...

Mary is Head of Inclusion at Lincolnshire County Council This week, Mark speaks to Mary Meredith, Head of Inclusion at Lincolnshire County Council. In an engrossing and detailed conversation, they cover many different areas of behaviour in English schools – what’s going well, what’s going badly and what should happen in the future. Mary’s in-depth knowledge of research combined with her enormous personal, practical experience of education make this episode a must-listen...

Blair Minchin This week, Kevin and Ollie speak to the talented Blair Minchin, a primary school teacher based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Blair has been teaching for 5 years, having previously worked in law, practising in commercial litigation. He says he ADORES his job and has a real passion for developing pupil voice inside the classroom and out. He is currently leading a whole school sport house initiative aimed at developing a love of exercise and team sports across his...

Mark Bocker: Principal Trainer Mark has 37+ years’ experience in special, PRU and mainstream education; most recently as a headteacher of a small specialist (ASD/SEMH) residental school and a headteacher of a large pupil referral unit (PRU). Prior to headship, Mark also held positions including Director of Inclusion; Lead Behaviour Professional, Senior Teacher, Head of PE and Classroom Teacher. Mark has experienced and led through many Ofsted and HMI Inspections gaining...

David Miller, Kelvinside Academy Tara Ellie enjoyed speaking to David Miller this week. David is from Glasgow’s Kelvinside Academy which opened Scotland’s School of Innovation, the first of its kind in the UK, in September 2019. “This is a must for Scotland if it is to continue to punch above its weight in the global economy during these challenging times. We truly believe we can and will transform education in the United Kingdom. We live in a rapidly changing world and schools...

In a great fun episode this week, Tara meets ‘The Jungle Master’ and ‘Kiosk Keef’ AKA Chris and Lewis from Hillcrest Early Years Academy in Lincolnshire. The Jungle Master, Keef and friends Chris and Lewis are both Key Stage 1 teachers and they make what they describe as ‘fun phonics videos’. The origins of the approach were in a whole-school phonics focus which promoted the fun and love of phonics in the school by introducing the concept of The Jungle Master who had to take...

Supporting the National Curriculum for Design and Technology and tailored for key stages 2, 3, 4 and 5, the Design Museum offers students and educators world class design education facilities supporting a vibrant and relevant programme connected with the wider ecology of design practice, networks and communities. This week Tara speaks to Sevra Davis and Sebastian Conran about the educational work of The Design Museum and the importance of design in the present school curriculum and...

In our first episode for the new academic year, Tara speaks to Daniel Senn whose background and skills helped him to invent a new reading app called Poio which has helped more than 100,000 children aged 3-8 crack the reading code! Daniel also shares his research and views on the role of fun in education. Daniel is the dad and educator behind the learn-to-read game, Poio. Six years ago, he embarked on a journey of trying to help his own son learn how to read. He was born...

This week, Tara Elie speaks to the truly inspirational RIP STARS: https://ripstars.net/ Here’s how the Disabled Young Researchers describe themselves: We are a group of disabled young people aged 17 – 25 from Coventry, UK. We have been trained by Anita Franklin and Geraldine Brady (Coventry University) to be researchers. We lead our project – research by young disabled people for disabled young people. We have a voice and we want to give a voice to other disabled young...