In the opening episode of the season, I chat with Karen McGuigan, founder of The Maths Mum and creator of Maths for Life. Karen is incredibly passionate about maths and her ambition is to ensure all children, regardless of their ability or any additional needs they may have, leave school armed with the mathematical life skills they will need in the future.  In this episode, Karen shares: - Why she is so passionate about maths and ensuring all children can pick up those life skills. - Her...

EPISODE NOTES In this episode, Claire talks with Grace Francis: Founder of DramEd, a company that delivers creative educational experiences in pre-schools and primary schools. With a background in acting on both stage and television, Grace has a passion for making performing arts accessible to all children. Having experienced her own challenges with childhood poverty and taking unfulfilling work as a young mother in between acting jobs, Grace says what drives her is helping all children...

EPISODE NOTES In this episode, Claire talks with Tim Ealing: Founder of Time Capsule Education. During his time as a primary teacher, Tim was a subject leader for English. In 2016, he set up his own business: Time Capsule Education. Tim refers to himself and his business partner as ‘historical interpreters’ working in the heritage industry for clients such as English Heritage. Tim also works as a creative writing consultant in schools across the country.   KEY TAKEAWAYS Make contexts for...

EPISODE NOTES In this episode, Claire talks with Rezina Kelly: former primary school teacher, safeguarding adviser and now education consultant. Rezina discusses the importance of safeguarding and how, in her varied roles over the years, safeguarding has been at the core of all of them. From being an educational trainer to a member of the youth offending team in a prison, Rezina believes that building trust and developing positive relationships is crucial to safeguarding children and young...

EPISODE NOTES In this episode, Claire talks with Arnav Rawat: Founder of the Books2All charity. After graduating from the University of Cambridge and returning home, Arnav came across a vast collection of books from his childhood. His fond memories of being transported to worlds that exist only in books, along with the appreciation that books helped him on his path to achieving his academic goals, prompted Arnav to donate his books to schools and to children who needed them. However, due...

EPISODE NOTES In this episode, Claire talks with Victoria Bagnall who is a director and one of three founders of Connections in Mind: a company that provides coaching in executive functions. Victoria left teaching in 2011 and, after tutoring students who had additional needs, she turned her focus to neuro-education and executive functions. Victoria discusses the importance of executive functions are and how they are the skills of self-management that allow people to live a healthy and...

EPISODE NOTES In this episode, Claire talks with Noureen Lakhani, a trainee Educational Psychologist to discuss the impact of trauma on children’s learning. For over three years, Noureen has explored her interest in child psychology: in particular looking at how children’s brains develop and investigating the barriers which might impact on learning and education. Noureen discusses the effects of trauma on children and young people’s lives and how professionals can better understand these...

EPISODE NOTES In this episode, Claire talks with Darryl Walsh and Dr Martin Yelling, founders of Stormbreak: a registered charity promoting movement and physical activity to improve mental health in primary schools. Despite their quite different backgrounds, Martin and Darryl came together with a shared interest in using movement to equip children with sustainable, transferable skills and coping strategies that can be drawn upon to promote good mental health into adult life. The result was...

Shahana Knight - EPISODE NOTES In this episode, Claire talks with Shahana Knight: founder and director of Therapeutic Teaching. Shahana is at the heart of this mental health and wellbeing service supporting children all over the UK with both complex and lower-level needs. Shahana discusses the importance of helping children to recognise their emotions and shares some tips and advice for teachers and school staff on how they can support this by making conscious yet subtle changes in their...

EPISODE NOTES In this episode, Claire talks with returning guest Dr Victoria Carr: Headteacher of Woodlands Primary School. Victoria’s school was recently inspected remotely by Ofsted and she talks about how their preparations stood the school in good stead for their monitoring visit. The school had previously focused on improving attainment in maths and English so, when Victoria became headteacher, she led the staff in creating a whole new foundation curriculum. A lot of time and effort...

EPISODE NOTES In this episode, Claire talks with Paul McGee, founder of the SUMO principles about what the SUMO approach is and how anyone can use it as a tool to achieve better results in life. Paul talks about how his background in behavioural and social psychology led him to running training seminars and coaching courses. It was an audience heckle during one of these sessions that introduced him to the acronym SUMO which he has since adapted and developed into a way of helping to get the...

EPISODE NOTES In this episode, Claire talks with Sam Strickland: author and headteacher at The Duston School in Northamptonshire. Sam and Claire discuss some of the key themes from Sam’s book ‘Education Exposed 2: In pursuit of the halcyon dream’ in particular what the halcyon dream of teaching is and some of the practical approaches that leaders can take to work towards achieving this. Sam shares his thoughts on a range of strategies schools might use to help improve and grow including...

EPISODE NOTES In this episode, Claire talks with Mungo Sheppard, headteacher at Ash Green Primary School in Halifax, about how remote teaching is currently working and how it has changed over the last year for his school. Reflecting on his school’s experience with the move to remote teaching during the lockdowns, and what they have done to overcome the varied challenges these raised, Mungo discusses what has worked for his school and staff. Mungo also shares his thoughts on the future of...

EPISODE NOTES In this episode, Claire talks about overcoming the barriers to remote teaching with Emma Handisides, deputy headteacher at St Joseph's Catholic and Church of England Primary School. Emma talks about how her school has approached remote teaching over the last year including how they have maintained a positive determination in both preparing for, and working to overcome, the varied challenges that have emerged. From her school’s experiences, Emma shares some tips and advice and...

EPISODE NOTES In this episode, Claire talks with Helen Clare, founder of ‘Class Yoga’, about the benefits of yoga and mindfulness for staff and pupils in schools. Previously a primary school teacher, Helen now teaches yoga and mindfulness to adults and children and talks with Claire about the advantages of bringing in yoga and its related techniques into schools: including how it can improve wellbeing and mindfulness. With over 10 years’ experience, both internationally and in and out of...

EPISODE NOTES In this episode, Claire talks with Koren Sanderson about the realities of remote teaching. Koren is a Year 6 teacher in a school in Staffordshire. She is a member of the middle leadership team, has a shared subject responsibility for English and is the reading coordinator for the whole of her school. Koren discusses her experiences of the move to remote teaching and learning and shares some tips and advice based on what has worked and been successful for her and her...

EPISODE NOTES In this episode, Claire talks with Rebecca Leek, an executive headteacher and director of strategy for ASSET Education Trust. Rebecca discusses how, as a result of the coronavirus restrictions along with local and national lockdowns, her school has adapted including the move to more remote teaching and learning practices. Rebecca also talks about the importance of maintaining balance within schools and amongst staff – particularly in light of how much more quickly things are...

EPISODE NOTES In this episode, Claire talks with Hayley Lamb: Founder of Positive Ewe, personal and professional coach and educational leader. Hayley previously taught English in Thailand and, after completing her PGCE in the UK, went on to teach in Dubai and Egypt. During her time working in a huge international school, with 80 classes just in the primary sector, Hayley became Deputy Head and had a leading role in the wellbeing and coaching of staff. Hayley was instrumental in setting up...

EPISODE NOTES In this episode, Claire talks with Caroline Allams: founder of Natterhub, a gated, child-orientated social-media platform where children can interact safely while learning about online safety. Caroline talks about how she always knew that she wanted to be a teacher recalling how, as a child, she enjoyed ‘bossing people around in the garden with a whistle’. Having always enjoyed going to school and feeling as though there was something ‘magical’ about teachers, she felt that...

EPISODE NOTES In this episode, Claire talks with Lisa Lea-Weston: a drama therapist and the founder of Talking Heads. As a child, Lisa wanted to be an actor and went on to study drama in London. It was during her time at university that she decided she would go on to study to be a drama teacher. However, during a holiday job where Lisa supported children to access mainstream play schemes, she changed her mind and, instead, turned to working with children and young people with learning...

EPISODE NOTES In this episode, Claire talks with Andrew Whitehouse: a specialist and consultant for neurological diversities who provides training and support for professionals, parents and young people. During his childhood, Andrew was viewed as ‘odd’, ‘eccentric’ and ‘funny’. Despite his outer confidence, he had a feeling of being inferior to his peers and his goal, he says, was ‘to be like everyone else’. Andrew was in his early fifties before he was diagnosed with Attention Deficit...

EPISODE NOTES In this episode, Claire talks with Clem Studholme: National Creative Manager at One Day Creative Education. Clem comes from a performing arts background and, after spending some time teaching English in Italy, he developed his appreciation of using performance to provide a purpose for learning. Clem went on to work for a charity involved in youth work and explored social inclusion and bringing different communities together. Further work involved social action projects and...

EPISODE NOTES In this episode, following their hugely popular season 1 podcast episode, Claire talks again with Hollie Hindle and Jenny Wood from Alfresco Learning. Hollie and Jenny, both from teaching backgrounds, share a passion for learning outdoors. In this episode they discuss the challenges and benefits associated with providing activities in outdoor environments. As a result of the coronavirus restrictions currently preventing school visits, Alfresco Learning now provide training...

EPISODE NOTES In this episode, Claire talks with Sue Atkins: a parenting expert, author, speaker, coach and broadcaster. Sue previously worked as a teacher and deputy headteacher for over twenty years; however, a period of reflection and re-evaluation whilst walking her dogs lead Sue on to a different path to becoming an author, parental coach and broadcaster. Sue is passionate about supporting, nurturing and helping parents to raise happy, confident and resilient children. As a...

EPISODE NOTES In this episode, Claire talks with Scott Cranfield: author of ‘The Wise Bear Stories’ which are a series of children’s books focusing on personal development. Scott talks about his background as a professional golfer and how this led to coaching the sport and a growing fascination with human behaviour. Scott’s collection of children’s books focuses on a range of emotional principles, based on real events, which supports readers in gaining more understanding of feelings and...