Teachers Talk Radio

Claudia and Martin explore the challenges of launching new courses, from designing low-anxiety first lessons to encouraging conversation beyond one-word answers. They discuss adapting textbooks, assessing speaking, building intercultural awareness, and handling sensitive topics such as stereotypes, consent, and personal space. The conversation also covers student expectations, reflection, meaningful assessment, and teaching across cultures.

Rae Whitehouse, teacher and education commentator, joins school leader Carl Smith to examine England’s teacher retention crisis. They explore toxic workplace culture, crushing workload, high-stakes accountability, poor funding and behaviour challenges. The discussion also tackles micromanagement, early-career pressure, professional boundaries, exit interviews and why humane leadership, autonomy and time may matter more than recruitment drives.

Ollie Bayliss, a teacher and pastoral leader focused on welfare, inclusion and SEND, joins a frank discussion about England’s teacher retention crisis. The panel explores punishing workloads, lost autonomy, behaviour, pay, Ofsted pressure and fear-driven leadership. They also examine shrinking classroom support, the strain on SENCOs and pastoral staff, and whether stronger professional solidarity can keep experienced teachers in schools.

Divya Joyce, an English educator and people development professional from Bengaluru, explores how public speaking reshapes language learning. They discuss confidence, identity, student agency, and ways to include quieter pupils. Storytelling, drama, debate, listening, classroom routines, and AI all feature in a lively conversation about helping every child find an authentic voice.

John Tizard, Bedfordshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner, brings experience in crime prevention, youth support and school governance. He explains why he calls exclusions “failures,” explores links between exclusion, vulnerability and crime, and discusses mental health, SEND, early intervention and alternative provision. The conversation also tackles school safety, pupil responsibility and whether fewer exclusions truly mean better outcomes.

Maud Waret, a modern-languages teacher and education commentator; Liz Webb, a teacher and parent focused on literacy and family life; and Lucy Trimnell, a teacher specialising in maths intervention and diverse learner needs, debate homework’s future. They explore meaningful practice versus pointless worksheets, family time, inequality, revision habits, teacher workload, sanctions, reading, and creative project-based tasks.

Hayley Carlyon, Head of English, maths and ESOL for under-19 learners at Milton Keynes College, shares how to turn reluctant resit learners into confident participants. She explores trust, boundaries and reciprocal expectations, plus mystery challenges, carousel tasks and ethical dilemmas. They also discuss moving beyond worksheets, teaching critical thinking, adapting to learner needs and creating lessons that leave a lasting spark.

A lively discussion explores coping with sudden U-turns, workplace uncertainty, stress and shifting expectations. Topics include AI’s impact on the human classroom, self-esteem and reactions to change, resilience-building strategies, and the Three Cs of hardiness. Education news covers SEND funding, vocational qualifications, AI guidance, Turnitin, current affairs in lessons, and Ofsted reform.

What keeps teachers in the classroom? Darren Lester explores honest teacher perspectives on motivation, from holidays, pensions and financial security to subject passion, professional growth and supportive colleagues. The discussion also covers teaching older students, neurodivergent work patterns, career role modelling, student breakthroughs, humour and the privilege of watching young people grow.

What does it really mean to make an assessment fair and accessible to every learner without compromising academic rigour? Hosted by Tom Rogers and Christopher Vowles, we explore Universal Design in assessment and AQA's work to identify and remove unnecessary barriers that prevent students from demonstrating what they truly know and can do. The special guest is Louise Badham. We’ll look at what Universal Design means in practice, the barriers that can exist within exams and assessments, and how research, teacher feedback and learners’ lived experiences are helping to shape AQA’s approach. We’ll also tackle the question: does making an assessment more accessible risk making it easier? And what is the difference between removing an unnecessary barrier and changing what is actually being assessed? Plus, we go behind the scenes of assessment design to discover the thought, evidence and expertise involved in creating assessments that are accessible, rigorous and fair.