Teachers Talk Radio

Claire Bills and Beejesh Deva dive into the big question: should schools ever do things just for Ofsted? They unpack the new framework, challenge the idea of inspection vs. support, and explore what really drives meaningful change in schools. Beejesh puts Claire on the spot with some tough scenarios about what she’d do as a head! Thought provoking and  refreshingly honest.

In this special one-off Teachers Talk Radio show, Kathryn Clark is joined by a brilliant panel of guests to explore the future of GCSE Maths. With curriculum reform and assessment reviews on the horizon, what should GCSE Maths look like by 2030? Kathryn is joined by Neil Ogden and Amy Jones, Maths Subject Advisors from OCR, and James Butterworth, Head of Maths at Truro School. Together, they explore the key questions: What maths should students be learning? How do we balance relevance with rigour? Is it time to rethink content like constructions, memorised formulae, and even the exam structure itself? The conversation covers everything from AI’s role in the subject to financial literacy, real-life application, student voice, and how to best serve the full range of learners – not just those going on to study maths post-16. Visit OCR Maths: https://www.ocr.org.uk/subjects/mathematics/ 

Following part 1, where Tom sat down with AI and assessment expert Daisy Christodoulou, Tom is joined this time by History education trust lead Ben Walsh to discuss his take on developments in this area. 

Seema discusses this contended topic with Kent Valentine (Director & London Office Leader at Oliver Wyman) and Adrian Sledmere (Lecturer, ex-Kings College London and UAL). Using academic sources is an expectation in UK higher education; this conversation will explore how important the integration of academic sources are in teaching, whether academic sources are outdated, the risk of not using them and what constitutes credible teaching.

Carl and special guest Rebecca Thomson discuss alcohol and the teaching profession - Does teaching have a drinking problem? 

Join Famida Choudhary in conversation Ros Wilson as they explore how to embed creative writing and vocabulary development into the daily routine of ESL classrooms. In this show, Ros shares decades of insight on the power of talk, the importance of structured oracy, and how purposeful language exposure can transform writing outcomes for multilingual learners. From classroom routines to story-based vocabulary games and the role of family talk, discover how to build confident, expressive young writers—one sentence at a time.

Luke Attridge, Head of Drama and doctoral researcher, joins Darren to discuss the place of arts generally (and drama specifically) in both schools and society.

In this show, we dive deep into the complexities of school culture with headteacher and education researcher Dr John Morris. Drawing on his doctoral work and real-world leadership experience, John explores what “culture” really means in schools beyond slogans and quick fixes. Together with host Tony Harwood, the discussion ranges from leadership blind spots and subcultures within staff teams to the unintended messages sent by architecture, uniforms, and even where the head parks their car. John also reflects on why staff rooms matter, the role of trust in behaviour, and how to avoid reducing culture to a single buzzword.

Joining Liz and Kate on the show is lecturer and director, Tim Seyfert, who eloquently shares his passion projects outside of the classroom, advocating the importance of a healthy work-life balance and how to achieve this alongside the everyday demands of teaching. Interweaved with the usual anecdotes, honesty and humour, enjoy “Teachers in the Wild”.

How can schools move beyond one-off eco-lessons and genuinely embed sustainability in the heart of their curriculum and culture? In this episode, Caroline Hall and Adam Sumner join us to explore how primary schools can empower pupils to think critically about their role in the world—without overwhelming them. From tackling the common barriers to making sustainability part of everyday teaching, to building a meaningful journey through the curriculum, we discuss how schools can foster collective responsibility and pupil agency. We cover questions such as: • Why is now the moment to prioritise sustainability in schools? • How can we make space for this in an already packed curriculum? • What does it look like to embed sustainability across all subjects—not just as a ‘bolt-on’? • How do we avoid fear-based approaches and instead inspire hope and action? Whether you’re a classroom teacher, school leader or curriculum designer, this episode offers practical insights, reflective questions and plenty of inspiration for cultivating a culture of sustainability in your school. Brought to you with Kapow Primary - Visit them at KapowPrimary.com