Edgecast

We chat to former Head turned speaker and blogger James Hilton about the stresses and strains of leadership in schools. How do you manage these issues and why are they still taboo? Our news bulletin covers all the need to know stories in education and there are details of the latest NAHT course.

In Episode number 12 of Edgecast, our special guest is HMI and National Director for Ofsted Sean Harford. Sean explains the reasoning behind the recent mythbusting document and where the myths arose from.  You can also discover how a no written marking policy and a healthy Ofsted report are not mutually exclusive. The news covers three key stories from the education sector, including news on a keynote speech made by our Director James Bowen on the subject of mental health provision. You’ll also get the inside track on our latest course and how it will benefit the progress of your career, plus there’s the regular top tip.

James Bowen, the new Director of NAHT Edge discusses our report into the SEND and SENCo reforms. As a former SENCo, James is uniquely placed to talk about the role, its pressures and what your feedback tells us. The news bulletin covers peer support networks for mental health, more on the deepening recruitment crisis and three other key stories. There's also details of an upcoming conference that examines what makes for effective CPD and schools improvement. Add a professional tip and you have episode 9 of Edgecast.

In episode 11 of Edgecast, we’re joined by Deputy Head Teacher and renowned blogger Michael Tidd who gives his view on the changes to assessment and how they’ve been received by both the profession and parents. You’ll hear all about our great sounding course on recruitment and retention, and there’s the regular top tip that ties in with the aforementioned course. The news looks into Education Secretary Nicky Morgan’s reaction to the Workload Challenge review groups’ reports along with the rest of the vital stories.

In this month’s podcast, hear the final part of our conversation with new NAHT Edge Director James Bowen on the upcoming report on ‘Supporting SENCos, schools, and children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities: making the reforms work for everyone,’ which is due to be released on 6 May. The new fair funding formula is examined in the news bulletin and multi-academy trusts come under scrutiny. Finally, hear the latest on NAHT and NAHT Edge’s courses for April, including a fascinating insight into Ofsted, and pick up some professional pointers from the top tip.

It’s Children’s Mental Health Week. In the latest episode of Edgecast, we talk to Chris Wright, Head of Health and Well-being at the Youth Sport Trust, to get some answers on how sport can bolster robust mental health, well-being and resilience in young people. We also visit Southfield School in Kettering, which runs one of the Trust’s schemes, and speak to Assistant Head Teacher Janet Goodliffe and Health and Well-being Champion Dr Eleanor Hartley to discover how their pupils have benefitted from the use of sport in this way. The news hones in on a number of stories (such as pay issues, and A level politics and feminism), and we provide all the details on the vital and current NAHT courses you can attend.

In the seventh episode of Edgecast, our Head of Professional Development Kate Quigley gives an insight into how continuing professional development should be an intrinsic part of your career. We cover the essential news stories, including what kind of breakfast helps achieve success at school and how to bridge the gender divide. Remember to tweet your Edgecast questions and comments to @NAHTEdge.

In the sixth episode of Edgecast, we visit Sheffield to talk with Julia Brown, Head Teacher at Greenhill Primary School, about her team’s experiences of NAHT Aspire and how the programme’s tools and prepackaged courses have helped them to lift morale and performance. NAHT Senior Regional Officer Rob Kelsall discusses the Prevent duty. He talks about how it doesn't criminalise pupils considered to be at risk of radicalisation and challenges some of the urban myths around this obligation. You'll also hear about science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) careers for girls and why adjectives play an important part, and there's more on the College of Teaching’s Founding Trustees

In the fifth episode of Edgecast, NAHT Specialist Adviser Sally Langran shares details on how the changes to the School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document impact you as a middle leader. We cover the essential news stories, including whether key stage three is a lost opportunity and a dramatic fall in the number of children classed as SEN. You can also hear the audio version of freelance journalist Susan Young’s blog on SENCos and the SEND reforms. Remember to tweet your Edgecast questions and comments to @NAHTEdge.

The first anniversary of NAHT Edge is marked by a chat with Russell Hobby, NAHT General Secretary, to uncover what he thinks are the defining achievements of the organsation so far. "A soft bigotry of narrow expectations" heralds a battle between the RSA and Nicky Morgan; we explain more and Sion Humphreys talks about the Key Date Planner.

The ever eloquent NAHT General Secretary Russell Hobby picks over the welfare cuts from the most recent budget and airs his views on where schools pick up the pieces. One of our bloggers, Lesley Gannon explores the concept of peer developments groups and in the Edgecast news bulletin, hear about the gender gap when it comes to language and why are modern foreign languages on the decline in Wales?

Sion Humphreys, Policy Adviser at NAHT discusses life after levels and how the collaboration with Frog Education worked. What were the issues raised from these events and how did they get addressed? Hear all about the NAHT Edge events in June that could be just the things your career needs and Martin has all the key news stories, including the latest on the recruitment crisis. "Where will the next generation of school leaders come from?" is something CEO Louis Coiffait attempts to tackle in his interview and there are details of how you can guest blog for NAHT Edge.

Hear the CEO Louis Coiffait set out his vision for this new podcast, four members of the NAHT Advisory Council tell their story and get the latest developments for middle leaders in our news bulletin.Tweet us with your feedback and questions and we'll try to incorporate your views.