Teachers Talk Radio

Join Michael Wright for his Sunday Lunch Show with guest Ed Watkins as they discuss the continued decline of A-Level music in education and why it's happening. Ed will also share his insights into his research on how music students have been graded compared with other subjects.

Is primary school the ideal time to begin learning another language? Darren Lester and Tom Rogers are joined by Language Angels founders Francesca and Paolo to explore why children aged 5–11 may have a unique advantage when learning languages. They discuss brain development, pronunciation, confidence and the wider benefits for memory, problem-solving and cultural awareness. Drawing on Francesca's 27 years in the classroom, the conversation also examines how primary teachers can deliver engaging language lessons, even when they are not language specialists themselves, and how schools can build a curriculum that develops pupils' knowledge progressively. Plus, Francesca and Paolo share the story behind Language Angels, its journey from a classroom idea to a nationwide teaching platform, and what the future holds for language learning in primary schools. Check out Language Angels here: https://languageangels.com/eng

In this third episode of the PSHE Update, PSHE Educator Clare Price considers the importance of teaching about breast cancer in men, supporting staff when planning lessons about the danger of boys obsessing about muscles and how we can update our lessons on online safety to include AI.  Articles referenced:  Campaigner praises Coronation Street male breast cancer storyline - BBC News https://breastcancernow.org/  Boys and men are obsessing over muscle. Doctors are worried - BBC Reel Experience AI    

Too many children are missing out on the experiences beyond the classroom that build confidence, independence and a sense of belonging. Can the new Every Child Can programme help close that participation gap and bring an end to the enrichment “postcode lottery”? Tom Rogers is joined by Nigel Miller from Active Learning Group to explore the value of residential trips, outdoor learning and screen-free adventure. They discuss the barriers preventing schools from offering these opportunities, how the government's new enrichment benchmarks could influence provision, and whether greater Ofsted scrutiny will drive meaningful change or simply encourage a tick-box approach. With young people increasingly digitally connected but socially isolated, the conversation asks what outdoor experiences can offer that classroom-based enrichment cannot and what needs to change so that every child, regardless of background, can take part. Find out more here: https://activelearninggroup.co.uk/

Christopher talks with Montessori parent, Steve Lawrence, and Montessori teacher, Rhianna Hayllor, about the philosophy and practice of Montessori education in the UK and beyond.

We talk getting to the end of September and how you can help yourself feel better, if you need to.

Dave talks with Music Curriculum Head Stuart McSweeney about the serious issues facing A Level Music in the state education sector; what is causing its decline and what can be done to change the current trajectory. 

Teachers would agree that it is important to develop their practise. But is this sometimes going too far? Are you a teacher working very hard for significant extra hours beyond your contract, pushing yourself to be better, only to be told in observations and appraisals that it's not good enough? In this show, Yannick and Tony reflect on the line between accountability and the need to improve and the feeling that no matter what you do, it won't be seen as sufficient . Teachers have high expectations placed upon them by wider society, by leaders and trusts, and by external agencies like Ofsted and the DFE. Its right that we are accountable. But have the expectations started to get out of control?

In this show, Darren continues to look at how teacher wellbeing can lead to better job performance as he explores the literature which links job satisfaction to teaching outcomes.

AI is becoming increasingly embedded in education, but the pace of change can make it difficult to separate genuine opportunity from hype, risk and pressure to keep up. In this show, Paula is joined by Nicole O'Connor and Louise Kerr to explore what AI and digital literacy could look like in practice. We'll consider how AI is already being used by pupils, teachers and schools, what young people might need to understand about it, how schools can approach technological change thoughtfully, and whether AI is really delivering on its promises around workload and efficiency. We'll also consider the importance of critical thinking, professional judgement, data privacy and long-term implementation and ask what we might actually want the future of AI and technology in education to look like.

Carls chats to two assistant principals about whether we can ever win the battle on attendance. He considers whether  this has become a problem for society rather than just for schools.

AI is already changing how young people learn but are students learning to understand it, or simply learning to use it? In this special live show, Tom Rogers and Matthew Wemyss are joined by Emma Staves and Rehana Al-Soltane from the Raspberry Pi Foundation to explore why AI literacy belongs in every classroom - not just in computing. In this show, discussion will include: • What AI literacy actually means • How teachers can help students question AI-generated information • The biggest misconceptions young people have about AI • Why students sometimes treat AI systems as if they were human • How AI literacy can be introduced across subjects including English, science, geography, art and PE • Practical ways to teach AI without being an AI expert Emma and Rehana will also introduce Experience AI: a collection of free, classroom-ready resources developed by the Raspberry Pi Foundation in collaboration with Google DeepMind. Experience AI resources have been downloaded more than one million times across 195+ countries, while its global partner network has trained over 56,000 educators reaching an estimated 5.2 million learners. Join us live and share your questions and experiences in the chat. Explore the free Experience AI teaching resources: https://rpf.io/experienceai-teachertalks This programme is produced in partnership with the Raspberry Pi Foundation. #AILiteracy #ArtificialIntelligence #Teaching #Education #ExperienceAI

An independent review into mental health, ADHD and autism, conducted by Professor Peter Fonagy, has found that there has been a real rise in mental distress amongst the younger generation, with anxiety, depression, self-harm and eating disorders the most common challenges facing our young people. The review came as a result of a claim by then-health secretary Wes Streeting that young people were over-diagnosed and "written off". Last year, a BBC report found many GPs also had concerns about over-diagnosis, with the view that normal life stresses were becoming medicalised. Professor Fonagy, a clinical psychologist and adviser to NHS England, has spoken to the BBC ahead of the publication of the review, which concludes that around one in four 16-24 year olds now struggle with their mental health, and NHS figures show the number of young people having contact with mental health services has increased by 50% in the last five years. The debate, however, is still fierce. Are we facing a real terms mental distress crisis? Are we more aware of our mental health and therefore seeking help earlier? Is the expectation of resilience an outdated concept? Join Maud Waret, Michael Wright, Ollie Bayliss and Liz Webb live at 8 pm tonight to share your views.

Ruth Swailes joins Tony on the Twilight Show to talk about a huge problem in UK education and how best to approach it: The almost one million UK NEETs (not in education, employment or training). Ruth will being her own rich experience, both personal and professional, as we talk about the dangers of labelling and stereotyping children and young people based on their background when we look to identify risk factors to future career success and wellbeing. With Ruth's highly child-centred approach and self-confessed 'occasionally outspoken' style get ready for some passionate opinions on this vital and occasionally controversial issue.

Join me, Famida Choudhary, on The Lunch Show in conversation with educational leader Jahida Janna as we explore how instructional coaching can move beyond evaluation to become a meaningful opportunity for teacher development. Drawing on Jahida's action research, we unpack the relationship between trust, teacher self-efficacy and sustained classroom improvement. What makes feedback genuinely developmental? How can coaches challenge teachers without undermining their confidence? And what role do school leaders play in creating cultures where educators feel safe to reflect, take risks and grow? Through research, practical coaching conversations and honest reflections, we explore how supporting teachers can create lasting change in classrooms. Because meaningful coaching is not just about improving teaching. It is about empowering teachers to believe in their capacity to grow.

"If you're excited about your subject, your students will be excited too." We're often held responsbile for whether or not our students care about their learning, but is that fair? In this show, Darren interrogates the literature on the relationship between teacher and student motivation.

Every teacher remembers the moment theory met the reality of 30 teenagers. This week on The Late Show with Sarah Wilkinson-Crute, a second-year ECT joins us for an honest look at behaviour, workload, and mentor support. Whether you're in Year 2 or Year 20, join the debate on how we could fix teacher training for good.

Lee is joined by Greg Bottrill to discuss the state of education. Greg has some very passionate and thoughtful views on education. Lee and Greg will be delving deep into the way power structures enter the classroom.

A high-achieving student in the US was suspended after refusing to throw away a coffee she brought into class. Her mother challenged the punishment and questioned whether the school had introduced its new food and drink policy legally. School leaders subsequently allowed the student to return to class with her drink and agreed to hold a properly publicised hearing. Was this a sensible parental challenge to an excessive punishment or another example of schools being prevented from enforcing basic expectations? This week on Points of View, the panel asks whether parents should support school rules even when they disagree with them, whether sanctions have become disproportionate, and why relatively minor incidents can now escalate into formal complaints and public campaigns. Have some parents come to expect a personalised response to every disagreement? Are schools communicating poorly and hiding behind rigid behaviour policies? And when parents, pupils and teachers cannot agree, who should have the final say? On the panel: Ollie Bayliss, JP, Liz Webb and Maud Waret.

Are bans working or are they just for show? Is there a way to make them work or are we fighting a losing battle? Carl and his guest, Assistant Principal, Abi Hibbins find out: Friday Morning Break Show with Carl Smith.

Yannick and Tony look back at the big educational stories from the summer, and reflect on their own opinions of them. They reveal their top 5 most controversial educational news stories. Will you agree with their picks? Tune in live or watch and listen back to find out!

Beejesh and special guest co-host Michael Wright explore the ideas around how well trusts represent the needs of the communities they serve and the input that the people who belong within them have to the operation and the outcomes.

In this second episode the of PSHE Update, PSHE Educator Clare Price considers how to teach about and challenge loneliness, ways to spot QR Code scams and positive steps forward in understanding about menstrual health.  Articles referenced are: Number of young people with no close friends has soared since 2014 in England | Young people | The Guardian Rowley Regis schoolboys shining light on male mental health - BBC News Les used a QR code to download a parking app - but it was a scam - BBC News Friends Against Scams - Home Gen Z women are teaching their mums about cycle syncing and periods - BBC News

In this episode, Konstantinos is joined by Dr Sercan Demiralay from Nottingham Trent University to explore how AI is reshaping higher education. They discuss teaching, assessment, student use of AI, employability, AI tutors and agents, and ask how universities can embrace innovation without losing sight of learning.

Louise Marie is joined by David Goodwin to explore what effective checking for understanding really looks like in the classroom. Combining evidence from research with practical experience across different educational phases, David discusses how teachers can gain real-time insight into students' thinking and adapt their teaching to better meet learners' needs.

Join Michael Wright for the Sunday Lunch Show as he chats with Debbie Kent, Choir Director and Deputy Lead for Devon Music Hub about national campaigns to introduce choirs in every school in the UK. We will discuss the importance and relevance of choirs, what schools need to implement them as well as obstacles to this.  

This week, the Education Secretary hosted a summit attended by heads, college principals, mayors, business leaders and a small number of representatives from the MAT sector, during which she discussed the government's plans to raise the profile of technical education. This follows a promise by Prime Minister Andy Burnham that new technical routes for those aged 14+ will be offered from September 2028, in a bid to tackle the rising NEET crisis Powell has said that she wants to see schools moving towards a culture where students are not pitted against one another, but rather a 'self-supporting peer-to-peer culture'. While this might be welcome news to many, some are questioning whether the infrastructure is in place to make such an offer in just two years. Powell has promised the changes will be 'fully funded', but how will this be achieved? And is technical education the silver bullet solution to the rising crises in education? Will it stop competition within and between schools? Or will it open yet another way to hold schools accountable?

Michael Mosbacher in The Telegraph posed a controversial question: “Are we spending too much educating those who do not want to learn?” The question was linked to the ‘Highjacked High Streets' study undertaken by the Centre for Social Justice, a think tank established by former Conservative leader Sir Iain Duncan-Smith. The study reported that a small minority of young people are demonstrating anti-social behaviour which terrorises local areas. This was then aligned with behaviour in classrooms, where learning can be repeatedly disrupted by a small handful of students. The article highlighted the high level of truancy since Covid, demonstrating that students are voting with their feet, and recognised that huge amounts of effort are being expended to return students to the classroom. However, do we need to look at the bigger picture? Is attendance against all odds really the holy grail? Where are these problems originating: a curriculum not fit for 21st century learners or a change in the approach to discipline? Should all students be forced to attend school or should we be looking at alternatives?  On the panel: JP, Ollie Bayliss, Liz Webb, Maud Waret.

We talk headspace and green places. Not to be missed.

In this show, Darren shares his own experience with depression and anxiety (and how a school experience led to finally getting diagnosed) before looking at the wider research into depression, anxiety and burnout among teachers.

In this week's show, Claudia Tumba and Martin Sketchley talk about teaching intensive English courses.

Beejesh Deva and special guest co host Michael Wright discuss the idea of trusts serving and representing their local communities and how well they do this. Is the academy system working better than local authorities? is the funding being used democratically and are stakeholders including teachers represented in the decision making? 

The 11+ is supposed to identify academic potential. But what happens when success in the test increasingly depends on how much preparation a family can afford. Success based on parents ability to pay not the child's abilities. A recent Schools Week investigation found families paying up to £600 for 11+ practice materials, highlighting a growing tutoring industry built around parents' fear of their children missing out on limited Grammar School places (Schools Week⁠) In this episode, TTR will bring together teachers some who have sat the 11+ themselves, to ask whether the 11+ is really a test of ability — or increasingly a test of preparation, opportunity and parental resources. We'll explore the history and purpose of grammar schools, the explosion of the tutoring industry, the advantages available to affluent families and whether an apparently meritocratic system can actually reproduce social inequality. But we'll go further. Why do we stream and select children at all? What does early academic sorting do to children's expectations, confidence and future opportunities? And is there a contradiction between believing that every child can achieve while simultaneously creating systems that label some children as academically successful and others as less capable at just eleven years old? Is selection an efficient way of matching children to education or does it simply turn existing inequalities into apparently legitimate differences in ability? A conversation about the 11+ becomes a much bigger conversation about merit, privilege, social mobility and what we actually want our education system to achieve. On the panel: Tony Harwood, Emma Gallagher, Carl Smith and JP.

Famida Choudhary is in conversation with educator Crystal Frommert as we explore what it really means to be a teacher in an ever-changing educational landscape. From the unseen work of constantly learning and adapting to becoming connectors who bring authentic voices and real-world experiences into the classroom, we examine how teaching reaches far beyond curriculum and assessment. We reflect on the influence educators may never see, what students teach us in return, and how the teacher's role is evolving in the age of AI. Because some of the most powerful outcomes of teaching cannot be measured and its impact may travel further than we ever know.

Join Toby and Piers Gledhill as they discuss their hopes and dreams for the new academic year. What changes do they expect and how can they make them happen?

A 10-year-old autistic boy who brought a replica butterfly knife into school has had his permanent exclusion quashed by the High Court. The object was passed to another pupil during a playground altercation but caused no significant injury. The judge questioned whether the school's decision was proportionate and emphasised that permanent exclusion should be used only as a last resort. Was permanent exclusion justified in this case and what does “last resort” really mean? How should autism, SEND or unmet needs affect the consequences for serious behaviour? Should the response depend on the nature of the object, the child's intentions or the potential risk? When inclusion conflicts with the safety and education of other pupils, whose rights should take priority? The Points of View panel debates whether the ruling provides essential protection for vulnerable children or risks school leaders being second-guessed when making difficult safeguarding decisions. Are mainstream schools properly equipped to support children with complex needs and could making permanent exclusion harder lead to more suspensions, managed moves or informal exclusions instead? On the panel: Tom Rogers, Rae Whitehouse, JP and guest Andrew Old. 

Almost half of teachers surveyed by the Liberal Democrats say they are considering leaving the profession within the next five years, while more than three quarters report feeling frequently or constantly burnt out. The party says schools are approaching an “existential crisis” and is calling for fully funded pay rises, limits on teacher overtime and greater access to flexible working. The government, however, says teacher departures are at one of their lowest levels since 2010 and that record numbers are returning to the classroom. So how serious is the retention crisis? Are workload and working conditions still driving teachers out or do the headline figures give a misleading picture? And what emergency measures, if any, would genuinely persuade teachers to stay? Ollie Bayliss, Tom Rogers and JP discuss on Teachers Talk Radio's Points of View.

In this show, Darren discusses how perfectionism can stand in the way of being a great teacher, and how we shouldn't prioritise lived experience of the classroom over academic research but ask more questions to ensure the two can live in harmony.

In the week where the saga of “Oreogate” hit our social media feeds, former Great British Bake Off judge Dame Prue Leith has entered the debate, calling for more “draconian” rules regarding packed lunches to ensure children are eating healthily. From September, stricter rules are coming into force regarding healthier food standards in schools, and Benedict's Law mandates that all school staff are trained in allergies and anaphylaxis. But Dame Leith suggests that the only way to entirely ensure healthy food options is to ban packed lunches. But is this a reasonable proposition? What are the cost implications of such a measure? And is this an inclusive approach? To what extent has policing packed lunches gone too far? And… as new terms start across the UK, how important is the language that we use inside our classrooms in terms of setting expectations? An article in the TES specifies five phrases to ban from the classroom… are there any we can add?

Primary school teacher and senior leader Oliver Hembrough joins the Twilight Show to give his thoughts on what effective school leadership looks like. Where is the line between supporting and holding to account? Is training for school leaders sufficient? Are leadership vacancies attracting the best candidates? All this and more!

Join Michael Wright for his first show of the academic year, where he discusses his experiences from a recent sabbatical. He also shares lessons learned from his time away from the full-time grind, along with observations about his career thus far and the current state of education.

In this first episode, PSHE lead and educator Clare Price discusses the use of Meta Glasses and considers how this can be used to cover consent, disability, misogyny, marketing and influencers in the PSHE classroom. She considers the 2026 RSHE Statutory Guidance and tips on how this could be taught to young people.  Articles referenced are: Culture Debrief: Even Kylie Jenner Can't Get Me Onboard With 'Pervert' Glasses Restaurants, pubs and theatres ban Meta's ‘spy glasses' over privacy fears | Meta | The Guardian Smart glasses controversy sidelines the benefits for disabled people | Meta | The Guardian Smart glasses: 'I was secretly filmed and trolled online' - BBC News  

On this week's show, Darren explores the lliterature behind holiday rest and considers what we can do to protect our wellbeing in the first few weeks back to school. This is a companion show to "It's Like We Were Never Away" from January.

2026 has seen a summer of consecutively record-breaking temperatures in the UK, leading experts, school leaders and parents to reflect on the possible changes necessary for schools and the school calendar, as reported by the BBC. In June, more than a thousand schools had to close schools or send students home earlier due to the lack of ventilation and air-conditioning in classrooms, leading to stifling and unsafe conditions, and impeding learning. It is clear that this is not a one off: since the 1960s, the hotter weather has been moving earlier in the year with 30C temperatures now being recorded in mid-June rather than mid-July. With a peak of 38C recorded in Norfolk at the end of June, and temperatures exceeding 35C in four consecutive months, is a precedent being set for summers to come? Do we need to start long-term planning now rather than knee-jerk reactions when it arrives? As climate change brings hotter, earlier and longer summers, do we need to revisit the school calendar? Or should funding be provided to ensure our schools are built to deal with extremes? Should exam season sit right in the centre of a period where climate conditions can unfairly affect outcomes? On the panel: Tom Rogers, Kit Marie Rackley, Alun Ebenezer and Maud Waret.

Sir Nick Gibb says this year's GCSE results prove that the education reforms introduced under Michael Gove are working. He points to stronger mathematical performance and the exceptional results achieved by knowledge-rich free schools. But with around one in three young people failing to achieve a grade 4 in both English and maths, post-16 resit success remaining extremely low and stark regional and socioeconomic divides persisting, critics see evidence of a system failing too many children. Have more rigorous GCSEs genuinely raised educational standards or created an unforgiving system that repeatedly labels a substantial minority of young people as failures? The Points of View panel debate whether the Gove-era exam reforms have succeeded, failed or done both at once. On the panel: JP, Maud Waret and Chris Vowles.

Differentiation doesn't have to mean creating a different lesson for every learner. In this conversation, Famida Choudhary is joined by educator and district leader Lauren Kaufman to unpack practical ways teachers can make differentiation manageable and meaningful. Exploring content, process, and product, they discuss scaffolding, student choice, flexible grouping, formative assessment, productive struggle, and different ways for learners to demonstrate understanding. The conversation also considers how teachers can maintain high expectations while providing different pathways to success. A practical discussion for educators looking to move beyond differentiation as additional workload and embrace it as responsive teaching.

Following the broadcast of Channel 4's controversial documentary The Great ADHD Myth?, Tom Rogers is joined by Naomi Fisher, Joanna Moncrieff, Lucy Johnstone and Philip Asherson to examine some of the programme's biggest claims. Is ADHD best understood as a neurodevelopmental disorder? What does the evidence really tell us about differences in the brain? Are diagnoses rising because ADHD has historically been missed, or are ordinary behaviours increasingly being medicalised? And what should we make of the debate around medication, dopamine and the way ADHD is explained to children and adults? With guests bringing markedly different perspectives to the discussion, TTR again goes beyond the headlines to ask what the documentary got right, what it got wrong, and where the evidence on ADHD really stands.

Across the UK, after an anxious wait, thousands of students have flocked back to school to receive their GCSE results. Results days are full of emotions: elation, pride, disappointment, relief, confusion... for all involved in the process. As ever, the news has been full of statistics: the data which tells us that the pass rate has marginally fallen this year, the graphs which show resit numbers have risen but pass rates are lagging behind, the percentage which shows a narrowing between boys' and girls' results, regional divisions. Schools will now examine the data, patterns will be identified and conversations will follow. But how much of the story does the data tell? What about the bell-curve which changes the landscape of the grade boundaries each year? Is it fair to compare: students, subjects, teachers, schools, cohorts? And what about the human stories linked to those grades? Join the panel JP, Rae Whitehouse, Ollie Bayliss and Liz Webb live at 8pm to share your thoughts and stories.

A new academic year offers the chance for a fresh start - whether you're joining a completely new school or returning to one you already know. Tonight on Points of View, we discuss how teachers can get the year off to the best possible start. From building relationships with new classes and colleagues to setting boundaries, establishing routines and navigating the pressures of the first few weeks, what actually makes a difference? What should you prioritise in September? What mistakes are worth avoiding? And for experienced teachers, is there such a thing as starting again with a clean slate? Join us for practical tips, different perspectives and plenty of discussion about making the new school year a positive one. On the panel: Maud Waret, Ollie Bayliss, Tom Rogers and guest panelist Freya Odell.

As teachers, we should have all the tips and tricks to be ideal learners. But is that the case? In this show, Darren explores the research into teachers-as-learners and thinks about how we can best approach CPD to really make the most of it.

The summer holidays are coming to an end and for some teachers, the thought of going back to school brings more than just the usual end-of-holiday blues. So why do teachers dread going back? Is it simply a natural reaction after weeks away from work, or can that feeling tell us something important about workload, behaviour, school culture, leadership or even whether teaching is still the right career? In this Points of View, we discuss the reasons behind back-to-school dread, whether experienced teachers feel it too, what can be done to make the return easier, and when that feeling might be a sign that something needs to change. Are you looking forward to September or counting down the days with dread? On the panel: Liz Webb, Rae Whitehouse, Lucy Trimnell