Shows
SecEd PodcastThe SecEd Podcast: The Greatest HitsTo celebrate the 100th edition of the SecEd Podcast this episode counts down our top 10 most popular podcasts of all time. Have you listened to them all? Launched in early 2020, the SecEd Podcast has been on air for five years and to mark episode 100 podcast co-hosts Pete Henshaw and Matt Bromley reveal our top 10 most listened to episodes – interspersed with clips and highlights from each one. Without giving the game away, themes include oracy education, senior and middle leadership, quality first teaching, classroom management, Pupil Premium, inclusion and SEN, and much, much more. Ma...2025-03-0553 min
SecEd PodcastThe SecEd Podcast: Ideas & examples for reducing workload in schoolsThe SecEd Podcast: Ideas & examples for reducing workload in schoolsIn this episode, we discuss practical actions that secondary school leaders and teachers can take to reduce workload and working hours. The Department for Education’s Working Lives of Teachers and Leaders research shows that secondary teachers are working almost 50 hours a week on average while secondary leaders work more than 58 hours a week. This episode features two experienced school leaders who have both undertaken a range of initiatives in their schools to bring workload down for all staff. We discuss some of the most common workload challenges before hearing about some of th...2024-10-231h 05
SecEd PodcastThe SecEd Podcast: Flexible working in the secondary schoolThis episode looks at how secondary schools can plan and implement flexible working practices to help boost teacher recruitment and retention. Our panel of experts include headteachers who have placed flexible working at the heart of their recruitment and retention strategies as well as teachers who work flexibly themselves. We discuss why schools should consider flexible working, the impact it can have, and the benefits for staff and students. How can we be strategic about our approach to flexible working? What do we need to consider when designing flexible working roles? How can...2023-10-251h 08
SecEd PodcastThe SecEd Podcast: How to be a calm school leaderWhat is “calm leadership” and how can this philosophy help middle and senior leaders in schools to be effective and inspiring in their roles? In this podcast, we chat to Patrick Cozier, the long-serving headteacher of Highgate Wood School in London, about his philosophy of calm leadership. In a nine-article SecEd series last year, Patrick described his calm leadership approach, discussing what being a calm leader looks like in practice and the many elements involved, including empathy, listening, honesty, integrity, humility, trust, and so much more. The series is now being turned into a ne...2023-10-041h 06
Two Grumpy Bastards PodcastSECED hates parents, Border Crisis, Biden is racist, Russ is an Asshole, Rep Debate, Neal DeGrasse Tyson sucks, Real Beer CommercialWe cover a whole lot of ground on our video rewind. Hear the Secretary of Education talk about hating parents, Biden's racism, The denial of border issues by the Biden Administration, Neal DeGrasse Tyson, glorified museum curator needs to STFU, and a classic light beer commercial we need more of. Oh, and Russ is an asshole.Thank you for listening and subscribing and liking the hell out of us! Politics. Culture. Society. Science. Comedy (both intentional and unintentional). General ranting from two self-righteous and overly-educated ex-Army guys. You could call them relics. You could call the...2023-09-301h 37
SecEd PodcastThe SecEd Podcast: Building connection and strong relationships with your studentsThis episode discusses how we can build strong connections and relationships with our students – especially those who are vulnerable – in order that they have the best chance of overcoming barriers and making progress in our classrooms. Two experienced colleagues discuss why this is important and some key principles to building these relationships. We ask how we can begin building connections with a new class of students and how we can foster strong relationships even when we might see hundreds of students every week. We talk about building a culture of trust and respect in ou...2023-09-131h 01
SecEd PodcastThe SecEd Podcast: Safeguarding & disclosure: A survivor’s storyIn this episode we speak with Rachel W – an abuse survivor who disclosed to staff at school when aged 14 after suffering years of abuse. Rachel talks powerfully about her story and the lessons schools and school staff can learn from it in order to improve safeguarding practice. Interviewed by pastoral specialist and teacher Adele Bates, Rachel discusses the impact of the abuse, including on her education and behaviour in school. She talks about her attempts to disclose and how she was finally rescued from her abuser. She discusses spotting the signs of abuse, the...2023-06-281h 10
SecEd PodcastThe SecEd Podcast: How to teach oracy skillsThis episode focuses on how we can teach oracy and speaking skills in the secondary school classroom, with lots of practical tips, ideas, resources and advice. We discuss what oracy is – including the four strands of oracy skills – why oracy matters, the benefits of good oracy skills, what the national curriculum says about spoken language and student talk, and the impact we have seen on students’ speaking skills since Covid (spoiler: 44% of secondary teachers say the pandemic has hit oracy skills negatively). We look at how we can teach oracy in the classroom and via the cur...2023-06-141h 13
SecEd PodcastThe SecEd Podcast: Managing EHCPs & SEND in schoolsThis episode of the SecEd Podcast offers best practice and tips for effectively managing Education, Health, and Care Plans (EHCPs) and supporting students with SEND in the mainstream secondary school. Our expert panel offer advice and tips for teachers, SENCOs, and school leaders across a number of areas. We discuss the main things that mainstream secondary schools need to bear in mind when a student has an EHCP. What do teachers need to be aware of when reading EHCPs and how should teaching staff and SENCOs work together (and with parents/carers) to ensure SEND...2023-05-311h 10
SecEd PodcastThe SecEd Podcast: Pension planning for teachers (of all ages)This episode cuts through the jargon and offers simple advice and tips relating to the Teachers’ Pension Scheme and general financial planning for teachers and school leaders – no matter what age or stage of your career you're at. We chat with two financial experts to discuss the Teachers’ Pension Scheme including the basics of how it works, how it pays out, and what you need to know and prepare for. We talk retirement – including early retirement, phased retirement, delayed retirement – and what the various options mean for your pension and how your benefits are calculated, as well as...2023-05-171h 22
SecEd PodcastThe SecEd Podcast: Developing students’ literacy skillsThis episode looks at how we can best develop the literacy skills of our students, offering whole-school, cross-curricular and classroom-specific ideas, interventions and tips. The podcast defines literacy as the ability to speak, read and write and to understand and use language in order to communicate effectively. We welcome four guests from four schools who discuss the range of approaches, programmes, and interventions they use to support students’ literacy. We ask why literacy skills are so important, what form these skills take in practice, and how we can help students to develop these sk...2023-05-031h 15
SecEd PodcastThe SecEd Podcast: How to be an effective form tutorThis episode discusses the role of the secondary school form tutor – what the role entails, how teachers can become effective form tutors, key expectations and obligations, ideas for running your form day-to-day, and general dos & don'ts. Two experienced pastoral leaders offer their insights, including the key obligations of the form tutor and legal duties in terms of safeguarding and attendance. What is the purpose of a form tutor and how does this change with the age of the students? How can we create an effective form tutor environment? Our guests offer a number of...2023-04-191h 15
SecEd PodcastThe SecEd Podcast: Career progression options for teachersThis episode looks at career progression pathways in the secondary school, advising teachers on the range of options and how to develop specialisms and experience. Our expert panel beings with key things to consider when planning where you want to take your teaching career. We discuss the different options and why all teachers – including early career teachers – should be thinking about career progression. How can you hone your plans and develop your skills? How should teachers go about choosing a specialism? What kinds of opportunities should you look for? Who can you approach for advice/mento...2023-03-221h 01
SecEd PodcastThe SecEd Podcast: Aspiring to school leadershipThis episode offers advice, practical tips and inspiration for teachers who are thinking about taking on leadership roles within schools and for those already climbing the leadership ladder. Three experts discuss why teaching staff should aspire to leadership and the different pathways and roles within middle and senior leadership. What kind of skills are needed for leadership? How can teaching staff – including early career teachers – develop these skills and wider leadership experience? How can they dip their toe in the water and “have a go”? What kind of leadership opportunities can teachers look out for? We...2023-03-081h 02
SecEd PodcastThe SecEd Podcast: High-impact classroom routinesThis episode looks at how to embed high-impact routines into your classroom and your teaching. We ask which routines or learning habits are the most successful and how can they be established in order to make teaching and learning more efficient and effective. We ask three key questions of our experts: Why are classroom routines so important? How can we establish classroom routines? What routines do we want to establish – which ones matter the most and will help to ensure that our classroom is an effective learning environment? What are the most useful habits and ro...2023-02-221h 04
The RE PodcastS8 E6: The One About PovertyPlease send The RE Podcast a Text Message!As we are facing a cost of living crisis, and as many public sector workers are striking to secure urgent funding to these essential services, it feels timely to do an episode on Poverty. What is it?What causes it?What are the effects of it?What are the solutions?How do we best teach it in our classrooms and how do we deal with it in our schools?I think this episode will relate to any educator, not just RE teachers so please share it far a...2023-02-101h 03