Insights from recent episode analysis
Audience Interest
Podcast Focus
Publishing Consistency
Platform Reach
Insights are generated by CastFox AI using publicly available data, episode content, and proprietary models.
Most discussed topics
Brands & references
Est. Listeners
Insufficient chart data. Estimates will improve as the show charts.
- Per-Episode Audience
Est. listeners per new episode within ~30 days
N/A🎙 ~2x weekly·105 episodes·Last published 5d ago - Monthly Reach
Unique listeners across all episodes (30 days)
N/A - Active Followers
Loyal subscribers who consistently listen
N/A
Market Insights
Platform Distribution
Reach across major podcast platforms, updated hourly
Total Followers
—
Total Plays
—
Total Reviews
—
* Data sourced directly from platform APIs and aggregated hourly across all major podcast directories.
On the show
From 10 epsHosts
Recent guests
Recent episodes
Teaching Matters | Boys Are Different, Good Leader – Good Parent & Smacking Shock
Jun 21, 2026
Unknown duration
Education Matters | Andrew Young
Jun 15, 2026
Unknown duration
The Hannah & Lucy Show | Avoiding Criminality
Jun 12, 2026
Unknown duration
Teaching Matters | NEETs, Sport & Design
Jun 10, 2026
Unknown duration
The Hannah & Lucy Show | The Human Classroom
Jun 1, 2026
Unknown duration
Social Links & Contact
Official channels & resources
Official Website
Login
RSS Feed
Login
| Date | Episode | Topics | Guests | Brands | Places | Keywords | Sponsor | Length | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6/21/26 |  Teaching Matters | Boys Are Different, Good Leader – Good Parent & Smacking Shock | John and Paul examine three stories that shed light on crucial matters in education.John and Paul trace Gareth Southgate's claim that boys need to be taught differently from girls back through generations of changing attitudes, from segregated school entrances to suppressed aspirations for girls, before asking the harder question. Are differences between boys and girls down to nature, nurture or something more performed than either? John brings in the case of Clever Hans, the horse who appeared to do arithmetic but was really just reading tiny human cues, as a way into how early children learn to seek parental approval. John reminds us of psychologist Timothy Wilson's 2014 study in which he investigated human aversion to boredom and solitude. The experiment found that when left alone with their thoughts for 15 minutes, 67% of men and 25% of women chose to administer themselves a mild electric shock rather than simply sit in silence. They also discuss an experiment in which most men, but far fewer women, chose to give themselves a mild electric shock rather than sit with their own boredom.But where do boys find expressions of masculinity now that manual labour and competitive sport offer fewer outlets than before? John and Paul connect this to recent unrest on the streets of Northern Ireland, with Paul describing the violence as "a twisted, warped and dangerous expression" of a masculinity young men have no safe way to channel. They consider how figures like Andrew Tate fill that vacuum for some, while Southgate models a quieter, more reassuring kind of leadership instead. They argue schools should do more to help pupils manage frustration and setback, pointing to Southgate's own missed penalty as a case study in resilience.The second story examines a TES piece by Sam Gibbs, Trust Curriculum and Development Lead at Greater Manchester Education Trust, who argues that leadership and parenting need not be incompatible. Paul and John discuss whether flexible working can suit teaching given fixed timetables, and debate whether someone who has never been a head teacher can credibly support one. John draws a parallel with football management, noting that "some of the best football managers weren't the best football players", while Paul invokes an old line about not needing to be a horse to judge a pony show. They return to Sam's point about small workplace indignities too, the broken photocopier and the grim staffroom kettle, and what these say about whether teachers are treated as professionals.The final story looks at the continuing legality of smacking children in England and Northern Ireland, despite it already being banned in Scotland and Wales. A UCL study links the practice to lower GCSE grades and riskier teenage behaviour. John is unequivocal that legislation is needed, recalling his own experience of corporal punishment at school and arguing that children are not their parents' property. Paul and John discuss what happens when children from households where smacking is normal meet the calmer expectations of school, and whether schemes like Sure Start should be revived for struggling parents.The episode closes with two bananas. Paul shares Carol Dweck's research on praise, showing how praising effort rather than talent shapes whether children grow up willing to take on challenges. John brings a story from the Dutch tradition of avondvierdaagse, an evening neighbourhood walk credited with giving Dutch children some of the happiest childhoods in Europe.A super show that brings insight to many aspects of education and a 'must listen' for everyone who is involved and interested in education. | — | ||||||
| 6/15/26 | Education Matters | Andrew Young | What does it really mean to teach adaptively? Not as a buzzword, not as a policy tick-box, but as a living, breathing practice that changes outcomes for real children in real classrooms? That's the question at the heart of our conversation with Andrew Young.Paul is joined by Andrew Young, social sciences teacher, co-director of a Teaching School Hub in York, and author of Adaptive Teaching: Culture to the Classroom, published by Crown House Publishing. With 14 years in the classroom and experience spanning pastoral leadership, curriculum design and large-scale teacher professional development, Andrew brings a grounded, practitioner-led perspective that cuts through a lot of the noise currently surrounding adaptive teaching.They begin with the fundamentals. What is adaptive teaching, and why does Andrew bristle at the phrase "it's just good teaching"? His answer is characteristically direct: "What we know teachers need is what children need. Really concrete language to operationalise and spell out sequences and ideas of what practice should be delivered and when." Vague platitudes, he argues, leave too many children behind.The conversation moves into the neuroscience and child development that underpins effective adaptive practice, cognitive load, executive function and working memory. Andrew explains why these three factors are the connective tissue running beneath the full diversity of SEND conditions, and why understanding them transforms the way teachers approach planning, explanation and assessment. He also tackles the thorny question of diagnostic labels, weighing their genuine usefulness against the risk of what he calls the nocebo effect, where a diagnosis can, through entirely real psychosomatic processes, constrain a child's self-concept and limit their sense of possibility.Modelling gets its own focused treatment. Andrew is candid about how rarely he sees it done well, particularly for newer teachers still building subject knowledge and pedagogical confidence. The I Do, We Do, You Do framework is a sound structure, he says, but dangerously misapplied when schools insist on it in every lesson regardless of where pupils are in their learning journey.Paul and Andrew explore the reactive and proactive dimensions of adaptive teaching, the practical differences between responding to Josie struggling at the back of the room right now and designing a curriculum sequence that anticipated her difficulties weeks in advance. That upstream-versus-downstream distinction is one of the book's sharpest ideas and it is explored clearly here.They examine the role of teaching assistants, professional development, lesson observation and the pressure of a curriculum that Andrew acknowledges can favour what he calls "the cognitive elite." He's not interested in lowering standards. He's interested in building systems that allow more children to meet them.One of the most thought-provoking moments comes near the end, when Andrew's single practical takeaway isn't a strategy or a resource. It's a call to examine the language used around SEND and disadvantage every day in schools, in staffrooms, in planning meetings. "What we say about people comes from how we're feeling, and what we're saying and feeling is impacting how we're behaving."This episode will resonate with classroom teachers, heads of department, SENCOs, school leaders, teacher educators and anyone working in initial teacher training or early career teacher support. It's a conversation that takes inclusion and adaptive pedagogy seriously without resorting to jargon or empty optimism.Adaptive Teaching: Culture to the Classroom by Andrew Young is published by Crown House Publishing and is available now.Mention is made of The Age of Diagnosis: Are Medical Labels Doing Us More Harm Than Good? by Suzanne O'Sullivan | — | ||||||
| 6/12/26 |  The Hannah & Lucy Show | Avoiding Criminality | What happens when the systems meant to protect children aren't talking to each other, the consequences aren't landing, and teachers are left holding responsibilities that stretch far beyond the classroom? Hannah Wilson and Lucy Neuburger don't pull their punches on this one.The trigger for this episode is a Home Office report revealing that police wrote off thousands of crimes last year, including rapes, violent assaults and drug offences, because the culprits were under 10. Primary age. That figure lands alongside government proposals to raise the age of criminal responsibility in England from 10 to 12, a threshold that has sat unchanged since the 1960s and is now under serious scrutiny.Hannah and Lucy dig into what that actually means in schools. Not in policy terms, but in classrooms, corridors and staffrooms where teachers are already navigating rising violence, gang dynamics, the Manosphere and a cohort of young people consuming content online that normalises behaviour that the law is only just beginning to catch up with.The conversation is frank and wide-ranging. They talk about the recent high-profile rape cases involving teenage boys, the absence of custodial sentences and what that signals to other young people watching. "Kids aren't stupid," Lucy says. "They're going to see they got away with it." Hannah's response is direct: the inconsistency of consequence in the justice system mirrors what she sees in schools, where exclusion and isolation become a revolving door rather than a turning point.They raise serious questions about safeguarding, multi-agency working and the recurring failure of schools, police and social services to communicate effectively. Hannah reflects on teaching students caught up in county lines without ever being told, and on the toll carried by safeguarding leads who hold the full picture in near-total isolation from classroom teachers. "We're not trusted to do our jobs properly," she says, "and it really upsets me."There's a push, too, for something more preventative. Both Hannah and Lucy argue that curriculum time devoted to consent, digital citizenship, online safety law and the real-world consequences of criminal records is not a nice-to-have. It is urgent, it needs to start younger than it currently does, and a twenty-minute slot once a half term isn't close to sufficient. The noise outside school is louder than the voice inside it, and the gap is widening.They also make a case for universal pastoral support, not just for students already in crisis, but for the quiet ones, the ones making jokes to fill the silence, the ones nobody is listening to at home. A proper, qualified presence in every school. Not a tick-box exercise.The episode ends on a note that is, characteristically, equal parts exasperation and hope. A clip of a young person delivering an impromptu, clear-eyed speech about immigration and belonging gets a moment it deserves. As Hannah puts it: "Whoever taught you should be so proud."🚩 This is The Hannah and Lucy Show doing what it does best, taking the news that everyone else is reporting and asking what it actually looks like from inside a school. | — | ||||||
| 6/10/26 |  Teaching Matters | NEETs, Sport & Design | This week on Teaching Matters we explore why young people are leaving school with strong exam results but without the practical life skills they need for adulthood.The panel tackles a damning government review by former minister Alan Milburn. The report suggests that institutions built to support young people are no longer fit for purpose, leaving too many school leavers as NEETs (not in employment, education, or training). Together John, Shane and Paul unpack what this means for teachers, student teachers, and school leaders globally. The panel explores whether schools focus too heavily on high-stakes testing and university entry at the expense of genuine career readiness and modern survival skills.Is this crisis unique to the UK, or is it a growing international trend? Shane shares insights on the global nature of youth unemployment, noting that even in China, the challenges feel remarkably similar. Crucially, the team defends frontline educators, arguing against traditional teacher bashing. Teachers often know their students deeply on a local level, yet they are forced to work against systemic, policy-driven obstacles. John highlights how the system has historically ignored a vital thirty per cent of pupils, leaving a huge chunk of young people with a negative experience of formal education.Beyond the curriculum crisis, the panel discusses the future of learning environments and school funding. They debate how a hypothetical one billion pounds should be spent on school sport and physical education. They also question the physical infrastructure of modern schools, asking if classrooms resemble military-style, fluorescent-lit echo chambers rather than inspiring learning spaces for twenty-first-century students.Whether you are a classroom teacher, a teacher educator, a university lecturer or an education student, this episode offers a deep, ethical analysis of modern educational policy, personal narratives, and systemic reform.Episode Chapters00:00 – Paul opens the studio session with Shane and John, introducing an international perspective on the week's biggest talking points and outlining the three major stories on the agenda.02:58 – The Alan Milburn Report and the Exam CrisisA deep dive into the government review showing that schools are failing to prepare children for adulthood by overemphasising academic testing.11:45 – The Global Picture of Youth UnemploymentShane explains how the rise of NEETs is not just a British issue, looking at how the youth employment landscape is shifting internationally.19:20 – Systemic Failures vs frontline TeachersThe panel addresses the danger of teacher bashing, examining how policy challenges restrict educators who genuinely care about student outcomes.26:10 – The Forgotten Thirty Per Cent of School LeaversJohn explores why a massive proportion of students leave the school system having had a poor experience, and how to fix this structural issue.32:40 – How to Spend One Billion Pounds on School SportAn analysis of funding priorities for physical education and the logistical headaches of managing massive resource allocation.41:15 – Designing the Twenty-First-Century ClassroomMoving away from military-style, fluorescent-lit rooms towards modern learning spaces that support collaboration and student wellbeing.51:30 – Weekly Bananas and Final InsightsThe team wrap up the show with their signature reflections and a look at the week ahead in global education.Memorable Moments"Young people are more unemployed than ever, everywhere, including here in China... we've got to be very careful when we talk about the system." — Shane"There's a proportion of students who leave school having had a bad experience in school, not having enjoyed education." — JohnThis podcast is brought to you by Education Matters, the premier digital platform bringing outstanding people, innovative practice and big educational ideas to a global audience. | — | ||||||
| 6/1/26 |  The Hannah & Lucy Show | The Human Classroom | This week Hannah & Lucy explore the human side of the classroom, the joy of the school holidays and the profound impact of early childhood nurture on lifelong brain development.Teaching is a demanding profession that frequently takes a toll on health and personal lives. Hannah shares her recent battle with tonsillitis and the realities of maintaining business as usual when you are a single mum and a dedicated educator.The heart of discussion turns to the powerful ways we raise the next generation. Hannah reflects on a heartwarming family moment, prompting a deeper look into how we model kindness and empathy.Hannah & Lucy address the unfair labels often given to passionate educators and highlight the living proof that children can be raised to be wonderful, supportive humans. Lucy shares stories from her early years classroom, celebrating the daily hugs and genuine connections with her young students that remind her why she fell in love with teaching in the first place.There’s a deep look into the neuroscience of love and maternal bonding. Hannah & Lucy discuss the structural differences seen in brain scans, comparing the well-connected pathways of nurtured children with the distinct lack of receptors in individuals who experience neglect or severe trauma. These spider-web networks of receptors develop heavily between birth and sixteen years old. Without a safe, loving space, children risk growing up emotionally numb, lacking a true understanding of love or empathy.This scientific reality opens up a vital conversation about modern workforce dynamics and parenthood. While the right of women to enter the workforce is essential, the resulting exhaustion can sometimes crowd out crucial nurturing time. When parents return home tired from demanding jobs to cook, clean and manage households, the space for quiet connection shrinks. They emphasise the critical need to protect these moments of nurture, ensuring our children are not forced to grow up too quickly.Whether you are a classroom teacher, student teacher, teacher educator or lecturer, this episode offers a refreshing blend of policy critique and personal reflection. We examine how educational systems can better support the emotional well-being of both staff and pupils. Our expert panel discusses how embedding emotional literacy into early years policy can create healthier classroom environments and foster long-term academic success.Key Moments in This Episode00:00 - Introduction and the pursuit of professional grace01:05 - The radio wife partnership and communication mishaps02:10 - Battling tonsillitis and the single mum work ethic03:45 - Bringing back joy to education and everyday life04:15 - Half-term relief and a heartwarming gift from a son05:10 - Challenging misconceptions about modern educators06:20 - The neuroscience of childhood hugs and brain development07:15 - Balancing workforce participation with family nurture08:20 - Closing thoughts on protecting childhood boundariesConnect With the ShowEducation Matters is a dedicated platform for educators, lecturers, teacher educators and anyone passionate about the future of learning. We combine deep policy analysis with real, raw stories from everyday school life to spark meaningful change in the educational landscape.• Subscribe to Education Matters for episodes, expert panel discussions and deep insights into educational policy.• Leave a comment below with your thoughts on early years nurture and how you balance teaching with your personal life.• Share this episode with a colleague, student teacher or friend who needs a reminder of the joy in education.Thank you for listening, supporting our platform and keeping the conversation about authentic education alive. | — | ||||||
| 5/31/26 |  Teaching Matters | Experience, Leaving & End-of-Year | What happens to a school's best ideas when its top teachers walk out the door? This week on Teaching Matters, host Paul Hazzard and his dazzling, sharp-witted panel, the discerning Dr Shauna McGill and the wise John Gibbs, tackle one of the biggest headaches plaguing modern education, staff turnover and the loss of institutional memory.Inspired by David Tuck’s provocative article in the TES regarding high staff turnover in international schools, the panel explores the invisible magic of the staffroom. From the "talisman teacher" to the logistics of banking school wisdom before it hits the retirement exit, this episode is a masterclass in educational leadership, culture and human impact.Plus, the team gets brutally honest about the love-hate relationship teachers have with the "ropey end of the year." Do you put on a film? Do you stage a massive production?And where exactly do bananas fit into all of this, this week?The discussion starts with an article from the TES by David Tuck, head of history and politics at Harrow International School in Hong Kong, titled "Bank it before you lose it: how to retain staff knowledge". Tuck outlines how international schools face a staggering 14 to 17 per cent annual turnover, meaning vital knowledge walks out the door with alarming frequency. To counteract this, his department uses targeted, practical digital video libraries to record institutional memory. Rather than relying on a rushed, one-off handover meeting, these short video tutorials capture everything from curriculum expertise and data systems to the unwritten, informal advice that no standard school handbook ever covers.While digital archiving is an incredibly modern solution, the panel explores a much deeper ethical and cultural analysis of what truly walks out the door when an experienced educator leaves. John draws a compelling parallel to football team dynamics, suggesting that a teacher's greatest contribution often happens in the dressing room rather than on the pitch. It's about their unique personality, their ability to anchor a school culture and their quiet, supportive influence on colleagues. As John notes, "Someone who is forgiving and someone who is supportive can have a colossal influence." Some people bring an invisible confidence that changes the entire environment, meaning schools can't just treat staff like Lego bricks that slot easily into a rigid structure. Schools are social organisations driven entirely by human relationships and personalities.Passing on that knowledge is rarely simple. While a school leader can easily hand over a physical database or a list of professional contacts, true rapport and intuition take decades to build. Paul shares the challenge of transferring personal goodwill to a successor.The panel champion collaborative team dynamics where success is shared across the entire community. Shauna describes how great educators leave a lasting legacy through human echoes rather than a permanent physical presence. "A lasting legacy, we all hold a lasting legacy of a teacher that has made a positive impact upon our lives." This kind of systemic impact embeds core values like perseverance, curiosity and empathy into the minds of both students and colleagues, ensuring their influence continues long after they have moved on to new roles.In the third story, the discussion turns to the chaotic final weeks of the summer term. The team explore the love-hate relationship educators have with the traditional end-of-year freneticism. They break down the frantic survival strategies used to maintain student engagement, debating whether to put on a film, stage a massive school show or find more meaningful ways to finish the school calendar well.How does your school protect its culture and wisdom when key staff members move on? Have you ever tried building a departmental video library or do you rely on traditional handovers?Let us know your thoughts and staffroom experiences in the comments below! | — | ||||||
| 5/25/26 |  Teaching Matters | Online Abuse, Learning Styles & AI Confidence | Double-jobbing as hosts and panellists Paul and John battle tech demons to exploreOnline abuse of teachers a ‘growing professional risk’, finds SSTAThe Lingering ‘Learning Styles’ MythGirls are falling behind boys in AI confidenceA shocking new survey highlights the dramatic rise of digital abuse targeting school staff, ranging from fake online profiles to malicious deepfakes. Most schools remain completely unprepared to deal with this behaviour or protect teachers from the resulting trauma. This analysis dissects the urgent policy gaps, ethical challenges and human impact of online mistreatment.The discussion also challenges one of the most persistent myths in education. If you're still categorising students as visual, auditory or kinesthetic learners, evidence-based research has some vital news for you. We examine what the latest research reveals about effective teaching strategies and how children actually process information.And why are girls falling behind when it comes to learning about AI? | — | ||||||
| 5/21/26 |  The Hannah & Lucy Show | Teaching Freedom of Speech | Freedom of speech. Three words that can empty a staffroom, derail a GCSE lesson and, apparently, start a national news story.Hannah and Lucy wade into one of the most contested questions in education right now: what does free speech actually mean in a classroom, who gets to define it and why has a GCSE Citizenship textbook ended up making headlines in the press?A Pearson Edexcel revision guide, used in schools across England including in Norfolk, tells 16-year-old pupils that freedom of speech "should be limited so it protects rights and does not discriminate against others." The Free Speech Union called it wrong in law. Parents complained. Someone photographed the page. The press got involved. The school pointed, quite reasonably, at the exam board. And somewhere in the middle, a perfectly sensible piece of citizenship education became a culture war flashpoint.Hannah and Lucy pick this apart with their usual blend of honesty, legal curiosity and mild chaos. Lucy goes down a research rabbit hole and emerges with the actual legal framework: Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights, the UK Human Rights Act, the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and the crucial distinction between freedom of speech as a right and freedom of speech as an absolute. Spoiler: it has never been the latter. In UK and European law, free speech is a qualified right, constantly balanced against public order, the rights of others and the prevention of harm. Which is, it turns out, pretty much what the textbook said.But the bigger conversation is the one happening in schools every single day. How do you teach students to debate controversial topics safely when some of them have been on a Tommy Robinson march? How do you stay politically neutral as a teacher when your moral instincts are pointing firmly in one direction? How do you manage a classroom discussion about online radicalisation and disinformation when the platforms your students are scrolling operate under almost no accountability? And what happens when a pupil invokes their rights every time you ask them to wait for the toilet, because someone has blocked it with a rubber glove?Do teachers actually have freedom of speech themselves? The answer, by the way, is a fairly firm no.Hannah draws on her own classroom experience throughout, from facilitating debates on genuinely difficult topics to navigating the moment a colleague casually deployed "boys will be boys" and lived to regret it. There's a sharp thread running through the whole conversation about the difference between having an opinion and having a fact, and why teaching young people to tell those two things apart might be the most important work schools can do right now. Whether the topic is immigration figures, the UK Online Safety Act, the 2024 riots or what legalising drugs would actually mean in practice, both hosts keep returning to the same question: how do you teach civil, evidence-based debate in a world that keeps modelling the opposite?John, Foz, Paul and the rest of the live audience are in the comments and in full voice throughout with several of their contributions stopping the conversation cold. John's point that patriotism and xenophobia are not the same thing, and his distinction between freedom and licence, are worth the listen on their own.It gets frank. It gets funny. It doesn't entirely resolve. But as Lucy points out, neither does the topic. JBL is already lined up for a full ethics and morality episode, and it cannot come soon enough.A wide-ranging, honest conversation about free speech law, teaching controversial topics in the classroom, political neutrality in education, online misinformation, critical thinking, the UK Online Safety Act and what it actually means to give young people a voice without handing them a megaphone and no map. | — | ||||||
| 5/14/26 | Education Matters | Rachel Harper | What does it actually take to protect children's wellbeing in a world where smartphones reach primary school age?Rachel Harper, principal of St. Patrick's National School in Greystones, Co. Wicklow, has spent three years finding out. The answer it turns out is simpler and more effective, than expected.Rachel tells the story behind It Takes a Village, a community initiative that began as a response to rising anxiety among children returning to school after COVID. It grew into an international conversation about children's mental health, online safety and what genuine collaboration between schools, parents and communities can actually achieve.Rather than imposing a ban, eight primary schools in Greystones introduced a voluntary code asking parents to delay giving their children smartphones until secondary school. The response was immediate. "As soon as I started talking about it at our principals' meeting, everybody was expressing that they were seeing something similar," Rachel explains. Hours after the letter went home, the Irish Times, Virgin Media and RTÉ were in touch. The Guardian picked it up. Requests arrived from Canada, Australia, the United States, Switzerland and right across Europe.Three years on, the initiative has shaped national policy, contributed directly to Department of Education guidance on the voluntary code and earned an invitation to present at the European Commission in Brussels.But this conversation goes far beyond phones. Rachel speaks honestly about the spike in childhood anxiety she witnessed at school gates after COVID, how teachers were spending significant parts of their day managing anxiety-related challenges and why a community-wide questionnaire that drew over 800 responses became the turning point. There's a candid discussion of the ethical balance between supporting parents and avoiding judgment, the courage it took as a group of principals to put their names to the same letter and why solidarity changed everything. "It takes somebody to step out," she says, "to be brave."Year two brought something genuinely compelling: transition year students running peer-education workshops with primary school children. Sixteen-year-olds, trained by their teachers, led sessions on online safety, digital literacy and what using social media is really like. The younger children listened in ways they simply wouldn't with adults. The older students grew into the role. There is evident mutual benefit.By year three, online safety ambassadors were operating within the primary school itself, older pupils delivering workshops to children as young as four and five. A message about screen time, Rachel notes, lands "much, much better" when it comes from a trusted older peer.The evidence is encouraging. Secondary schools report that children who went through the programme arrive in first year more confident, with stronger problem-solving and critical thinking skills. Teachers are freed from managing social media fallout in the classroom. Parents feel supported rather than judged.For anyone in education wondering whether this kind of community-led change is possible, Rachel's advice is clear. Start with a conversation. Pair up with one other school. Don't try to do everything at once. "Even if you're helping one family," she says, "you're really making a difference."A rich, grounded conversation about children's wellbeing, school leadership, digital literacy, community action and what courage in education actually looks like.#EducationMatters #ChildrensWellbeing #OnlineSafety #DigitalLiteracy #SchoolLeadership #ChildMentalHealth #SmartphonesAndKids #PrimaryEducation #ItTakesAVillage #PeerEducation #EducationPodcast #CommunityWellbeing #ParentingInTheDigitalAge #EducationPolicy #TeacherPodcast #IrishEducation #StudentWellbeing #ScreenTimeKids #TeachingAndLearning #SafeOnline | — | ||||||
| 5/12/26 |  Teaching Matters | Drop-ins, Cheeseburgers & Exam Stress | What does a school leader actually learn from a five-minute classroom drop-in? Should canteens be doing more to feed children well and are 45% of parents really more stressed about GCSEs than their own kids? This week on Teaching Matters, host Paul Hazzard is joined by the experienced and forthright John Gibbs and Dr Shauna McGill for a wide-ranging conversation that covers school leadership, food policy and the very real human cost of exam culture.Classroom Drop-ins: Genuine Support or Covert SurveillanceJohn makes the case that unannounced classroom drop-ins are, almost without exception, a form of surveillance dressed up as professional development. He argues that any headteacher not teaching at least 20% of their timetable is missing the point and that middle leadership exists precisely to bridge the gap between the classroom and the senior team. Shauna brings a more measured perspective, pushing the conversation toward what a drop-in is actually for. Is it pastoral? Is it tied to a school development plan with clear and shared goals? The distinction matters enormously. Paul rounds things off with a question nobody quite wants to answer: how would senior leaders feel if teachers dropped in on their meetings?School Canteens, Healthy Eating and the Cheeseburger ProblemToday’s second story is about school food policy and the ongoing tension between nutritional guidance, parental responsibility and what pupils themselves actually want. With government standards tightening, the panel explores the limits of choice, the reality of food poverty and whether schools can be expected to fix what wider society hasn't. Year 7s at Richard Challoner School in New Malden get the last word and they're not surrendering their cheeseburgers without a fight.GCSE and A-Level Exam Stress: Who's Really Suffering?A recent survey suggests that 45% of parents are more stressed about their children's exams than the children themselves. John shares a quietly devastating story from his time as an invigilator: a student who asked to leave ten minutes into an English exam and what that moment revealed about years of accumulated failure. Shauna speaks candidly as a parent of a young person currently sitting GCSEs, reflecting on the difference between supporting a young person and absorbing their anxiety on their behalf. Paul raises the uncomfortable reality of hothousing: children drilled to peak for school-age public examinations and then struggling badly once they reach university. The panel agrees that exam results shape identity in ways that follow people for decades and that the system, accurate as it looks, is far less reliable than most people realise.John's "banana" of the week draws on research into sanitised history teaching in Florida and what Schopenhauer's bleakest philosophy has to do with student wellbeing, tolerance and inclusion. The conclusion? Honest and difficult is always more useful than polished and comfortable.About Teaching MattersTeaching Matters is a weekly panel show from Education Matters, the digital platform that brings outstanding people, practice and ideas to a global audience. New episodes every week, covering issues, policies, debates and human stories that shape education today.🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode 👍 Like and share if this one got you thinking 💬 Tell us where you stand in the comments#TeachingMatters #EducationMatters #EducationPodcast #SchoolLeadership #ClassroomObservation #GCSEStress #ExamSeason #ALevels #TeacherWellbeing #UKEducation #SchoolFood #HealthySchools #ParentalAnxiety #TeacherTraining #ProfessionalDevelopment #StudentMentalHealth #RetrievalPractice #Metacognition #PSHE #TeacherPodcast | — | ||||||
Want analysis for the episodes below?Free for Pro Submit a request, we'll have your selected episodes analyzed within an hour. Free, at no cost to you, for Pro users. | |||||||||
| 5/7/26 |  The Hannah & Lucy Show | Teaching Morals | Hannah & Lucy bring their experience to a pressing questions facing schools today: what does it actually mean to teach morals, values and self-discipline to young people in 2026, and who is really responsible for doing so?As usual it’s a candid look back at how things have been since the last show. Hannah shares a striking story from teaching a group of Yr10s who refused to wait for an escorted toilet visit, claiming it was a violation of their human rights, threatened to text their parents and ultimately walked out of the lesson. This becomes the stimulus for the bigger story - the erosion of self-regulation, deferred gratification and respect for shared rules.What’s the role of parents? Are schools fighting a losing battle? Hannah and Lucy discuss the very real difficulty of bringing parents on side without alienating them and the importance of schools having honest, transparent conversations with families whilst not apportioning blame yet explaining and persuading on the nuances of school policies.The duo explore the story of a youth football team on tour, where parents reportedly organised and purchased misogynistic t-shirts for their 15-year-old children to wear, photographed them and posted the images on the club's official Instagram page. Hannah reads out the slogans which include deeply inappropriate sexual references and both hosts reflect on what it says about adult role models when it is the parents, not the children, are driving this kind of behaviour. They draw a sharp contrast between a teacher or coach doing the same thing on a school trip. The double standard is stark and the safeguarding implications are deeply concerning.This leads into a broader discussion about the collapse of the moral compass. How the lines between acceptable and unacceptable behaviour have become increasingly blurred and what responsibility adults in public life carry for that. From political figures to social media culture and the influence of TikTok on how young people process information, Hannah and Lucy explore how misinformation, coercive narratives and the absence of credible role models are making it harder for teachers to be heard even when they are the most qualified and well-intentioned people in the room.The episode also tackles the dopamine economy. How constant access to phones and instant gratification is fundamentally changing how students engage with learning. Hannah describes the experience of teaching intelligent, capable students who are not disruptive out of disadvantage or difficult home circumstances, but simply out of boredom because sustained focus and genuine effort feel incompatible with the world they inhabit outside school.Hannah and Lucy provide their views on strict disciplinarian schools, acknowledging their striking reputation for parental respect and high standards while questioning whether their rigid approach is truly a scalable or even a desirable model. Both agree that the answer lies somewhere in the middle, a learning environment that combines empathy and challenge, safety and structure, without veering into authoritarian territory.The episode closes with a discussion about a school that responded to repeat poor behaviour by inviting parents to shadow their children in lessons for the day. A move that generated controversy but proved remarkably effective. The hosts reflect on the power of accountability, the importance of self-discipline as a life skill, and how schools can better communicate to families that enforcing boundaries is not the beginning of the problem it is the response to one.𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙃𝙖𝙣𝙣𝙖𝙝 & 𝙇𝙪𝙘𝙮 𝙎𝙝𝙤𝙬 – 𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙢, 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙩𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙬𝙞𝙘𝙠𝙚𝙙𝙡𝙮 𝙝𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙚𝙙𝙪𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣, 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙪𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙧𝙤𝙤𝙢𝙨. | — | ||||||
| 5/1/26 | Education Matters | Managing Behaviour | An in-depth conversation between three experienced professionals, Sam, John and Paul, that explores the complex nature of discipline and behaviour in schools, emphasising the importance of relationships, understanding individual needs and fostering self-discipline among students.Sam, John and Paul share insights on behaviour management, the role of love and respect and practical strategies for creating positive and effective school environments.Key topics include:The meaning of discipline as teaching, not punishmentThe importance of relationships and love in managing behaviourStrategies for consistent and fair disciplineUnderstanding individual needs and reasonable adjustmentsThe impact of school culture and ethos on behaviourSound Bites"Consistency builds trust and respect""Love and respect are pedagogical superpowers""De-escalation strategies prevent conflicts"Chapters00:00 Understanding Discipline in Education02:39 The Role of Zero Tolerance Policies05:24 Behaviour Management Strategies08:01 The Importance of Context in Discipline10:56 Navigating Special Needs and Behavior13:40 The Impact of Care and Relationships16:41 Identifying and Addressing Abuse in Schools19:10 The Role of Self-Discipline in Education21:57 Creating a Supportive School Culture24:52 The Balance of Challenge and Care27:32 Final Thoughts on Discipline and Education36:20 Understanding Discipline and Support in Education39:11 The Role of Teachers in Classroom Management45:12 The Importance of Immediate Intervention48:40 Building Relationships for Effective Discipline51:10 The Interplay of Relationships and Discipline54:36 Creating a Unified Approach to Discipline01:02:30 Preventative Strategies for Classroom Management | — | ||||||
| 5/1/26 |  The Hannah & Lucy Show | When Teachers Go Wrong | Join Lucy and Hannah as they catch up on recent adventures, chat about their upcoming trip to Vegas and delve into the serious topic of teachers losing their jobs due to misconduct.This episode balances lighthearted travel stories with a critical look at accountability and integrity in the teaching profession.The show explores accountability in education and safeguarding protocols.Chapters00:00 Introduction and Updates10:43 Teachers Losing Their Jobs22:00 Serious Consequences for Educators | — | ||||||
| 4/30/26 | Education Matters | Joanna Povall | Join us as Joanna Povall, principal of Wales International School, shares her journey from Manchester to the UAE, her leadership philosophy centered on kindness and practical strategies for fostering a compassionate school culture. Discover how her 'CHASE' framework and authentic modelling of kindness are transforming her school environment and her book is 'taking the world by kindness'.Joanna tells us about: 🔹 her leadership journey from the UK to Abu Dhabi 🔹the CHASE framework for kindness in schools 🔹modelling kindness through leadership and culture 🔹balancing honesty, accountability, and compassion in difficult conversations 🔹the impact of kindness on school retention and student behaviourShe tells Paul: "Harsh messages can be communicated with compassion" "Empathy is powerful, over-sympathy can be dangerous" "The CHASE framework is easy to remember and implement"Chapters00:00 Joanna Povall's Journey to Leadership02:39 The Importance of Kindness in Leadership05:42 Defining Kindness vs. Niceness08:34 The Chase Framework for Kindness11:07 Communicating Difficult Messages with Kindness13:58 Modelling Kindness in Schools16:57 Cultural Context and Kindness19:37 Implementing Values in Education22:13 Creating a Kind School Environment25:05 Overcoming Misunderstandings in Kind Leadership30:45 Teacher Retention and Workplace Happiness32:01 The Contagion of Kindness34:43 Leadership and Listening37:18 The Importance of Communication39:23 Creating a Culture of Kindness41:21 Impact of Kindness on Student Confidence44:29 Facing Criticism and Misunderstanding Kindness46:10 Exam Success and Student Confidence49:56 Balancing Leadership and Personal Well-being53:07 Learning to be Kind in Leadership | — | ||||||
| 4/28/26 |  Teaching Matters | Manosphere, Humour & Relevance | In this week's episode John, Shauna and Paul explore the influence of social media influencers on students, the role of humour in teaching and how schools can better align with students' life goals.Our experts discuss strategies for addressing contentious issues, the importance of relationship-building and the impact of school culture.Key TopicsInfluence of social media influencers on studentsThe importance of humor in teaching and classroom relationshipsStrategies for teaching contentious and modern issuesThe impact of school culture and community engagementAligning education with students' life goals and future aspirationsChapters00:00 Introduction to Teaching Matters and Current Topics01:52 Exploring Incel Culture and Influencer Impact04:42 Schools' Responsibility in Addressing Modern Issues09:13 Challenges in Teaching Emerging Current Issues12:25 Educating Against Hate and Promoting Critical Thinking15:39 Preparing Teachers for Controversial Topics22:34 The Role of Humor in Teaching25:48 The Role of Humor in Education36:19 Navigating Teacher Personas38:09 Aligning Education with Life Goals42:32 The Purpose of Schools47:07 Cultural Influences in Education | — | ||||||
| 4/23/26 | In Good Company with John Gibbs | David Houston✨ | — | David Houston | — | — | — | — | 53m 10s | |
| 3/31/26 |  Teaching Matters | Sixth forms, Parental Pressure & Subtitles Myths✨ | sixth-form fundingparental engagement+4 | John Gibbs | Education Matters | — | educationausterity+2 | — | 1h 01m 47s | |
| 3/26/26 | Education Matters | Anne Anderson✨ | school leadershipinspection+4 | Anne Anderson | New-Bridge Integrated CollegeEducation Matters+1 | LoughbricklandNorthern Ireland+1 | New-Bridge Integrated CollegeNorthern Ireland+3 | — | 54m 28s | |
| 3/22/26 |  Teaching Matters | Ban setting, Vital enrichment, Neurodiverse staff✨ | setting by abilityenrichment in education+1 | John GibbsDr Shauna Mcgill | — | — | education policyneurodiversity+1 | — | 1h 12m 23s | |
| 3/12/26 |  Theory Matters | What Are We Teaching?✨ | curriculum theoryPowerful Knowledge+4 | Dr Richard Bustin | What Are We Teaching? Powerful Knowledge and a Capabilities Curriculum | — | educationstudent agency+2 | — | 42m 34s | |
| 3/9/26 |  Teaching Matters | 60s kids, Dressing up & Frying up GCSE Maths✨ | educationresilience+3 | John GibbsShane Leaning | GCSE | UK | GCSE Mathsdigital technology+2 | — | 59m 45s | |
| 3/5/26 |  The Hannah & Lucy Show | Navigating global events in the classroom✨ | media literacyempathy+5 | — | Dublin Adventures: A Night toNavigating Difficult Conversations in Classrooms+2 | Dublin | Dublincurrent global issues+3 | — | 1h 08m 00s | |
| 3/1/26 |  Teaching Matters | Swedish English, Zero Tolerance & Teaching Unappealing✨ | English language proficiencyzero tolerance policies+4 | Lucy NeuburgerJohn Gibbs+1 | Teaching Matters | — | educationSweden+3 | — | 1h 24m 03s | |
| 2/22/26 |  Teaching Matters | Spanish:French, Attendance:Behaviour, Breaking Bad✨ | SpanishFrench+3 | — | Breaking Bad | — | InspirationLeadership+1 | — | 1h 02m 49s | |
| 2/18/26 |  The Hannah & Lucy Show | Attendance & Home Education✨ | AttendanceHome Education | — | — | — | EducationLearning+2 | — | 1h 06m 29s | |
Showing 25 of 121
Pitch Fit is a Pro feature
See how bookable this show is for guests, which brands already advertise, the per-episode ad value, and the best-fit guest and sponsor profile. The numbers are blurred on the free plan.
How readily this show books outside guests like you.
How proven this show is for host-read sponsorships.
For Guests
ProFor Advertisers
ProUpgrade to Pro to unlock guest cadence, sponsor categories, fit scores, and per-episode ad value for this show.