Edufuturists #338 Why Better Teaching Starts With Better Feedback with Danielle Finlay

About this episode

Danielle Finlay discusses the importance of feedback and pedagogy in education leadership.

In this episode of the Edufuturists podcast, we are joined by Danielle Finlay, former headteacher, senior leader and now Head of Operations, Client Delivery and Change Management at Progress Teaching. Danielle reflects on her journey through education leadership, her deep commitment to pedagogy, and the difficult decision to step away from headship in order to prioritise family life without stepping away from her impact on the sector. The conversation explores the relationship between pedagogy, leadership, behaviour, feedback and data, with Danielle making the case that better teaching starts with better insight rather than more judgement. We discuss why pedagogy remains the beating heart of great schools, why relationships matter more than compliance, and how leaders can use data intelligently without becoming overwhelmed by numbers that tell them very little. Danielle also shares thoughtful reflections on Ofsted, trust accountability and the difference between feedback as insight and feedback as judgement. It is a rich conversation about courage, clarity and the importance of building school cultures where challenge is humane, evidence-informed and rooted in genuine care for…

People in this episode

Host: Edufuturists

Guest: Danielle Finlay

Topics covered

• education leadership
• pedagogy
• feedback
• data in education
• school culture
• Ofsted

Keywords

• education
• leadership
• feedback
• pedagogy
• data
• school culture
• Ofsted

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Progress Teaching

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