Teachers Talk Radio

Stricter home schooling rules prompt warnings about overstretched councils: Points of View

Stricter home schooling rules are on the way but are councils anywhere near ready? This week on Points of View, we unpack the government’s plans to introduce a national register of home-educated children and tighter oversight of families. Supporters say it’s about safeguarding vulnerable children and preventing tragedies. Critics warn it risks intrusive state overreach and puts impossible pressure on already overstretched local authorities. With rising numbers of children leaving schools - many linked to SEND pressures and mental health concerns, we ask: Are schools failing too many children? Is home education becoming a necessity, not a choice? Can councils realistically monitor thousands more families? And where should the balance lie between parental rights and child protection? On the panel: Tom Rogers, Lucy Trimnell and Carl Smith.

I Was Looking For A Job, And I Found A Job

Join Michael Wright on The Sunday Lunch Show has he discusses applying for teaching jobs, green and red flags when getting a feel for a school, interview technique and how to make sure you are applying for schools that fit your own values and ethics. A must listen for those, ECT's in particular, who are job hunting!

Sunday blues?: The Sunday Breakfast Show with Phin Adams

We talk blues and how it may be the search for perfection behind it, alongside your regular features to set you up with returning to the classroom tomorrow *if you are*

Teaching on an Off Day - How Educators Keep Going: The Late Late Show with Seema Aggarwal

Some days, teachers walk into the classroom carrying more than just their teaching materials. This show explores what it means to teach on an “off” day; the quiet challenge of showing up with energy, focus, and presence when you don’t quite feel like yourself. We’ll look at the pressure that comes with that reality, but also the unexpected upside: how the act of stepping into the role can sometimes lift us, ground us, and even help us through. It’s an honest conversation about the strain, the resilience, and the surprising opportunities hidden in the harder days.

The Narratives of Why We Teach: The Saturday Breakfast Show with Darren Lester

Darren looks at why it's so important for teachers to tell their stories od why we chose to enter the profession.

Setting the Example - Teachers, Uniforms & Classroom Culture: The Twilight Show with Tony Harwood and Yannick Berland

On this show, Tony and Yannick discuss whether teachers should model the same rules they set for students. They cover dress code and uniform expectations, gender differences in standards, homework and workload, classroom behaviour, recruitment and the challenge of maintaining positivity in the profession.
The conversation combines practical examples, listener comments and reflections on balancing high standards with common sense, teacher wellbeing and the role of student voice in shaping school rules.

Consultants, Edugurus & Influencers: Help or Hindrance?: The Late Show with Beejesh Deva and Claire Bills

Beejesh Deva, Nathan Gynn and Claire Bills explore the growing world of consultants, edugurus and social‑media influencers in education. They explore how these figures interact with schools, the costs and opportunity costs involved, and the tension between useful, research‑based support and one‑off or misapplied advice.
The conversation covers the shift from local authority provision to academies, the benefits of shared CPD and coaching, concerns about contextual fit and incoherence, and the need for discernment and quality assurance when schools buy external expertise.

Raising the Green Flag - Can schools really afford not to?: The Late Show with Tim Smale

In this show, Tim sits down with Simon Lightman, teacher, philosopher, researcher, and the driving force behind a cross-sector open letter to Parliament calling for curriculum renewal. Together, they ask one of the most pressing questions facing schools today: can education really afford to keep treating sustainability as an optional extra?

“This Is a School, Not a Workhouse” - Inside Union Claims in the Llantwit Major Dispute: TTR Special with Tom Rogers

Industrial action at Llantwit Major High School has brought issues of workload, behaviour and funding into sharp focus. The NASUWT has raised concerns about staff safety, excessive workload and working conditions, while school leaders and the local authority point to financial pressures, falling pupil numbers and ongoing negotiations. In this show, we speak to a NASUWT representative Sharron Daly to explore the claims behind the dispute, the response from leadership, and what this situation tells us about wider pressures across the profession.

What Job Should You Have in Korea?: The Sunday Social

In this week's show, Claudia Tumba and Martin Sketchley chat about what job English teachers should consider when applying to work in South Korea.