Teachers Talk Radio

Teacher voice debate, isolation rooms controversy: Points of View

On this summer edition of Points of View, our panel (Tarjinder Gill, Yasmin Omar, Rae Whitehouse and Lucy Trimnell) explore two big issues shaking the education world: the growing number of consultants and ex-teachers shaping school policy from the outside, and a controversial court case over the use of long-term isolation in schools.
Is it possible to advise schools effectively without being in the classroom? What’s the true cost of external expertise? And when does helpful CPD cross the line into 'snake oil'?
Then, the discussion turns to a recent High Court ruling in favour of a Leeds school whose isolation policy was challenged by three pupils. The panel looks at the complex tensions between duty of care, student behaviour, teacher wellbeing, and the limits of the judicial system in shaping school policy.
📚 Brought to you in partnership with John Catt Educational – publishers of professional development books and resources for teachers and leaders.

Back to School, Forward with Purpose - Smart Prep for a New Cohort: The Saturday Lunch Show with Famida Choudhary

As the school year kicks off, join host Famida Choudhary in conversation with Year 5 teacher Sharon—an inspiring educator who blends humour, heart, and high standards. Together, they explore how teachers can prepare meaningfully for a new class: from understanding student needs to setting up routines that stick. A practical and uplifting show to start the year strong.

Mid-Career Teachers: The Saturday Breakfast Show with Darren Lester

Darren discusses the highs and lows of being a teacher in the middle of one's career.

Life after Teaching - Is the grass greener?: The Morning Break with Liz Webb

Joining Liz today is former teacher, turned librarian, Sue Eastlake who, like many others before her, has left 30 years in the classroom behind, in the hope of reclaiming the holy grail of work-life balance. They discuss and debate the reasons behind the recruitment and retention crisis in education and weigh up the pros and cons of leaving the classroom behind. But is the grass greener on the other side?

All things Oracy: The Twilight Show with Tom Rogers

Tom Rogers is joined by secondary HOD and oracy enthusiast Louise Pickering to explore how she is approaching Oracy development in her school.
She shares her insights from leading an impactful oracy initiative at Weavers Academy. Louise discusses why oracy is a vital skill for students, especially in relation to equity, life chances, and long-term success, and how it can be a powerful lever for closing attainment gaps.
We dive into the practical steps her team took to embed oracy across the school, the challenges they faced, and how staff CPD and modelling played a key role. Louise also shares how instructional coaching can be used to develop staff oracy and build a culture of effective communication throughout a school. If you're a leader looking to make oracy a priority in your setting, don’t miss Louise’s top three tips for getting started.

Teacher Inclusion: The Saturday Breakfast Show with Darren Lester

Darren talks about why it's important for teachers to feel truly included in their school communities.

Let Teachers Teach - Cutting Through the Admin Clutter: The Saturday Lunch Show with Famida Choudhary

In this reflective show, Famida Choudhary explores whether teaching has strayed too far from its core purpose. Joined by a listener mid-show, the discussion dives into how admin demands impact classroom creativity—and what it means to truly let teachers teach.

What can we learn from home schooling?: The Late Show with Ben White

Ben White is joined by Katie Finlayson for a thoughtful conversation about home education. With 15 years of experience educating her own children—and supporting thousands of families across the UK—Katie shares what life as a home-educating parent really looks like, why more families are choosing this path, and what schools might learn from those doing things differently. She also discusses her own recent research, which gathered insights around why and when families chose to home educate.

Rethinking student engagement in HE - in the classroom and beyond: The Twilight Show with Timea Kadar

In this Twilight Show, Timea is joined by Dr Gillian Stacey, Course Director at LCCA with a passion for purposeful pedagogy, and Inca Hide-Wright rising star Graduate Management Trainee at University of Warwick bringing sharp insights and the all-important student voice, to dive into the art (and science) of student engagement, both in the classroom and beyond.

The Never-Ending Story of Curriculum Design: The Late Show with Huma Mirza

Tonight’s show explores the never-ending story of curriculum design in primary schools. Huma is joined by Marc Hayes, an experienced school leader and curriculum thinker, to discuss what curriculum design really means, why it matters, and how we can make it purposeful, inclusive and manageable. From storytelling in history to sequencing in geography, they unpack the practical challenges, explore the realities of implementation, and share reflections that matter to classroom teachers and curriculum leaders alike.