It’s Your Time You’re Wasting

Engagement Crisis in Schools?

Some links to articles mentioned: https://powerfulknowledge.substack.com/p/how-should-we-think-about-the-engagementhttps://schoolsweek.co.uk/curriculum-labour-is-on-the-right-path-but-its-a-tightrope/https://daviddidau.substack.com/p/what-do-you-mean-by-engagement?selection=8e3325ff-837e-40fd-becb-cc379a5e3fb3Fiona Millar was quoted from the RSA Journal Issue 2, 2025

Can Schools Solve the Mental Health Crisis?

In this episode, we take apart the myth that schools can paper over the cracks of a society in crisis with mindfulness sessions, gratitude journals and breathing techniques.We look at what the data really tells us: a fifth of children now meet the threshold for a probable mental disorder. Over a third of 17 to 19-year-old girls are struggling. Services are overwhelmed. Yet instead of fixing what’s broken, we offer sticking plasters and tell young people to breathe through the damage.We explore why wellbeing initiatives often individualise failure, how schools risk medicalising ordinary distress, and what we should be doing instead.If you’re tired of seeing schools made responsible for society’s failings, this one’s for you.Links Below:NHS Digital (2023) — Mental Health of Children and Young People in England:https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/mental-health-of-children-and-young-people-in-england/2023-wave-4-follow-up#:~:text=Key%20Facts,36.9%25%20compared%20with%207.6%25Mind — Facts and figures about young people and mental health: https://www.mind.org.uk/about-us/our-strategy/doing-more-for-young-people/facts-and-figures-about-young-people-and-mental-health/Health Foundation — Understanding the crisis in young people’s mental health: https://www.health.org.uk/features-and-opinion/blogs/understanding-the-crisis-in-young-people-s-mental-healthHouse of Commons Library — Children and young people’s mental health services:https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-7749/

Should Schools Teach Queer Theory?

According to the Times Newspaper, the English Department at Alleyn’s School in southeast London are in the process of diversifying their curriculum and are introducing students to the 'works of a drag queen and non-binary authors.' We're not sure that the Times approves… There is another question underlying the discussion here and that is ‘should children see themselves in the curriculum?” and in times of growing individualism and self-authorship is that even possible?Some Links:https://www.thetimes.com/article/7c9a532d-c23e-4bcb-b649-d26562cda39ahttps://www.thetimes.com/article/4611de82-f49a-47ef-9c43-7d7395e38105https://www.them.us/story/uk-gender-identity-schools-proposed-banhttps://www.vox.com/scotus/408356/supreme-court-mahmoud-taylor-dont-say-gayhttps://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-lgbtq-books-religion-maryland-069d155fa862d2a16619fc7f513819ab

Is Assessment Failing the Test?

Is our obsession with testing failing students?

Oracy: Talking About Talk

Is Oracy a fad or part of the ongoing tradition of Western Education?Links to some of the things mentioned in this episode:https://oracyeducationcommission.co.uk/oec-report/https://www.education-uk.org/documents/pdfs/2021-appg-oracy.pdfhttps://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-commission-conversations/id1739353277?i=1000658062482https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-commission-conversations/id1739353277?i=1000659285974

School Uniform: Equity or Oppression?

What is the case for school uniforms? Would schools become chaotic places (more chaotic?) without them? Do they provide a ‘discipline distraction’ for some naughty pupils to hit out against? All this AND MORE in today's episode!Some links which are referred to:https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14777071/parents-fury-school-ban-skirts-gender-neutral-options.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=social-twitter_mailonlinehttps://www.newscientist.com/article/2417240-school-uniforms-may-prevent-children-from-getting-enough-exercise/https://www.playscotland.org/play-scotland-backs-new-made-to-move-campaign-on-active-school-uniforms/https://www.youthsporttrust.org/news-listings/news/youth-sport-trust-research-reveals-parents-and-teachers-support-an-always-active-uniform-policy#:~:text=Research-,Youth%20Sport%20Trust%20Research%20Reveals%20Parents%20and%20Teachers%20Support%20an,break%20time%20to%20active%20learningGuidance from NEU: https://neu.org.uk/advice/classroom/dress-code

Powerful Knowledge with Prof. Michael Young (REPLAY)

A replay of our February 2021 interview with Professor Michael Young. The original is still viewable on our YouTube Channel, it has been reproduced here for new viewers but also for our growing band of listeners on sound only platforms, where the original wasn’t available… until now!NB: This broadcast takes the place of our usual Thursday broadcast this week. Hopefully you managed to catch our bonus episode earlier this week, if not, check it out, it's on AI in education.

It’s Artificial, but is it Intelligent?

Are you the maker or the tool? Is AI a threat to schooling or an extension to the accessibility of knowledge for humanity? (First there was writing, then the book, the library, printing, the internet and now AI...)Some references in the chat:The Ballad of Accounting, Sung by Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger: https://youtu.be/MY3kYU5CYmk?si=oMwecn8TQV2s9Xmz written by Ewan MacColl (I think we inadvertently said Pete Seeger wrote it, can we blame AI?!)What If AI is not Actually Intelligent? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTb2Q2AE7nA @InnerCosmosPod with David Eagleman and Alison GopnikAndy Clark and David Chalmers 'The Extended Mind': https://web-archive.southampton.ac.uk/cogprints.org/320/1/extended.htmlPhil Beadle's AI post on SubStack: https://open.substack.com/pub/philbeadle/p/the-limits-of-ai?r=1rvl5x&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=falseDaisy Christodoulou's SubStack on How should England's curriculum and assessment review respond to AI? https://substack.nomoremarking.com/p/how-should-englands-curriculum-and?utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

Are We an Island of Strangers?

Do schools contribute to whether we see ourselves as an Island of Strangers or not?Some links for your delectation: Our interview with ED Hirsch: https://youtu.be/H097vPnDpkI?si=erXALkeyInTYmRTYOur Interview with Michael Young: https://youtu.be/xi_AhfWjeis?si=oanbhXx4OC8vc_W8EmanRTM: https://youtu.be/OXn4lFNVb-Y?si=nAQmw4B8cXkaA_tPSutton Trust Report: https://www.suttontrust.com/our-research/the-opportunity-index/Policy Exchange Report: https://policyexchange.org.uk/publication/lessons-from-the-past/More in Common Social Cohesion Report: https://www.moreincommon.org.uk/our-work/research/social-cohesion-a-snapshot/

Coaching or Ker-CHING!?

Is the current vogue for coaching in schools a fad or fundamental part of good CPD?