Épisodes

  • "It’s choppy out there – but hope is happening...": Strap in for the 2025 end of year review!

    "It’s choppy out there – but hope is happening...": Strap in for the 2025 end of year review!
    Dec 24 2025
    As 2025 draws to a close, James and David come together for a wide-ranging Christmas conversation that reflects on a turbulent year in education – and looks ahead to where hope, change, and renewal might yet be found. Kicking off with a powerful metaphor drawn from winter sea swimming, the discussion explores why schools currently feel so ‘choppy’, from behaviour and attendance to widening inequality and system-level pressures. Along the way, we reflect on what really matters in education – relationships, belonging, and being known – and why these often get squeezed out by accountability and assessment. The episode revisits key debates sparked by the Curriculum and Assessment Review, including the future of GCSEs, the limits of ‘manageable change’, and the uneasy separation of curriculum, assessment, and pedagogy. A detour into restorative justice, inspired by Punch and the story of Jacob Dunne, deepens the conversation about connection, responsibility, and what happens when people are truly seen. The parallels with schooling – and with how society treats its most vulnerable young people – are stark. The episode closes on a hopeful note, spotlighting examples of schools doing brave, relational, and imaginative work within the current system, and outlining plans for the podcast in 2026: fewer trench wars, more light-shining on practice that actually helps children and young people thrive. James also shares upcoming programmes and projects focused on oracy, behaviour, botheredness, and learning beyond subjects – all grounded in the belief that meaningful change is possible when we start with relationships and implementation. In this episode, we explore: - Why education feels ‘choppy’ – and what the winter swim metaphor reveals - Behaviour, discipline, and the limits of coercive models - Restorative justice, Punch, and the power of being known - What the Curriculum and Assessment Review did – and didn’t – make possible - GCSEs, adolescent development, and the problem of high-stakes exams at 16 - Why relationships matter more than systems – and what the evidence says - Examples of hopeful practice already happening in schools - What’s next for the podcast in 2026 Support #repod The Rethinking Education podcast is brought to you by Crown House Publishing. It is hosted by Dr James Mannion and David Cameron, and produced by Sophie Dean. This podcast is a labour of love, with the emphasis on both the labour and the love. If you’d like to support the podcast and convey your appreciation for these conversations, you can: Become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/repod Buy us a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/repod
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    50 min
  • Inside the Curriculum & Assessment Review: What Changed, What Didn’t – And Why

    Inside the Curriculum & Assessment Review: What Changed, What Didn’t – And Why
    Dec 22 2025
    What really happens inside a national curriculum review? In this episode, James and David go beyond headlines to explore the thinking, tensions and trade-offs behind England’s Curriculum and Assessment Review - with two people who helped shape it. They’re joined by Lisa O’Loughlin, Principal and CEO of Nelson and Colne College Group, and Jon Hutchinson, Director of Curriculum and Teacher Development at the Reach Foundation - both panel members of the Curriculum & Assessment Review - who offer rare, first-hand insight into how the review was shaped and why its recommendations landed where they did. This is an honest, wide-ranging discussion about ambition, constraints, evidence, politics, and what ‘high standards for all’ actually means in practice. In this conversation, we explore: What it was like to sit on the Curriculum & Assessment Review panel - workload, process, and pressures Why the review focused on evolution rather than revolution The hidden constraints baked into the review - political, practical, and systemic Why post-16 recommendations matter more than many people realise The case for broadening pathways beyond a narrow academic route How oracy and the arts emerged as quiet winners in the final report The limits of assessment reform - and why GCSEs remain so hard to shift How evidence, professional judgement and lived experience were balanced What the review does not do - and why that has frustrated many critics This episode is essential listening for: School and college leaders Teachers and curriculum leads Policy-curious educators Anyone trying to make sense of what the review really changes - and what it doesn’t Links Curriculum and Assessment Review - Final Report: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/curriculum-and-assessment-review-final-report Follow Jon - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jon-hutchinson-b3bbb568/ Follow Lisa - https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-o-loughlin-0637b553/ Follow David - https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-cameron-72061a15/ Follow James - https://www.linkedin.com/in/drjamesmannion Support #repod The Rethinking Education podcast is brought to you by Crown House Publishing. It is hosted by Dr James Mannion and David Cameron, and produced by Sophie Dean. This podcast is a labour of love, with the emphasis on both the labour and the love. If you’d like to support the podcast and convey your appreciation for these conversations, you can: Become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/repod Buy us a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/repod
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    1 h et 57 min
  • Dave Whitaker on relational practice, inclusive culture, and “battering them with kindness”

    Dave Whitaker on relational practice, inclusive culture, and “battering them with kindness”
    Dec 6 2025
    In this energising and wide-ranging conversation, Dave Whitaker joins James and David to explore behaviour, belonging, learner effectiveness, and the courageous cultural work needed to create schools in which every child can thrive. Dave Whitaker is the Chief Education Officer at the Wellspring Academy Trust, working across 33 schools and alternative provisions in the north of England and Lincolnshire. A former geography teacher who moved through the pastoral route into leadership, Dave is known nationally for The Kindness Principle, his advocacy for relational practice, and his unwavering belief that children flourish when adults lead with compassion, consistency, and high expectations rooted in humanity. His Guardian-featured work on creating exclusion-free, restorative, relational schools challenged the national narrative on behaviour and ignited a conversation that still reverberates today. Across Wellspring’s mainstream, AP, SEMH and special schools, Dave supports leaders to build cultures of unconditional positive regard, trauma-informed practice, context-specific autonomy, and a strong collective commitment to inclusion. His work demonstrates that it is possible to run high-functioning, high-expectation schools without relying on zero-tolerance, punitive systems - but only if leaders invest in the three-to-five-year cultural journey required to get there. James and David share insights from the Education Policy Alliance and the urgent need to reconfigure systems that default to behaviourism, high-stakes testing, and top-down reform. They connect these ideas to the recent Everybody Thriving unconference and Wellspring’s Next Decade conference, examining how genuine change happens — and why it so often doesn’t. Together, they explore: Why kindness is not a soft option — and why it’s astonishing that this still needs saying How relational practice sits on a spectrum from zero-tolerance to “batter them with kindness” Why cultural transformation in schools takes 3-5 years, not weeks How Wellspring has never had a permanent exclusion Why some behaviour approaches become “selective by culture” The misconceptions that plague relational, restorative and trauma-informed practice The problem with national top-down reform, and why place-based change matters Why we need a more expansive definition of human development — beyond subjects How strong cultures give staff autonomy while holding shared values at the core Why bravery from leaders and trusts is essential in an Ofsted-driven system This is a hopeful, deeply practical conversation about culture, compassion, courage and what it really takes to build inclusive schools that work for ALL children. Links The Kindness Principle (Dave’s book): https://www.crownhouse.co.uk/the-kindness-principle Wellspring Academy Trust: https://wellspringacademytrust.co.uk Dave on Twitter/X: https://x.com/davewhitaker246 Guardian article - ‘We batter them with kindness’: schools that reject super-strict values- https://www.theguardian.com/education/2018/feb/27/schools-discipline-unconditional-positive-regard School isolation rooms are damaging pupil wellbeing, new study warns - https://www.manchester.ac.uk/about/news/school-isolation-rooms-are-damaging-pupil-wellbeing Wellspring’s Next Decade conference: https://thenextdecade.co.uk/ Support the pod The Rethinking Education podcast is brought to you by Crown House Publishing. It is hosted by Dr James Mannion and David Cameron, and produced by Sophie Dean. This podcast is a labour of love, and we love doing it. If you’d like to support the podcast and convey your appreciation for these conversations, you can: Become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/repod Buy us a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/repod
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    1 h et 32 min
  • Boarding school trauma and "the myth of privilege” - a conversation with Chris Braitch

    Boarding school trauma and "the myth of privilege” - a conversation with Chris Braitch
    Nov 19 2025
    In this rich crossover conversation, Chris Braitch and Dr James Mannion interview one another about trauma, healing, and the deep structural shifts needed in education. Chris Braitch is a father of three whose mission is to move himself and others towards connection and compassion. He works as an emotional health coach, a leadership coach with Compassionate Leaders Global, and is the founding director of Seen & Heard, a not-for-profit supporting the wellbeing of past and present pupils of the private school system - many of whom have experienced institutional neglect, emotional harm or abuse. After two decades in global sales and marketing, Chris realised that his life had been shaped by powerful, unexamined forces: early separation, boarding school culture, unresolved childhood experiences, and profound personal grief. Through coaching, men’s groups, the Emotional Freedom Technique, and a life-changing spiritual awakening, he discovered a new sense of purpose rooted in authenticity, service, and compassion. This journey transformed his parenting, his perspective, and the work he now offers to others. James shares the origins of the Rethinking Education Podcast, his work with the Learner Effectiveness Programme, slice teams, implementation science, and the Education Policy Alliance, and explores why so many top-down reforms fail to shift what actually happens in classrooms. Together, they explore: - The “myth of privilege” and why suffering in elite institutions is so often minimised - How early separation and boarding school cultures shape adult hypervigilance, self-protection, and leadership - The emotional and spiritual turning points that redirected Chris’s life - How Seen & Heard supports former pupils, works with schools, and campaigns for safer legislation - Why spoken language (oracy) is an overlooked equity issue - Why the system keeps “locating the problem in the child” - How learner-effectiveness, self-regulation, and holistic education can transform outcomes - The cultural assumptions baked into British schooling and politics - Why compassion-centred leadership matters now more than ever This is a deeply human, hopeful conversation about trauma, awareness, systemic change, and learning to live - and lead - with compassion. LINKS - Chris’s not for profit supporting the wellbeing of past pupils of boarding and independent day schools and their families – https://seenheard.org.uk - Chris’s not for profit supporting the wellbeing of present pupils of boarding and independent day schools and their families – https://seenheardschools.org.uk - Chris’s coaching business where I support men and women through 1-2-1’s and groups – https://growthwave.uk The Compassionate Leader Pathway Course - designed to help people lead with purpose, perform with clarity and live with integrity. https://compassionateleadersglobal.com CREDITS - The Rethinking Education podcast is brought to you by Crown House Publishing. It is hosted by Dr James Mannion and David Cameron, and produced by Sophie Dean. - Outro track: How it is and how it should be by Grit Control SUPPORT THE PODCAST: This podcast is a labour of love, with the emphasis on both the labour and the love. If you’d like to support the podcast or convey your appreciation for these conversations, you can: Become a patron: https://patreon.com/repod Buy us a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/repod
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    1 h et 41 min
  • Nick Covington and Kate McAllister on Restoring Humanity to Education

    Nick Covington and Kate McAllister on Restoring Humanity to Education
    Nov 7 2025
    Nick Covington and Kate McAllister on Restoring Humanity to Education What does it mean to restore humanity to education? In this rich and wide-ranging three-way conversation, James is joined by Kate McAllister – co-founder of The Human Hive and lead educator at The Hive in the Dominican Republic – and Nick Covington, co-founder of the Human Restoration Project in the US. Together, we explore: The dehumanising effects of traditional schooling models What human-centred education looks like in practice – both inside and outside the mainstream Self-regulation, executive function and building trust with students The role of flow in learning, and why it's missing from most education policy discussions The Third Coast Learning Collaborative – a US-wide, government-funded project using project-based learning, portfolio assessment, and student-led exhibition The power of authentic audience and interdisciplinary learning How progressive educators can embrace data to strengthen their case for change The importance of courageous school leaders and communities of practice We also talk about Ozzy Osbourne's funeral procession, mangled chicken coops, flow states, poetry circles, grant funding, and catapults launching frisbees across middle school campuses. Education doesn’t have to be this way. Across the world, a quiet revolution is taking place – one built on trust, flow, curiosity and care. This episode offers a glimpse of what’s possible when we restore humanity to learning. LINKS Follow Nick - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-covington/ Follow Kate - https://www.linkedin.com/in/misskatemcallister/ Follow James - https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-mannion/ Human Restoration Project - https://www.humanrestorationproject.org/ The Hive – Dominican Republic - https://www.thehiveadventure.com/ The Third Coast Learning Collaborative - https://www.thirdcoastlearning.org/ Ron Berger on 20 years of 'An ethic of excellence' - and ending the trad-prog debate! - https://www.rethinking-ed.org/ron-berger Gallup Student Poll data on engagement, hope and belonging: https://msnpro1.gallup.com/report-generator/GSP/1.3/En-US?districtId=229403046&schoolId=229403048&cohortId=231774178 Outro track: ‘How it is and how it should be’ by Grit Control: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1ud69RIV1eOV9poMR7AORI DON'T BE A STRANGER The Rethinking Education podcast is brought to you by Crown House Publishing. It is hosted by Dr James Mannion and David Cameron, and produced by Sophie Dean. Drop us a line at https://www.rethinking-ed.org/contact. CONVEY YOUR APPRECIATION FOR THE POD :) Become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/repod Buy us a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/repod
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    2 h et 1 min
  • "There is more to human development than learning about subjects" Repod Season 6 launch!

    "There is more to human development than learning about subjects" Repod Season 6 launch!
    Oct 18 2025
    We’re back for Season 6! In this reflective episode, James and David catch up after the summer and explore the “big idea” that’s been emerging across recent blogs and conversations: there is more to human development than learning about subjects. They discuss the need for schools to make space for personal growth, wellbeing, and learner effectiveness alongside subject learning – and why our current focus on a purely knowledge-rich curriculum isn’t enough to prepare young people for life beyond school. Along the way, they talk about theatre, conferences, politics, art, and the Everybody Thriving unconference in Manchester. ⏱️ Highlights Catching up after summer: Edinburgh Fringe, Fringe Review, and the Lost Lear play at the Traverse Theatre (00:01:00) James’s trip to the EARLI Conference in Austria and the international focus on learner effectiveness (00:07:00) Hundertwasser’s art and architecture in Vienna (00:09:00) Reflections on feedback from recent Rethinking Education episodes (00:11:00) The Supervision in Education Conference at St Mary’s University, Twickenham (00:12:00) The Everybody Thriving unconference in Manchester (00:19:00) Audrey Tang, the Taiwanese civic hacker and politician, and her ideas on digital democracy (Plurality, GovZero, Pol.is, and presidential hackathons) (00:24:00) The Education Policy Alliance and “slice politics” – bridging the gap between grassroots innovation and executive power (00:28:00) The “big idea”: more to human development than subjects – learner effectiveness, self-knowledge, wellbeing, and systems thinking (00:36:00) Why subject knowledge alone isn’t working: phones, attention, and the post-literate world (00:44:00) The Learning Skills Curriculum and Who Am I? project (00:47:00) The Welsh Government’s Learner Effectiveness Programme (00:49:00) The purpose of education: human development vs. transactional outcomes (00:57:00) Future guests: Dave Whitaker and Rupert Wegerith (01:05:00) DON'T BE A STRANGER The Rethinking Education podcast is brought to you by Crown House Publishing. It is hosted by Dr James Mannion and David Cameron, and produced by Sophie Dean. Drop us a line at https://www.rethinking-ed.org/contact. SUPPORT THE RETHINKING ED PODCAST: Become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/repod Buy us a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/repod
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    1 h et 14 min
  • “We need a new language!" Jaz Ampaw-Farr on hope, trauma tourism and teachers as everyday heroes

    “We need a new language!" Jaz Ampaw-Farr on hope, trauma tourism and teachers as everyday heroes
    Sep 9 2025
    In this episode, David and James sit down with Jaz Ampaw-Farr to talk about her powerful new book Because of You, This is Me: The stories we tell, the stories we change and the power of everyday heroes. We explore the big themes of the book, including: The lies we’ve agreed to and how to rewrite them Why we need a new vocabulary for education And the everyday heroes who changed the ending for Jaz Along the way we also touch on the importance of listening to voices of lived experience – a conversation that was sparked by Darren McGarvey’s work and led to some of Jaz’s most insightful reflections. This episode is a rich mix of personal story, educational insight and practical wisdom. Links and resources: Jaz’s book: https://www.crownhouse.co.uk/because-of-you-this-is-me Jaz’s TEDx talk ‘The power of everyday heroes’: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3xoZXSW5yc Jaz’s website: https://jazampawfarr.com/ Find out more about the Open School: https://www.theopenschool.uk/ Enjoyed the episode? Please subscribe, leave a review, and share the episode with a friend or colleague. You can also support the podcast on Patreon: https://patreon.com/repod Outro track: ‘How it is and how it should be’ by Grit Control: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1ud69RIV1eOV9poMR7AORI The Rethinking Education podcast is brought to you by Crown House Publishing. It is hosted by Dr James Mannion and David Cameron, and produced by Sophie Dean.
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    2 h et 23 min
  • What Are We Teaching? Powerful knowledge, capabilities, and teacher autonomy – with Richard Bustin

    What Are We Teaching? Powerful knowledge, capabilities, and teacher autonomy – with Richard Bustin
    Jul 28 2025
    In this wide-ranging and thought-provoking conversation, we're joined by teacher and researcher Richard Bustin, author of the fascinating new book What Are We Teaching? We delve deep into some of the biggest questions in curriculum and pedagogy today – from the concept of powerful knowledge to the ongoing tensions between progressivism and traditionalism in education. What does it mean to teach in a way that builds pupils' capabilities – not just their test scores? And how can we balance a knowledge-rich curriculum with professional teacher autonomy? Richard brings a rare blend of classroom insight, research rigour, and philosophical curiosity to this conversation. We discuss: What powerful knowledge is – and isn’t How geography “went woke” Whether the progressivism vs traditionalism debate is helpful or reductive Why a focus on capabilities might offer a richer way forward The risks of top-down curriculum mandates And why teacher professionalism and trust matter more than ever This is a rich and energising listen for anyone who cares deeply about what – and how – we teach. Richard Bustin is a secondary geography teacher and doctoral researcher with a focus on curriculum studies, powerful knowledge, and geo-capabilities. His book What Are We Teaching? (2025) is a compelling invitation to examine the deeper messages embedded in our teaching and to reclaim the professional agency of teachers as curriculum-makers. Links and resources: Follow Richard https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-bustin-165b7019b/ What are we teaching? https://www.crownhouse.co.uk/what-are-we-teaching Enjoyed the episode? Please subscribe, leave a review, and share the episode with a friend or colleague. You can also support the podcast on Patreon: https://patreon.com/repod Outro track: ‘How it is and how it should be’ by Grit Control: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1ud69RIV1eOV9poMR7AORI The Rethinking Education podcast is brought to you by Crown House Publishing. It is hosted by Dr James Mannion and David Cameron, and produced by Sophie Dean.
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    2 h et 1 min