Anseo.net - If I were the Minister for Education

Simon Lewis
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How many times have you said to yourself, "If I were the Minister for Education…?" Well I do! Rather than grumble to myself, I decided to podcast my thoughts on ways I'd change the primary education system in Ireland. Every episode I'll take on a different theme, give some background and hopefully come to some conclusions by the end. simonmlewis.substack.com

  1. 4d ago

    Unconvention: Special Education Podcast

    After three months focused on special education, I recap debates on routes into special education teaching, SNA issues (including the 72-hour proposal), professional development and respect, special classes/schools, and flawed SET allocation models. I highlight how “choice” often means simply finding any available place, and argue placements must be explainable, reviewable and judged by children’s lived experience—learning, participation, attendance, wellbeing and belonging—rather than “a bum on a seat”. I outline disagreements about specialist provision versus full inclusion (including concerns about a New Brunswick-style model without supports), raise risks around diagnosis and proposed placement criteria, and conclude that a dedicated convention on special education and urgent, independent reviews of allocation and training are needed. The full report can be found here: Summary of Podcast 00:00 Convention Kickoff00:57 Podcast Format Explained02:26 Special Education Recap05:35 Rethinking Choice08:37 Placements And Transitions13:46 Inclusion Debate19:21 Need For Bigger Forum20:51 Teacher Learning And Training23:49 Allocation Models Mess27:43 Diagnosis And Safeguards30:35 Minister Takeaways37:08 Closing Thanks This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit simonmlewis.substack.com/subscribe

    Unconvention: Special Education Podcast

  2. Oct 22

    Interview 41: Aoife Hughes (ADHD Coach)

    In this episode of If I Were the Minister for Education, I speak with Aoife Hughes, a professional ADHD coach and educator, during ADHD Awareness Month. Aoife shares her story as a late-identified ADHD and autistic woman, her experiences in school and a 20-year teaching career shaped by anxiety, change, and burnout, and how she moved into ADHD coaching after training in the US. She explains ADHD coaching as life coaching through the lens of ADHD, using a strengths-based approach and partnership rather than prescribing strategies. We discuss barriers for neurodivergent teachers, missed ADHD in girls, masking as “bracing” and its impact on learning, and practical classroom supports like movement and thinking tools. Aoife questions tick-box “ADHD-friendly” labels and argues for whole-community neuro-affirming education grounded in neuroscience, and says that as minister she would train policymakers, school leaders, staff, parents and pupils on neurodivergence, trauma, disability, poverty and racism. * Website: Aoife Hughes Coaching * Newsletter Subscription link: https://learn-ahc.mykajabi.com/signup * ADHD Starter Kit for Parents: ADHD Support for Parents | Starter Kit - (adult one launching soon) * IG / FB @aoifehughescoaching * ADHD Webinar Series with Wexford Education Centre: April 2027: Welcome to Wexford Education Centre (2) - Welcome to Wexford Education Centre, Ireland 00:00 Welcome and Podcast Intro01:48 Meet Aoife Hughes03:05 From Teaching to Coaching09:10 What Is ADHD Coaching13:45 Neurodivergent Teachers16:43 Masking and ADHD Girls25:02 Making Classrooms Neuroaffirming30:25 Do School Supports Help34:32 Beyond ADHD Friendly Labels37:32 Are Schools Fit for Purpose41:51 Minister for a Day43:21 Where to Find Aoife44:40 Final Reflections and Wrap This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit simonmlewis.substack.com/subscribe

    Interview 41: Aoife Hughes (ADHD Coach)

  3. Oct 20

    Interview 40: Ronan McGovern

    In this episode of If I Were the Minister for Education, I speak with Ronan McGovern about ADHD and its impact in Irish primary and secondary schooling. Ronan outlines his education and career path from Dublin to accounting, King’s Inns, PwC New York and an MBA at Stanford, where a classmate identified ADHD traits and he later received a diagnosis at age 34. He reflects on being held back in school by inattention, note-taking difficulties, a need to move, and negative experiences including corporal punishment, while also recognising teachers who focused on him as an individual. Drawing on work with Stanford’s Neurodiversity Project, he discusses universal design, the overlooked creativity of neurodiverse people, and internships as a practical inclusion strategy. Ronan shares approaches that would have helped him learn Irish: video, rhythm and sound, plus explicit grammar and structure; and recommends voice-to-text supports and mindfulness, alongside early diagnosis and intervention. 00:00 Welcome and Overview 00:47 Meet Ronan McGovern 01:42 Career Path to Stanford 03:39 Late ADHD Diagnosis 05:59 School Years Revisited 10:23 Coping and Sensory Needs 12:27 Universal Design in Schools 14:22 Why Support Lags Behind 16:23 Stanford Research Takeaways 19:06 Creativity and Neurodiversity 21:27 Famous ADHD Role Models 22:35 Why Leaders Stay Quiet 23:27 Famous Neurodiverse Founders 24:36 Learning Irish With ADHD 25:28 Teach Through Sound First 26:26 Grammar Patterns Matter 29:18 Book And Classroom Fixes 30:55 Early Intervention In Schools 32:07 If I Were Minister 33:09 Tech Ideas For Classrooms 35:00 Where To Follow And Wrap Up This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit simonmlewis.substack.com/subscribe

    Interview 40: Ronan McGovern

  4. Oct 16

    Interview 39: Removing Diagnosis for Special Education with Debbie O’Neill

    In this episode, I speak with Debbie O’Neill, principal of Scoil Eoin in Crumlin about Department-level proposals to remove diagnosis as a criterion for access to special classes and special schools, replacing it with a needs-based model relying on school-written reports assessed by an unnamed independent body. We discuss the context of a reported 257% rise in children requiring classroom support alongside only a 7% increase in SET hours since 2017, and the implications for resourcing systems linked to diagnosis (SERC). We compare international examples cited in documents (Portugal, New Zealand, Denmark and England), contrasting wraparound in-school clinical supports abroad with limited Irish provision, and warning of New Brunswick’s failed rapid inclusion approach. We outline actions for teachers and principals through unions and patrons, and long-term requirements including smaller class sizes and adequate clinical staffing.00:00 Podcast Intro00:33 Support Needs Surge01:47 Debbie Joins02:43 Removing Diagnosis05:18 How It Works Now06:24 New Needs Model09:34 Resource Reality Check11:37 SERC Allocation Risks13:50 Full Inclusion Push16:36 New Brunswick Fallout19:14 Portugal Done Right23:24 Wraparound Services Gap25:49 In School Therapy Myth29:00 Why Now Money Motive30:47 Inclusion Driven by Money33:04 Patrons Sold a Story34:20 UK Model Falling Apart35:27 Denmark Numbers and Resources38:26 New Zealand Framework Lessons41:52 What Teachers Can Do Now46:20 Making Inclusion Work Long Term49:56 Final Call to Action This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit simonmlewis.substack.com/subscribe

    Interview 39: Removing Diagnosis for Special Education with Debbie O’Neill

  5. Oct 3

    A Very Alternative Budget 2027

    In this week’s podcast I focus on Budget 2027, outlining an alternative primary education budget and arguing that annual measures like capitation increases, extra teachers, and more SNAs prop up a flawed system rather than changing it. After summarising Sinn Féin’s proposals (additional teachers, special education staff, SNAs, higher capitation and allowances) and the Social Democrats’ plans (free education measures, lower ratios, counselling access, prefab phase-out, meals expansion), I propose a 15-year transformation towards a publicly managed system built around local education authorities, removing patron bodies. Key ideas include the State paying schools’ utilities, insurance, cleaning and procurement; moving to maximum class sizes; reforming school meals through localised, simplified, on-site preparation; embedding wraparound services in schools (counsellors, social workers, nurses, therapists) via expanded training; ensuring public capital spending creates public assets by increasing State ownership of school buildings; funding implementation of the primary school survey; piloting the model in one county; and properly paying all education staff while aiming for two adults per classroom. 00:00 Welcome and Subscribe 01:39 Budget 2027 Preview 02:33 Beyond the Usual Budget Questions 03:56 Opposition Education Pledges 06:53 A 15 Year Transformation Plan 07:38 Local Education Authorities Vision 09:20 State Pays School Bills 15:54 Fixing Class Size Rules 20:02 Rethinking School Meals 25:07 Rethinking School Meals 26:11 Wraparound Support Teams 28:41 Training the Workforce 30:30 Who Owns School Buildings 34:07 Funding Survey Changes 37:13 Pilot Local Authorities 40:04 Scaling the New Model 43:09 Pay and Classroom Assistants 44:15 Stop Piecemeal Fixes 45:34 15 Year Vision Wrap Up mUjMTNT5FRnlz7moH8By This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit simonmlewis.substack.com/subscribe

    A Very Alternative Budget 2027

  6. Sep 6

    Unconvention: Patronage Report Stage 1

    In this first report on patronage, I introduce my Unconvention fringe to the Convention on Education, where I gather public responses and research (using AI to help collate and draft) into reports and podcast episodes; this second report focuses on school patronage. I explain that patronage is not merely historical but gives patrons major power over boards of management and school ethos, including faith formation during the school day, within a system where 88.3% of primary schools are Catholic and only 5.5% are multi-denominational. I explore how admission reform since 2018 does not resolve unequal daily experiences for children of other faiths or none, and I challenge “parental choice” as unrealistic and often prioritised over children’s rights, especially in rural areas with one school. Emerging recommendations include separating admission from ethos reform, defining a minimum entitlement for every child, measuring children’s experiences, testing a state-run local school model with optional after-school faith formation, and explaining patronage clearly; I end with key unanswered questions about opting out, consistency, pupil views, survey choices, and protecting minority faith rights.00:00 Convention Kickoff00:57 Podcast Format Explained02:38 Patronage Question Raised05:35 What Patronage Means07:24 How Schools Operate11:27 Parental Choice Debate15:29 Rights Over Whims17:13 Reframing The Debate21:29 AI Recommendations26:45 Unanswered Key Questions28:47 Wrap Up And Next Steps This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit simonmlewis.substack.com/subscribe

    Unconvention: Patronage Report Stage 1

  7. Aug 17

    Interview 38: Ciara O'Connor Walsh

    In this episode, I speak with Ciara O’Connor Walsh, Creative Director at youth mental health charity A Lust For Life, about the transition from primary to secondary school. We discuss how practical worries (lockers, timetables, getting lost) often mask deeper concerns about belonging, relationships, peer judgement, bullying, puberty and identity, especially in the move from small primary schools to larger secondary schools. Ciara outlines signs a young person may be struggling, including headaches, tummy pains, sleep issues, tearfulness, irritability, withdrawal, defiance and difficulty concentrating, and stresses noticing early changes and starting honest conversations. We explore what schools can do to build safety and belonging, and Ciara introduces Rising Minds, a 10-lesson first-year programme using evidence-based approaches and skills for emotions, self-compassion, relationships and loneliness, alongside calls for protected wellbeing time and better support pathways.00:00 Back to School Feelings01:47 Meet Ciara O’Connor Walsh03:57 Why Transition Is Huge07:06 Big Schools Big Impact08:12 Common First Year Worries11:13 Spotting Struggle Signs18:01 How Schools Build Belonging21:41 Resilience Not Sink Swim24:47 Rising Minds Explained29:11 Loneliness And Social Skills31:42 Minister For A Day36:46 Support Pathways And CAMHS38:47 Where To Find Resources40:09 Wrap Up And Unconvention This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit simonmlewis.substack.com/subscribe

    Interview 38: Ciara O'Connor Walsh

  8. Aug 11

    Interview 37: Noel Davidson

    I welcome Noel Davidson to the podcast to discuss entrepreneurship education and practical problem-solving in Irish schools. Noel shares his own education and career journey from horticulture into starting businesses and becoming Head of Training and Strategic Partnerships at the Entrepreneurs Academy, arguing that programmes like the Junior Entrepreneur Program (primary) and the Student Enterprise Program (post-primary) build confidence and life skills such as creativity, communication, resilience and learning from failure. We discuss why these human skills matter even more alongside AI, which Noel frames as a tool that should save time but cannot replace empathy or leadership. Noel highlights student success stories, including Anthony’s Wooden Crafts, and introduces First Bell (firstbell.ie), a new Irish app launching this September to help schools source substitute teachers more efficiently than phone calls or WhatsApp, with location-based matching, cascading preferences and GDPR-aware design. I close by inviting listeners to anseo.net’s Unconvention. We’ve developed a course that makes sense of the revised primary curriculum and shows you how to enact it over the next two years and beyond. As a thank you for being a member, you are welcome to use it for free if you pay an annual licence. Simply get in touch with your details and we’ll get you signed up. (schoolpolicy.ie/cpd) Are you interested in making sense of the revised primary curriculum and enacting your whole school plans over the next two years? We’ve developed a course to do just that. More information on schoolpolicy.ie/cpd or upgrade your account for free access. 00:00 Welcome and Purpose01:16 Meet Noel Davidson03:07 Noel’s Education Journey05:13 Mentors and First Business08:02 What JEP and SEP Teach10:00 Entrepreneurship in the AI Era13:02 Student Success Stories15:59 First Spell Origin Story19:46 How First Spell Works22:03 WhatsApp Limits and GDPR25:32 Launch Details and Access26:53 Minister for a Day29:29 Failure and Ken Robinson33:40 Wrap Up and Unconvention This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit simonmlewis.substack.com/subscribe

    Interview 37: Noel Davidson
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How many times have you said to yourself, "If I were the Minister for Education…?" Well I do! Rather than grumble to myself, I decided to podcast my thoughts on ways I'd change the primary education system in Ireland. Every episode I'll take on a different theme, give some background and hopefully come to some conclusions by the end. simonmlewis.substack.com

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