Miss Estruch Teach & Tell

Miss Estruch
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Welcome to Miss Estruch Teach & Tell —the podcast dedicated to helping busy teachers streamline their workload, improve productivity, and find more joy in teaching. Whether you’ve been in the classroom for years or you’re navigating the challenges of balancing work with being a busy mum, this show is designed for you. Join Miss Estruch each week as she shares time-saving teaching tips, engaging Biology lesson ideas, and powerful edtech tools that make your life easier while boosting the quality of your lessons. From candid teacher confessions to practical strategies that work, we dive deep into what it means to thrive both in and out of the classroom. Expect relatable anecdotes, actionable takeaways, and an authentic community of educators who understand the struggle to achieve a sustainable work-life balance. If you're ready to take your teaching to the next level while reclaiming your personal time, hit that subscribe button now!

  1. 2d ago

    Canva Bulk Create: Personalise 30 Certificates & Revision Posters in Minutes | S3 E3

    What if you could personalise thirty certificates, revision posters, or exam countdown cards, each with a different student's name, target grade, or exam date, without spending ages manually copy and pasting and editing names?   In this episode, I walks you through Canva's Bulk Create feature step by step, showing you how to turn one design into a whole class set in minutes. This episode is one you would really benefit from watching, to see the screen recording of each step.  Here is the YouTube video version https://youtu.be/943c5h5OSPc In this episode: What Bulk Create actually does, and why it works for anything with a template + a changing detail Step 1: Building your template with separate placeholder text boxes Step 2: Setting up your spreadsheet (one column per placeholder, one row per student) Step 3: Connecting Bulk Create and matching your data to your design Step 4: Generating, previewing, and downloading your batch Four ways to use it straight away: end-of-unit certificates, personalised revision posters, exam season materials, and parents' evening slips Three practical tips: test with three rows first, keep a master template, and proofread your spreadsheet before you generate Key takeaway: The time cost is building the template once and tidying the spreadsheet. After that, personalising thirty documents takes minutes, not an evening.

  2. Sep 14

    AQA GCSE & A-Level Reform: The Full Timeline So Far (2026–2034) | S3 E2

    GCSE and A-level reform properly started moving this summer. In this episode, I'm giving you the download from the AQA Science Conference 2026. What's confirmed, what's still proposed, and what actually lands in your classroom- and when. Consider this Part 1: there's more to come as the details firm up. You'll learn: The full reform timeline, phase by phase — from 2026 consultation through to the first new A-level exams in 2034 What's actually changing in your classroom this year (spoiler: nothing yet) The assessment changes landing much sooner — formulae sheets, "show your working," and compensatory marks What's being proposed for Progress 8 and Attainment 8 What AQA is reviewing on required practicals — and why it isn't a return to NEA

  3. Sep 7

    Surviving Your First Year as an ECT | S3 E1

    Nobody warns you how much your first year of teaching is going to ask of you. In this episode, I'm talking about surviving year one as an ECT.  The challenges nobody prepares you for, exactly who you should be turning to when things get hard, and the practical habits that will save you hours every single week. I still remember my own NQT year like it was yesterday.  The exhaustion, the imposter syndrome, the feeling that everyone else had somehow been given a manual I'd never seen. If you're starting your ECT year, or you're already in it wondering why nobody warned you it would feel like this, this one's for you. I talk about the things the training year doesn't prepare you for, why the challenges you're hitting are completely normal, and who to actually go to for each type of problem, because year one goes far more smoothly once you know that, rather than trying to solve everything yourself. I also share the habits that genuinely protect your time: batching admin, guarding your non-contact time, setting a boundary and holding it, and swapping detailed individual marking for whole-class feedback. Speaking of which, one of the biggest time-savers I mention in this episode is ditching individual comment marking for whole-class feedback sheets. I've put together a free whole-class feedback document to help you start saving hours from this week. Grab it here: https://www.missestruch.co.uk/offers/fNUar5qP/checkout You don't have to do year one perfectly. I certainly didn't. You just have to keep asking for help, learn from your mistakes, and protect your time where you can.

  4. Jul 14

    What the 2026 Biology Exams Taught Us (And What Teachers Should Change Now) | S2 E43

    The 2026 Biology exams are over... but before we move on, there's one thing every teacher should do. Reflect. In this episode of Miss Estruch Teach & Tell, I share the three biggest trends I noticed across this year's AQA and OCR A Level Biology papers—and, more importantly, what I'm changing in my teaching ready for September. Rather than waiting until next spring to react, now is the perfect time to make small adjustments that could have a huge impact on student outcomes next year. In this episode we discuss: Why the Apparatus and Techniques table deserves far more attention than many of us give it How required practical skills are increasingly assessed in unfamiliar contexts The rise of AO1 extended response questions on Paper 1 Teaching students to recall mark scheme points—not just content Why application questions are becoming increasingly unpredictable Helping students become confident with unfamiliar scientific contexts Practical teaching strategies to implement from September I also share details of my Head Start sessions designed to help students transition confidently into the next academic year. Head Start Sessions 🎓 Head Start to A Level Biology (Year 11 → Year 12) https://www.missestruch.co.uk/head-start-to-alevel 🎓 Head Start to Year 13 (Current Year 12 students) https://www.missestruch.co.uk/head-start-to-year13

  5. Jul 13

    Your September Reset: Smarter Planning, Better Boundaries and Less Burnout

    September doesn't have to feel overwhelming. In this episode of Miss Estruch Teach & Tell, I share three practical ways to start the new school year with better systems, stronger boundaries, and less stress. Rather than spending the summer creating endless new resources, I explain how tools like Claude AI can help you improve the lessons and schemes of work you already have, why planning with SEND in mind benefits every student, and how reflecting honestly on last year can help you avoid burnout before it starts. In this episode we cover: How to use AI to improve existing lessons and schemes of work Why Claude works well as a teaching planning partner SEND-first lesson planning that supports all learners Small classroom changes that improve accessibility and behaviour Why reactive planning creates unnecessary workload Reflecting on last year's challenges before September begins Setting realistic teacher boundaries you'll actually stick to Building systems that make the whole year easier Whether you're an ECT, classroom teacher, middle leader or Head of Department, this episode is designed to help you start September feeling prepared rather than overwhelmed. If you're looking for practical teacher workload tips, evidence-informed teaching strategies, AI for teachers, SEND-friendly planning ideas, and sustainable teaching habits, this episode is for you.

  6. Jun 22

    Your Gain Time, But Make It Efficient: Using Claude Cowork to Actually Get Stuff Done

    It's June. Year 11 are gone. Year 13 are gone. You have a list of jobs as long as your arm and a brain that is absolutely running on fumes. This episode is your gain time game plan. I'm walking you through exactly how I'd use Claude Cowork to work through the planning jobs you've been saving up all year — schemes of work, lesson resources, question packs, knowledge organisers — faster, and without staring at a blank document for forty-five minutes. I'll give you real prompts you can use straight away, the top tips that actually make a difference, and — crucially — the flaws and pitfalls to be aware of, because this tool is brilliant but it is not perfect, and you need to know where to keep your critical eye switched on. If you've been curious about AI but don't know where to start as a teacher, this is the episode. Subscribe to Teach and Tell for practical ideas on teaching, planning, and making the job more sustainable.

  7. Jun 17

    Stop Fighting Football! Use the World Cup to Teach Biology Instead | S2 E40

    Every four years the World Cup arrives and suddenly your students seem far more interested in football than biology. My argument? Stop fighting it. In this episode of Miss Estruch Teach & Tell, I explore how the World Cup can become one of the most powerful teaching tools in your biology classroom. From osmoregulation and respiration to infectious disease and plant biology, the specification is playing out on the pitch in real time. We discuss: ⚽ Hydration, sweating and osmoregulation ⚽ ADH, kidneys and negative feedback ⚽ Glycogen, respiration and energy systems ⚽ Muscle contraction and sports performance ⚽ Infectious disease transmission and R numbers ⚽ Epidemiology and mass gathering events ⚽ Plant biology, active transport and nutrient uptake ⚽ How to use major sporting events to increase student engagement ⚽ Why real-world examples matter for motivation and retention I also share a free classroom resource from the Miss Estruch Biology channel: The Biology of the World Cup:  The Science of the World Cup | World Cup World Cup 2026 Biology Explained  This is a student-focused video exploring the biology behind the world's biggest sporting event, featuring insights from experts in sports nutrition, physiology and sports turf science. Perfect for: GCSE Biology teachers A Level Biology teachers Secondary science teachers Biology departments looking for real-world examples Teachers wanting to increase engagement without sacrificing rigour Remember: The World Cup is not a distraction from biology. It is biology!

  8. Jun 1

    Epigenetics Explained: What Every Biology Teacher Needs to Know | S2 E39

    To get access to free resources on a wide range of biology topics, learn about upcoming teacher training courses (including a course on epigenetics this October), and find out more about the work of the EMBL Science Education and Public Engagement Team, you can subscribe to our newsletter or follow us on social media using the links below:Newsletter: https://www.embl.org/ells/newsletter/LinkedIn: https://de.linkedin.com/company/embl-science-educationFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/EMBL-ELLS-15186136151218 Epigenetics is one of the most fascinating (and challenging) topics in A Level Biology. In this episode of Miss Estruch Teach & Tell, I sit down with Rachel, biology teacher, former scientist, and epigenetics educator, to explore how teachers can make this complex topic more accessible, engaging, and meaningful for students. Drawing on her experience as a researcher and her recent training at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Rachel shares practical classroom strategies, common misconceptions, and exciting developments in the field that go far beyond the specification. We discuss: Why students often struggle with epigenetics Common misconceptions about inheritance and gene expression The role of non-coding DNA and chromatin structure The emerging science of the epigenetic clock How flipped learning can improve understanding Data analysis activities that build exam confidence Using real scientific research in the classroom The benefits of collaborating with scientists and universities How to teach a rapidly evolving area of biology with confidence Whether you teach A Level Biology, are interested in the science of gene regulation, or simply want new ideas for tackling difficult concepts, this conversation is packed with practical takeaways.

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About

Welcome to Miss Estruch Teach & Tell —the podcast dedicated to helping busy teachers streamline their workload, improve productivity, and find more joy in teaching. Whether you’ve been in the classroom for years or you’re navigating the challenges of balancing work with being a busy mum, this show is designed for you. Join Miss Estruch each week as she shares time-saving teaching tips, engaging Biology lesson ideas, and powerful edtech tools that make your life easier while boosting the quality of your lessons. From candid teacher confessions to practical strategies that work, we dive deep into what it means to thrive both in and out of the classroom. Expect relatable anecdotes, actionable takeaways, and an authentic community of educators who understand the struggle to achieve a sustainable work-life balance. If you're ready to take your teaching to the next level while reclaiming your personal time, hit that subscribe button now!

Information

  • Creator
    Miss Estruch
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    79
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Miss Estruch Biology LTD
  • Show Website
    Miss Estruch Teach & Tell